Icons Celebrating the 100 Celebration of the 1916 Uprising in Ireland

Icons Celebrating the 100 Celebration of the 1916 Uprising in Ireland The Irish Museum in Albany NY is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the freedom for the Irish with a permanent display of classi-sized memorial portraits of the patriots that began the 1916 Uprising in Ireland. The portraits were painted by renown artist Maureen Gaffney Wolfson.

On tour in Ireland, the paintings were displayed and heralded in the city of Roscommon, at the legislature building organized by Counsillor Orla Leyden and Terry Leyden Trade Minister of Ireland at the time.

Here in the US, the memorial project and the quality art were applauded internationally by the Honorary Consulate General Finbar Hill and Consulate General of Ireland, The Honorable Daniel Mulhall

From left to right : Honorary Consulate General Finbar Hill Middle is artist Maureen Gaffney Wolfson and on the right is: Honorable Daniel Mulhall Consulate General of Ireland.

And the icons commemorate the 100 Anniversary of the 1916 Easter Uprising The artist, Maureen Wolfson’s fame began within the modeling world which opened the door to a reoccurring role on the Red Skelton Show, which she kept for four years. Leaving in 1968 while being a regular on the show, Maureen's movie career began to blossom. She landed roles in "Swinging Summer" with Raquel Welch, "Harlow" with Carol Lindley, and "Guide for a Married Man" directed by Gene Kelley

and staring Sid Caesar and Wally Cox. In between movies, she returned to television, making appearances on the Perry Mason, Raymond Burr and Danny Kay shows.

In 1978, Maureen moved from Los Angeles to New York and enrolled at the Art Students League under Thomas Fogerty and David Laffell where she learned the basic techniques of lighting and working with live models that laid the foundation for a lifelong career in painting. In 1983, Maureen received the Woman Artist of the Year Award from the International Beaux Arts Inc. Her artwork is praised and in the collections of high government officials in the US and Ireland, of the Hollywood elite and numerous public collections.

The prospect of and energy for the creation of this monumental tribute to Irish Independence was a natural passion the artist lives for her ancestral homeland and the expression of gratitude for her history. Every aspect of the creation of her paintings is carefully detailed in composition and construction. It is the quality of her passionate efforts that have defined her very well deserved public image and career.

For example, Ms. Wolfson sought out the services of one of the most well known art conservation labs in the country, Fine Art Conservation Laboratories to assist her in the varnishing and final touches of her artwork to make sure they looked perfect and would last generations. Here is an example of the decision making process and testing she undertook for quality control:

The Easter Rising was the most significant uprising in Ireland against the British since the rebellion of 1798. Also known as the Easter Rebellion, the 1916 armed insurrection in Ireland was launched by Irish republicans to end British rule in Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic while the United Kingdom was heavily engaged in the First World War. This series of commemorative paintings celebrates the martyrs of independence.

The Irish American Heritage Museum has an educational mission that preserving one’s heritage is vital to providing a cultural and historical foundation to future generations of Americans. It was organized in 1986 by the New York State AmericanIrish Legislators Society and was initially financed by the State Natural Heritage Trust, the State Council on the Arts, and numerous private donations. In 1992, the museum was permanently chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York as a non-profit. The museum was relocated to downtown Albany in 2012 where the 3,250 square foot space includes the Paul O'Dwyer Library and the Ancient Order of Hibernians' archives. The museum is currently a member of The North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association.

For more about Fine Art Conservation Laboratories: http://www.FineArtConservationLab.com faclartdoc@gmail.com 805 564 3438 Click here for more information about the artwork of Maureen Gaffney Wolfson http://www.maureengaffneywolfson.com m.wolfson@att.net 805-903-3888