Gleno crafts together Arts Council workshop funding

Both metal work and ceramic mediums are offered to the residents and those living close by.

The Gleno community will benefit from the expertise and knowledge of metal work artist Kevin Killen, who designed the artwork on the Inver River project a few years ago.

Kevin has a string of awards to his name and has designed many specially-commissioned art work sculptures for various councils in Northern Ireland.

Red Earth Designs will provide their award-winning skills to those interested in all types of ceramic art.

Managing a ceramics and framing studio in the heart of Belfast, they will bring together the creative and business talents of twin sisters, Claire and Karen Gibson, both with a Masters Degree in Fine and Applied Art from the University of Ulster at Belfast.

In business since 2001, they produce a range of unique and exciting ceramics with a very distinctive style.

To celebrate this opportunity a Workshops Launch Event will be held on Thursday, October 25 at 7.30pm in Gleno Orange Hall.

The workshop artists will showcase their work and detail the opportunities within the offered workshops and participants will be given the chance to sign up for the classes.

Workshops are open to the local Gleno community and attendees must be over 18.

The metal work classes will run from November to December this year and the ceramic classes from mid-January to March 2013.

Chairperson Irene McGookin said: “We are absolutely delighted by the Arts Council’s generous funding and I cannot believe how lucky we are to secure these top-notch artists.

“From this project we hope to increase awareness of how community art increases community engagement, pride and a sense of identity in our beautiful village of Gleno.

“Our community group hopes that this is the start of much more engagement in art in our village.”

For more information on this Arts Council Community Arts Project please call Irene on 028 2827 8826 or visit www.glenocommunity.ruralcommunitynetwork.org.