AN APPRECIATION OF IRISH ART

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On Oct. 14th, 2004, The San Francisco American Ireland Fund hosted an evening of Irish Art at Butterfields & Bonhams. This was a rare opportunity to hear Elizabeth Martin, Principal of Elizabeth F. Martin Fine Art, New York, describe the extraordinary wealth of talent found in the works of Irish artists of the past three centuries.

Board Members Jon Folan and his wife Gail were there along with their daughter Cassie; Craig Sullivan and his wife Maureen, were joined by Meagan Levitan and Dale Carlson. We were honored to have Consul-General Donal Denham and his wife, Siobhan present at the event. Other special friends of the Fund in attendance included Michael and Pepper Jackson, Phil Marineau and his wife, Sue, Bart Murphy and Eileen Moore, Sheila Burns McWilliams and her husband, Keith, Rob Birmingham, George and Elizabeth Still, Kathleen Ryan and Sheila Doyle Kiernan, Stephen Seewer. Nola Masterson and Bruce Jenett had fun with their friends John and Trish Healy

The cocktail reception was followed by a fascinating presentation. Examples of the works of Irish artists were discussed as well as the periods that their work represents. Elizabeth Martin focused on the significant contributions Irish artists have made to art history, touching on developments in landscape, portraiture and genre as seen in Realism, Impressionism and Expressionism. Artists highlighted included Nathaniel Hone the Younger, Sir John Lavery, William Orpen, Jack B. Yeats, Estella Solomons, Mainie Jellett and Louis le Brocquy.

Dinner was accompanied by fine wines from one of our favorite Winegeese wineries, Chateau Montelena. Patrick Meade of Butterfields & Bonhams gave us a warm welcome to San Francisco’s favorite auction house. We are most grateful to Elizabeth Martin for coming all the way from New York to develop our interest and appreciation of Irish art.