Deep-down things
Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ is the inspiration for former Jesuit and artist Colm Brophy’s new art exhibition. The exhibition features twenty-four paintings, each piece representing a phrase from the poem ‘God’s grandeur’.
The exhibition takes place in Framexperts Framing & The Gallery in Ranelagh throughout the month of September. Timings are as follows – Mondays to Fridays 10:00am – 6:00pm and Saturdays 11:00am – 3.00pm. Sundays will be closed. The closing ceremony will take place on Saturday September 28 from 3.00pm – 6.00pm” and all are welcome.
Speaking to IJN, Colm quotes some of his favorite phrases of the poem which inspired each vivid image. “The grandeur of God”, “It will flame out”, “Gathers to a greatness”, “Oh morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs”, “Generations have trod”.
Colm has had an interest in art from an early age. He spent forty years in Zambia and was appointed Provincial there for a number of years. During his time in Zambia he would often teach art to young people and in his final year there he provided art therapy to homeless urban children being rehabilitated from living on the streets in the city of Kitwe. Remembering these days, Colm says “Initially, there would always be chaos and noise with many children in the room, but as soon as they lifted their paint brushes an incredible silence would fall.”
On return from Zambia, Colm completed a masters in art psychotherapy at Leeds Metropolitan University. He has since gone on to mentor a variety of people and groups in art therapy workshops in Ballymun and Manresa Centre for Spirituality.
Since reading about the theories of sub-atomic particles Colm is intruiged by what we cannot see. This idea has influenced his recent work and can be seen in his abstract images, which he notes “express my love of color and movement, the unseen aspects of quantum physics or indeed the unconscious!”
Colm’s advice for those who want to begin painting is “paint like a three-year-old in playschool, play around with stuff first and you can’t go wrong. There are no mistakes!”
