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Are you ready to embark on an unforgettable journey and explore the charm of Mahon? Look no further than Artful Tours, an exceptional tour company that offers a Welcome Tour of Mahón, Menorca with a knowledgeable local. Let’s  take a closer look at this remarkable tour through it's captivating streets and the experiences it offers to curious travellers. Mahón, the capital of Menorca, is a town rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. With its stunning harbour, picturesque streets, [...]

* Gallanteers (derived from Gallery/Volunteers/Musketeers/Gallantry/Bravery) In a nutshell. Dublin Canvas issued a call for submissions to re-paint traffic light control boxes in different Dublin streets.  The NGI volunteers or Gallanteers* as we called ourselves for this project came together as a group in April 2021, to design & submit an entry in response to the call. The group had a number of virtual meetings during which a specific control box was chosen.  An image representing the area [...]

Where is the Centre of the Art World?  Most people would say the choice is between Paris, New York and London.  I would say the Art World is a flock of migratory birds, landing seasonally, replenishing and then moving on.  Right now it looks like the Centre of the Art World has landed on the small Mediterranean island of Menorca.  Here are just 3 of my reasons for thinking so: Reason 1.  Hauser and Wirth opened their new gallery on [...]

During the summer of 2020, four statues depicting Egyptian women were removed from the front of the Shelbourne hotel in Dublin.   The four plinths sat empty until the 15th of December, when the statues were returned.   The statues had been removed as a consequence of raised awareness of what public art symbolises through the Black Lives Matter movement.  I think it is wonderful that art raises questions and encourages debate over important issues such as what it represents. The four [...]

In 1607 The coat of arms was granted to the city of Dublin by the English crown.  However, the three castles have been a symbol of the city for far longer and are shown on the city seal which dates back to the 13th century.The three castles in the seal are burning but the flames do not depict a real fire but symbolise the zeal and readiness of the citizens of Dublin to defend their city.There is a figure in [...]

Rosa Bonheur was born in Bordeaux France in 1822 and went to live in Paris at a young age.  She painted mainly animals in a realistic style.  Her attention to detail was outstanding. Her deep understanding and affinity to animals she put down to the fact that as a youngster struggling to read and write her mother came up with an ingenious way to teach her letters by associating each one with an animal by drawing it. [...]

Anne Madden was born in London to Irish parents and she spent her early years in Chile. She spent periods of her adolescence in the Burren in County Clare and became fascinated by the landscape – taking long horse rides there alone, immersing herself in its beauty which informed her early paintings. Later, in the 1950s, Anne was heavily influenced by the Abstract Expressionist movement, after going to an exhibition in London. Anne came to explore different questions of the [...]

Ai Weiwei (2011) - ‘My definition of art has always been the same. It is about freedom of expression, a new way of communication. It is never about exhibiting in museums or about hanging it on the wall. Art should live in the heart of the people. Ordinary people should have the same ability to understand art as anybody else. I don’t think art is elite or mysterious. I don’t think anyone can separate art from politics. The intention to [...]

Nicola Carroll has had a midlife career reboot after a full career in the corporate world. Her passion for art and architecture began in Barcelona, continued when she returned to college as an empty nester, resurfaced and found its sweet spot in Artful Tours, an art and historic themed walking tours business, covering everything from the Normal People tour to The Forgotten Women of the 1916 Rebellion. Where do we sign up? I'm Nicola [...]