Retired art teacher Trudi Killeen from Ballinakill is exhibiting a collection of watercolour paintings at Abbeyleix Library in Ireland throughout December. The exhibition features local scenes including Heywood Gardens, Gill’s Pond, Castle Durrow, and Abbeyleix Library itself, along with vibrant depictions of shops on Main Street Portlaoise and forestry scenes. Killeen, who graduated in art and held her first exhibition at Queen’s University Belfast in the 1960s, has been painting for decades and now works from her studio overlooking Gill’s Pond.
The exhibition matters because it highlights the role of local libraries as accessible community art spaces, bringing original artwork to a broad audience during the holiday season. Killeen’s work celebrates the natural beauty of County Laois, making art relevant to local identity and heritage. The show also supports the local creative economy, as her original works and prints are available for purchase through Market Square Studios in Ballinakill, which represents multiple local artists and makers.