An art gallery set to be everyone's scene

Bluewall Gallery is a privately owned new space for contemporary visual art. Located about half-way between the Farnham Estate Radisson Hotel and Killykeen Forest Park, it's 10km from Cavan town. Joe Keenan is director of the gallery, while family members are also helping out. The gallery is a converted artist's studio, which Joe's wife Jane McCormick used until recently. Daughter Jessie, a science graduate, is strongly involved; while son Finn, who's studying for his qualification in film and television, has been helping with the new venture when he can too. Jane no longer uses the space as a studio so they decided it would be great to use it as a gallery. The project started off with boom-style plans for a completely new construction, but they scaled it back a little to extending what was there, and are much more comfortable with that. "It's important that we do it nicely and tastefully. We can build on it from there," says Jessie. The new gallery is none the less dramatic and striking. It's set to make an impact, but Joe and family consider it "more personal". "It will evolve. We have a lot of ideas that are very exciting for the future, but we want to start with this first," agree father and daughter. Joe is passionate about all things creative and is becoming increasingly associated with the arts in Cavan. He was involved with The Hacklers drama group since the early 1990s; he started the film club in Cavan town (back when non-mainstream film screenings were a rarity); and, together with Niall Walsh, started Red rock venue upstairs in Blessings on Cavan's Main Street. He and Niall then went on to form Blue Valentines, which wowed audiences in Cavan and Dublin with their Tom Waits tribute concert. Blue Valentines, with the much appreciated support of the arts office, has been bringing the Cafe Sessions to Chapter One cafe, a platform for Cavan music enthusiasts to sample the talents of high quality acts in an early evening cafe setting. Having worked for an oil company until a couple of years ago, Joe has been involved with visual art mainly through his artist wife, who trained as a ceramicist and is well regarded for her work. Joe helped Jane put together her work in exhibitions and has a real passion for the creative side of life. "I always found it was a nicer place to be than in a business," says Joe. "We've been immersed in the arts from an early age," agrees daughter Jessie. In what was a labour of love, they did lots of research, checking out other galleries everywhere they've been in recent years. "In each gallery, you get a certain feel," comments Joe. "We want a non-intimidating space where people can look at stuff without feeling any pressure to 'understand it' or buy it. You want to create a nice environment for people. "The art is the important thing. The first exhibition will set the standard and the feel." The aim at Bluewall is "to show work of excellence". With Joe's track record with showing only the highest standard work with Blue Valentines not to mention Jane's perfectionist eye for detail, the gallery is surely well on its way to achieving the aim. Whether it's music, poetry, drama, visual art or anything along the creative lines, Joe simply loves to put on a good show. "The feeling you get is priceless," he says. They're getting a great reaction to the venture so far. "People think it's an interesting idea", says Joe, who senses a lot of goodwill despite or, perhaps, because of our changing circumstances. Perhaps our enforced frugality as a society won't do our values any harm. "Even what people are talking about has changed since the recession," muses Joe. He thinks artists and the arts may even be "appreciated a bit more" since the economic crisis blew. The gallery comprises three exhibition spaces and an outdoor sculpture garden, which they're particularly fond of, and justifiably so given the breath-taking location overlooking Lough Oughter. They're also delighted to have space in Bluewall for performance art. The first exhibition, Breath, "literally marks the gallery's first breath" and will showcase sculpture by Eileen McDonagh, painting by Gabhann Dunne, ceramics by Alison Kay, photography and film by Michael Fortune, print by Marianne Keating and performance by Brian Connolly. It "reflects the quality and range of practice we are keen to represent". Other exhibitions by artists including Sean Hillen and Patricia McKenna and another curated by Cliodhna Shaffrey are also lined up. They plan to keep a strong cross-border link and to work with Cavan Arts Office, who they pay great tribute to for their constant support of the arts. Joe is also infected by the enthusiasm of artists and hopes to give graduates returning to Cavan an opportunity to exhibit. ("There's a great buzz when they're around, a huge energy from them," he notes.) Anyone who knows the Killykeen countryside won't need to be told that this is a really beautiful location overlooking Lough Oughter, which would make it the ideal stop-off on a Saturday or Sunday for day-trippers making the most of the diverse riches in this county. • Bluewall Gallery, Corracanvy, Cavan opens to the public on Saturday, February 27, 3pm-5pm, with a group show titled Breath. The gallery is wheelchair accessible. Admission is free and all are welcome. Opening times are Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 2pm to 5pm (October to March) and Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 2pm to 6pm (April to September). Contact the gallery at 049-4361627, 086-2902493 or joe@bluewallgallery.com. Also see www.bluewallgallery.com.