Ireland Comes to The River & Rowing Museum
- New Works Displayed For The First Time -
- Unique Opportunity To Work with Artist. Free Access To The Museum -

25 January 2008: New work from award winning artist Martin Ireland exploring aquatic themes and the sport of rowing will be displayed for the first time at the River & Rowing Museum, (www.rrm.co.uk) from 2 February - 14 April in his exhibition Back To The River.

On Saturday 16 February, from 1200 - 1500hrs, Martin Ireland will host a special, one off, reception to talk about the exhibition and demonstrate his painting technique to Museum visitors.

Ireland's work has been exhibited in galleries around the world and is held in private and National collections including the National Maritime Museum, Liverpool. He specialises in bright and vibrant watercolours that explore humans in, or on, water. Ireland is fascinated by the interaction between water and people. The way water refracts, absorbs light and changes as a human passes through it and the distortions that occur to both the person and water form a dialogue of compression and movement.

In Back To The River, Ireland explores his long standing interest in rowing on the Thames as both an athlete and artist. His colourful pictures capture the drama and intensity of competitive rowing as well as the hidden aspects of the sport together with the beauty of the river observed from the riverbank.

Netty Rawlings, Museum Curator, said: " It is exciting to have Martin Ireland back at the Museum showing his evocative watercolours and even better that he is able to work with our visitors. We're privileged to be the first to show this previously unseen work."

Martin Ireland, Artist, said: "My paintings explore the bond between the rower and the awesome power of the river. As a rower myself, I seek to capture the less obvious sides of the sport and the aspects of river life you observe from a boat. I want the viewer of a painting to be compelled to jump into the scene through the vibrancy and colour of the work.

"I am looking forward to the Meet The Artist day on 16 February and working with Museum visitors to show them how I paint and the way I approach my subject. It's not often you get the chance to display work on the river bank, with rowers passing by. I hope this proximity between the painted and painting provides a different perspective on my work."

Martin Ireland's work was previously exhibited in River & Rowing Museum in 2007.

Free in February
The River & Rowing Museum is FREE to everyone from 11 - 16 February, enabling visitors, of all ages, free access to Back To The River, the Invesco Perpetual Henley Gallery, Schwarzenbach International Rowing Gallery, and Thames Gallery as well as the opportunity to take part in specially arranged guided tours and talks during the period. The Wind in the Willows exhibition is not included in the promotion. Full details at www.rrm.co.uk. The week's free access has been made possible through support from Invesco Perpetual.

The River & Rowing Museum celebrates the international sport of rowing, the history and ecology of the River Thames and the history of Henley and attracts over 90,000 visitors a year


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Notes to Editors and Public Information
The River & Rowing Museum attracts over 90,000 visitors a year and celebrates three themes:

 The past, present and future of the River Thames;
 The historic riverside community of Henley on Thames;
 The international sport of rowing.

These themes are explored through a wide variety of exhibitions and events across four galleries and special exhibitions. One the Museum's major success has been The Wind in the Willows exhibition which recreates the timeless E H Shepard illustrations from Kenneth Grahame's famous novel.

Since opening in August 1998 the Museum has received numerous awards for its design and architecture, including the National Heritage/NPI Museum of the Year award. The River & Rowing Museum is part of the Thames Valley Museums Group (TVMG) Family Friendly initiative - a scheme which brings together 29 museums across Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, to promote their popular appeal to the whole family

	Address The River & Rowing Museum, Mills Meadows, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1BF. Tel. 01491 415600. Web: www.rrm.co.uk
	The museum, terrace café and shop is open every day from 10am - 5.30pm in summer and 10am - 5pm in the winter
	Paid for tickets are valid for re-entry to the museum for 12 months
	Admission for The Wind in the Willows including the Galleries: £7 for adults, £5 for children and £6 for senior citizens and concessions
	Admission for the Museum Galleries: £3.50 for adults, £2.50 for children and £3 for senior citizens and concessions
	Free parking for visitors

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