I just found out that my husband's Irish cousin is Artist of the Month at Galway City's Bold Art Gallery. Her name is Mary Dillon, and I absolutely love her and her work. Though I've only met her a few times, she made a great impression on me with her bohemian style and upbeat attitude. She is a true inspiration.

Biography from Bold Art Gallery:
   A full-time professional artist since 1999, Mary enjoys spending her time working from her studio at home in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. Originally from Kilkenny, she first exhibited her work during Kilkenny Arts Week at the age of 13.
   Mary has a keen interest in botany and gardening and takes inspiration from her garden, local hedgerows, woodlands and the bogs in the midlands of Ireland.
   Mary’s unique style reveals the power and vibrancy of watercolours at their best. Gradually building up washes of paint to create intense yet delicately subtle layers of colour, her paintings encourage and challenge us to look again.
   Her work has been critically acclaimed on television and in national print media, and she has undertaken commissions for corporate and private collections around the world.

To submit artwork to Bold Art Gallery, mail a CD of images to the gallery at Merchants Rd. & Augustine St., Galway City, Ireland. Include a self-addressed envelope for return. You may also e-mail sample images to info@boldartgallery.com. Be sure to include a biography in your application. The biography should consist of information about you as an artist, your education (if relevant) and your influences.