Nicola Gordon Bowe recalls the close friendship that was kindled in art school and forged in adulthood between William Orpen and Beatrice Elvery
William Orpen (1878-1931) and Beatrice Elvery (1883-1970) were consummately adept at drawing caricatures, particularly of themselves often in wickedly derogatory, self-mocking, or pseudo-heroic mode, accompanied by witty, psychologically penetrating, handwritten notes in their own private language. He called her ‘Bridgit’ and himself ‘Digit’ after he had signed a drawing, ‘To Bridgit from the lad who Digit’ ( she reckoned he never wanted to grow up, always a lad). They volleyed illustrated notes to each other, referring to mutual friends, family and acquaintances by nicknames: she thought his ‘letters were flowing over with high spirits, impish fun, jokes and nonsense’ .
Mark Ewart visits the studio of Allihies-based artist Rachel Parry who transforms natural matter into mesmerizing art.
Kim Haughton’s portraits, on view now at the National Museum Collins Barracks, reflect on Ireland’s multi-layered society at the end of the first century of this nation state, writes Stephanie McBride
