Ashbourne Festival’s winner of the Summer Exhibition Prize 2022, Laura Parker, has opened a solo exhibition of her own at The Courtney Gallery in St John Street. The exhibition will run to 23rd September.

The Summer Exhibition is the traditional curtain-raising event to the Ashbourne Festival. The Courtney Gallery initiated the prize, which is awarded annually to the artist whose work stands out from the rest.

Ashbourne Festival’s Artistic Director Tim Challans said the exhibition’s judges, which last year comprised of experienced local artists John Connolly and Sue Lewis-Blake, are completely independent of both the festival and the gallery.

“They are encouraged to make their decision based on their own aesthetic and artistic prowess.”

Petra Courtney, who runs the gallery with husband Mark, said:
 
“We are looking forward to having her vivid, contemporary abstract work brighten up the gallery space. We are sure her light will shine very brightly and that she will go from strength to strength as an artist.”

Laura, who was delighted with her win, says:”I take inspiration from the forms, shapes and colours found in nature. Building textural layers and then breaking through them to reveal what lies beneath is part of the process in my work.”

Pictured left is Laura’s winning artwork entitled ‘My Brain Hurts’.

Her solo show runs at The Courtney Gallery until 23rd September.