Mullingar crime author to launch art book by IWA

Photo shows - Patricia Gibney.

Mullingar based crime fiction writer, Patricia Gibney, is to launch a book by the members of the Springfield Art Group at the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA).

The group’s first published book, entitled ‘Culture Project’, is to be launched on Wednesday March 4 at 11am in Mullingar Library.

The book brings together the collective artworks and collaborative poems created by art group members during a developmental project that involved an exploration of different cultures.

The project evolved through a shared interest in world culture between the art group and volunteer workers at the IWA hailing from Thailand and Bangladesh.

Many rich, enlivening conversations ensued as everyone learned about Thai and Bangladeshi traditions.

Art group members drew on these themes to produce a series of reflective artworks, which they later contextualised using ‘Haiku’ a traditional form of Japanese poetry.

In addition to discussion, drawing, painting and poetry writing, the project explored culture through art history as well as a variety of participatory activities including music and dance.

The book ‘Culture Project’ will be available in Mullingar Library, from March 4.

This project is part of a community education services art programme supported and funded by Longford and Westmeath Education Training Board.

‘Culture Project’ was developed by artist Liz Johnson in collaboration with the IWA.

The Irish Wheelchair Association is a national organisation dedicated to the achievement of full, social, economic and educational integration of people with disability as members of the community.

IWA Mullingar is based in the Springfield Centre on the grounds of St Loman’s on the Delvin Road, from where it runs a resource centre for people with physical disabilities.