The Denis Collins Gallery (formerly Art Upstairs) is an independent contemporary art gallery in the heart of Wexford town.

The gallery is owned and managed by Denis Collins who has over 30 years experience curating, organising, designing and touring exhibitions in the public and private sphere.

Our immediate aim is to present a series of exhibitions by Wexford and Irish artists - some of whom are well known in Wexford and others who will be seen in Wexford for the first time.

So whether you are a person who loves to bring art home with them or a person who likes to visit and enjoy; you will be welcome at The Denis Collins Gallery.

Santa is in the Window!

The third exhibition at my new gallery on Custom House Quay, Wexford has just begun. Three of Alestren Lovett's photos have been kept for this Christmas exhibition and they have been joined by excellent works by many of my regular exhibitors.

Two fine new paintings of Wexford and Enniscorthy have arrived from Paul D'Arcy of Skerries and they are really beautiful. Ceramicist Alan Boyle has sent two magnificent large plaques, one round one and one square one, in his characteristic green and gold; he also sent some excellent bowls and garden series plaques. Jane Meyler has two excellent pastels of Rosslare in black and white which work really well beside the black and white linocut prints of Dave West.

I seem to have no end of boats in the gallery at the moment including some delicious pastels by Dave West, two rich oils by Laura Gibney, a fine painting of Kilmore Quay by Maurice Roche, a great photograph of a snowy Wexford quay front by Sean Dempsey and a subtle quayside painting by John Paul Murray.

If colour is your thing then look no further than the paintings and prints of Catherine Jane Ryan and Simone Walsh. Kevin Lewis has brought six really beautiful, quiet watercolours including two beauties of Wexford rooftops and one of houses at the Crescent. Michael McGuire is Wexford's master of light and his paintings always excite and amaze visitors, for this show he has brought in an excellent new large canvas titled "Windy Afternoon, Clogher Head" which will fairly blow you off your feet.

Joseph Robinson has contributed a series of nude studies that are sensual and refined while Cliona Quigley is represented by some very blue west of Ireland scenes. We have miniature lighthouses by John Cochrane and Fish - yes we have fish courtesy of Trevor Woods from the Mount Ida Pottery just outside Banbridge, did I mention cows?, of course we have cows, herds of them in prints from Eoin O'Connor.

I think you get the point, we have a huge variety in this group show for Christmas and I haven't mentioned the ceramics of Thomas Wollen, Louise Browne and Michelle Butler and the extensive selection of pieces from Mairead Stafford of Ballyelland Pottery. And finally we do have pigs with Santa hats - it wouldn't be Christmas without them!

Drop down to Custom House Quay and explore!

Click here to see some images