First exhibition is great success

Ballinvella Community Centre was delighted to host an art exhibition by local artist Betty Ottman recently and it proved to be a great success.

It was the artist's first exhibition and the committee involved in the hall took great delight in hosting it for her.

A spokesperson for the hall committee said: "It was brilliant to see dozens assemble on the opening night, who gathered to see and support her artwork for the very first time."

"Many visitors praised her use of feminine figures and ability to capture an atmospheric sense with her work," she said.

"Several pieces were even sold by the afternoon the following day which was a added bonus," she added.

However, the spokesperson said that what really stood out on the opening night was the genuine warmth and encouragement from the community friends, neighbours, and visitors who offered flowers, kind words and shared stories about how her work resonated with them.

"It was truly a celebration of creativity, unity, and local support," she said.

For over 40 years, Betty Ottman has poured her creativity into the world around her in an artistic journey that began when she was a young 20-year-old mum in Co Cork.

She first picked up her brushes to paint cheerful Mickey Mouse characters on her children’s bedroom walls in the early 1980s and what started as playful murals soon grew into a lifelong journey, encompassing home décor projects, delicate watercolour paintings and bustling craft fairs.

Eventually, she found her true flair with acrylics, exploring rich colours and textures that spoke deeply to her soul. 

Throughout her life, art has been more than a hobby or career – it has been a path of personal growth, helping her to understand herself and the world with clarity and compassion. In recent years, her creative journey has connected her with some of her closest and dearest friends – many of whom she met only within the last year.

The spokesperson for Ballinvella Community Centre said those like-minded artistic souls had guided Betty to her first official exhibition.

Art is an expression of the mind, emotions and soul at any given time in whatever format it takes. Creative energy takes many forms whether that be music, photography, performance art or painting, pottery, wood carving, sketching, floristry, food art, abstract design, gardening – the list is endless. 

That's what makes art so important as it represents who we are, where we're going and where we've come from.

"It holds the power to evoke emotions, to spark conversations, to inspire us and challenge us," said the spokesperson.

"Yet it is vulnerable to the interpretations each of us bring, shaped by our own experiences and feelings," she added.

"We hope you enjoy this exhibition, and that it inspires you in your own unique way."