St Anne's Red Stable Exhibition 'Irish Light'

Last week we had a fabulous week exhibiting at St Anne's -The Red Stables'. It is a really unique exhibition space set in an old courtyard which was the former stables of St Anne's House owned by the Guinness Family.

Linda Proudfoot and I have exhibited before in the Cowshed Gallery Farmleigh (2025) so it was lovely to reunite for a joint exhibition featuring art which reflects Irish light in the landscape. We met so many people and chatted about our work and our inspirations.  

St Anne's House has a rich and storied history deeply woven into Ireland's cultural and social fabric. The estate, located in Ballymun, Dublin, was built in the 18th century and became the residence of the Guinness family—one of Ireland's most prominent and influential families. The Guinness name is synonymous with Irish heritage, philanthropy, and artistic patronage, and St Anne's reflects that legacy through its architecture and grounds.

The Red Stables, where we exhibited, are a particularly fascinating part of this heritage. Originally constructed to house the horses and carriages of the estate, these Victorian-era stables have been thoughtfully preserved and repurposed as a vibrant cultural and exhibition space. The conversion honours the building's original character whilst creating an intimate, atmospheric venue for contemporary art. The courtyard setting evokes the working life of the estate during its heyday, when the stables would have bustled with activity and purpose.

The Guinness family's connection to St Anne's spans generations and reflects their broader commitment to supporting the arts and preserving Irish cultural heritage. Over the decades, the estate has evolved from a private residence into a space that welcomes artists, creators, and visitors from across Ireland and beyond. This transformation speaks to a modern understanding of heritage—one that keeps history alive by allowing it to serve new creative purposes.

Exhibiting in such a historically significant space adds another layer of meaning to your work. The interplay between the landscape paintings reflecting Irish light and the storied walls of the Red Stables creates a dialogue between past and present, between the natural world you capture and the human history embedded in the building itself. It's a fitting venue for art that draws inspiration from Ireland's distinctive light and landscape.

Thank you to everyone who visited and stopped to chat to us. A special thank to all those who supported us and took a gift or piece home your support means a lot to us. We really enjoyed our week there and hopefully will be back again soon. 

Elaine & Linda

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