HE MAY refer to himself as a 'frustrated art lover', but while Maurice Clarke is not an artist himself he has nonetheless carved a niche in that rareified world for himself.
The owner of the Blueberry Gallery in Patrickswell will soon host a uniqu
e art event as part of the sesquicentenary celebrations of Crescent College Comprehensive, where he himself was educated and first came to love art.
"We're hosting a joint show of present and former students' work," says Maurice, listing acclaimed artists like Charlie Harper, Maurice Desmond, John Cullinan, Mick Reeves, Loius Mulcahy of the pottery shop, Terry Leahy of LSAD and Claire Gilmore as part of the coming attraction.
There will also be an incentive for the current students to see their work alongside such luminaries in the form of a trophy.
"All of the students, from all the years will be involved and Aidan O'Sullivan, the head art teacher, will select from those the most improved current student's work.
"We're naming the prize the John O'Brien Perpetual trophy after one of the original art teachers who taught me," he adds.
Said teacher was a huge influence on the young Maurice and the fact he has a gallery now "would purely be as a result of the influence of John O'Brien".
"It's because of the education I got in Crescent that gave me my love for art today and that's why we're calling this trophy the John O'Brien perpetual trophy - he's alive in it," says Maurice.
The idea of exhibiting the students' work alongside established artists will, Maurice hopes, be mutually beneficial allowing the artists to reflect on how they once were and students to see where their artistic endeavour, if they stick with it, might lead.
With all of the various years expected to participate and the artists' work as well, you'd think Maurice might have a job getting everything up on the wall, though he doesn't anticipate a problem
"I think we'll have hundreds of pieces, yes, and I think we will be able to accomodate them. We've already hosted several shows for schools in west Limerick and we invited the parents and children to the gallery and we've had an established artist talk about the children's own work in the gallery," says Maurice by way of explaining his confidence that the Blueberry's walls will prove expansive enough for the work he will receive.
Maurice's work with school children and art teachers is helping demystify galleries and art for the next generation in Limerick and, hopefully, creating within them a new appreciation for the finer things.
"I think most people are a bit timid going into art galleries, because of the attitude usually of the proprietor or operator and we want art to be accessible to everybody," says Maurice.
Naturally this benefits not only the children educated about art and encouraged to explore it, but the gallery owner who wants people to frequent his exhibitions.
With the Crescent College exhibition set to begin on Wednesday, March 10, and run until the end of that month he has the opportunity to help more young art lovers to possibly open a door into their own futures.
