I was told that the Royal Dublin on O'Connell Street was to close on the 20th of December and since hearing that news a week ago I have been pondering upon my memories of the most accessible hotel in Dublin.
I was among the first 30 people to be part of the independent living movement which has enabled me to go to college firstly and live on my own with the help of a personal assistance.
We used to meet regularly to support each other and the Royal Dublin would be the venue for special occasions as it was in the centre of Dublin and no matter what type of transport or disability, it was a great place to be.
To me it symbolised the freedom that independent living was and still is how I want to live my life.
The atmosphere of the Royal Dublin often lend itself to spontaneous sing-songs.
The memories can only be summed up in one word: Freedom!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Some rediscovered paintings
Moon Over Water
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Kitchen Still Life
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The Gift
This painting was done in the early '90s
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Kitchen Still Life
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The Gift
This painting was done in the early '90s
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
For you...
Would you like
A poem for a special occasion e.g. a memorial poem, an anniversary or a thank-you poem?
A commisioned painting?
Please contact me through my website:
www.bluewavearts.ie
Thank you,
Mary
A poem for a special occasion e.g. a memorial poem, an anniversary or a thank-you poem?
A commisioned painting?
Please contact me through my website:
www.bluewavearts.ie
Thank you,
Mary
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
MARY COLLINS GOES TO MONACO
To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, the Princess Grace Irish Library in the Principality of Monaco will exhibit watercolours by painter and poet Mary Collins from Dún Laoghaire.
The private viewing (invitation only) will take place on Tuesday 17 March 2009. The exhibition will be open to the public from Wednesday 18 March to Friday 17 April 2009, from 11:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday.
Mary has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. She follows the advice given her some years ago by a friend: “Turn your disability into an ability”… and that has been her mantra ever since.
Mary tells us: “I started painting in 1990. The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) began offering a variety of classes, one of which was Art. I didn’t actually think it would be suitable because I can’t draw. However, my mum is an artist so I thought it might be in my genes and decided to try it. I fell in love with the medium of watercolour, but initially I used it only because it was the medium most suited to my disability. Acrylics and oils require you to keep applying paint to the canvas, whereas watercolour was much easier for me to control. Painting landscapes over other themes happened in a similar way. At first, I painted landscapes because of the ease with which I could acquire subject matter. Since I was unable to access many outside locations for painting, a postcard or photograph would suffice as a model from which to work. However, over time I have become very attached to landscapes and see it as a way to access parts of the world that aren’t so accessible! I’ve exhibited eleven times in total so far and am always looking for opportunities to display my work. Friends and family commission paintings from me on a wide variety of subject matter, and I enjoy the process of understanding someone’s vision for a painting and combining it with my own.”
Mary is delighted about the Monaco exhibition: “This is a wonderful and unexpected opportunity for me. As I am an Irish-American, Princess Grace holds a special place in my heart. For this first exhibition outside Ireland, I am overjoyed to show my watercolours in such a prestigious setting. My sincere thanks to the Trustees of the Princess Grace Irish Library.”
Mary is a fighter who is absolutely determined that her disability will not get in her way! She was even awarded two gold medals for shot-put and precision throw at the New York State Games for the Physically Challenged in 1988.
To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, the Princess Grace Irish Library in the Principality of Monaco will exhibit watercolours by painter and poet Mary Collins from Dún Laoghaire.
The private viewing (invitation only) will take place on Tuesday 17 March 2009. The exhibition will be open to the public from Wednesday 18 March to Friday 17 April 2009, from 11:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday.
Mary has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. She follows the advice given her some years ago by a friend: “Turn your disability into an ability”… and that has been her mantra ever since.
Mary tells us: “I started painting in 1990. The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) began offering a variety of classes, one of which was Art. I didn’t actually think it would be suitable because I can’t draw. However, my mum is an artist so I thought it might be in my genes and decided to try it. I fell in love with the medium of watercolour, but initially I used it only because it was the medium most suited to my disability. Acrylics and oils require you to keep applying paint to the canvas, whereas watercolour was much easier for me to control. Painting landscapes over other themes happened in a similar way. At first, I painted landscapes because of the ease with which I could acquire subject matter. Since I was unable to access many outside locations for painting, a postcard or photograph would suffice as a model from which to work. However, over time I have become very attached to landscapes and see it as a way to access parts of the world that aren’t so accessible! I’ve exhibited eleven times in total so far and am always looking for opportunities to display my work. Friends and family commission paintings from me on a wide variety of subject matter, and I enjoy the process of understanding someone’s vision for a painting and combining it with my own.”
Mary is delighted about the Monaco exhibition: “This is a wonderful and unexpected opportunity for me. As I am an Irish-American, Princess Grace holds a special place in my heart. For this first exhibition outside Ireland, I am overjoyed to show my watercolours in such a prestigious setting. My sincere thanks to the Trustees of the Princess Grace Irish Library.”
Mary is a fighter who is absolutely determined that her disability will not get in her way! She was even awarded two gold medals for shot-put and precision throw at the New York State Games for the Physically Challenged in 1988.
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