Helen Webb from An Ton Studios is signing off from the blogg!

Hi everyone, it's Helen Webb here from An Ton Studios and festival. I will not be using this blogg to promote my work any more, and I'm no longer involved in any of the postings. I'll let you all know about my activities and projects through my website helenwebb.com or my An Ton Studios Facebook page. Let me know through my website or email helenwebb@mac.com if you have any questions. Best wishes Helen Webb

The Refugees

Institute of Culture Brazil Italy Europe

Institute of Culture Brazil Italy Europe, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Marching 4 Freedom

Marching 4 Freedom, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Click here to hear the original song by Matthew G Webb. Cover design by Mark Rafter.

An Ton Foundation

An Ton Foundation, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Celebrating arts, music & creative non-profit activities around the world!

Marching 4 Freedom

A wonderful evening...

Artists Mark Rafter and Frank Sanford at the An Ton Gallery opening last night...

Paintings by Mark Rafter

Rope Bridge in Nepal is one of Mark Rafter's new paintings on display at the An Ton Studios Gallery. Come see this colorful artist's works on exhibition on Saturday, May 5th from 5pm to Tuesday, May 8th! Refreshments will be served at the gallery opening on May 5th from 5 to 7pm. Come join us at the show!

Andrea Lippert of Caimileon Designs

Andrea Lippert will be exhibiting a selection of her breathtaking stained glass work in the Gallery Shop. Her imaginative and contemporary take on traditional stain glass techniques will inspire and delight you!

Bags from the roof of the world.....

The An Ton Gallery Shop is offering you a unique opportunity to support the WOMEN'S SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, Pokhara, Nepal. The centre is a non-profit organisation set up and run exclusively by women who want to go into business independently. The bags are beautifully hand-woven made of organically dyed cotton in a vibrant array of colors. 

An Ton Gallery Opening

Join us on Saturday, May 5th for the An Ton Studios Gallery opening at 5pm. Meet artist in residence Mark Rafter and see his exhibition of 32 new paintings charting his recent travels near and far.  

Work in Progress....

An Ton Gallery artist in residence Mark Rafter gives you a sneak preview into his studio.....

"Work is going great" says Mark, who has just returned from an 3 month visit to Nepal, "One minute I'm painting a cow in the field next door, the next I'm painting a sacred cow on the streets of Katmandu...."

We'll keep you posted :-)

Gay, Friendly and Gay Friendly

An Ton Gay Pride Poster, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Singing Bowl In Nepal

The singing bowl will cure all sorrows, so Mark was told.

Accommodation At Dún Guaire

Accommodation At Dún Guaire, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Looking for accommodation while visiting the festival? Consider the following area B&Bs:

Kinvara Guesthouse, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 638562, kinvaraguesthouse@gmail.com
Dunguaire House B&B, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 638251, corlessd@eircom.net
Fallons B & B, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 637483, fallonsbandb@hotmail.com
Kinvara Inn B&B, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 638135, info@kinvarainn.com
Mountain View House B&B, Tel: +353 91 637275, mountainviewbandbkinvara@eircom.net
Dellmere, Cartron, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 637575, dellmere@gmail.com
The Meadow B&B, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 637245, danpduffy@hotmail.com
Mountscribe House B&B, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 637378, rose.oconnor@yahoo.co.uk
Villa Maria B&B, Tel: +353 91 638117, villamariakinvara@eircom.net
Aira Lodge, Dunguaire, Kinvara, Tel: +353 86 064 9545, corlessmaj@yahoo.ie
The Arches, Moy Road, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 637127, annsmith@kinvara.com
Ashview Bed & Breakfast, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 637483, ashviewbandb@gmail.com
Woodlands B&B, Kinvara/Gort, Tel: +353 91 637372, woodlandsbb@eircom.net
Breacan Cottage B&B, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 638266, info@breacan.com
Clareview House, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 637170, clareviewhouse@eircom.net
Conneelys Guesthouse, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 637206, sheilaconneely@kinvara.com
Dungory B&B, Kinvara, Tel: +353 91 638728, rooms@dungorybedandbreakfast.com

Colorful Nepal

Colorful Nepal, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Check back soon for a video of Mark's travels in Nepal and the region.

Juggling with Your Man's Puppets

Juggling with Your Mans Puppets, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Don't miss Tommy Baker's Your Man's Puppets on Family Day, May7th and an encore performance on Thursday, May 10th. Your Man's Puppets was founded by Tommy in 2002. Tommy is a puppet theatre director, puppet builder and performer. He also works as a freelance educator in puppetry skills. His productions appeal to both young and old and are both humorous and thought-provoking at the same time.

Tommy is currently in India and when he returns, we'll post updates on his activities there.

Christy Coote, Broken Arrow Healing

Christy Coote, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

On Wednesday, May 9th, Shamanic Energy Practitioner Christy Coote will hold a workshop on healing. Shamanism is an ancient form of spiritual healing; it involves working with the individual's energy field at a very deep level. It recognizes no boundaries between the physical and spiritual world and it encompasses the belief that shamans are intermediaries between the human and the spirit world, until such a time as an intermediary is no longer required.

"My friend, know that anything that diverts you from your own inner-power is given your power. To claim your own power once more; you must reclaim your responsibility for your own happiness from this moment on, and direct your energy there in a positive light. If you seek it, you will find it!

I bless your journey and remember that you cannot be in the presence of your own inner-power and spirit and feel anything but ‘Love', it is impossible! May the great spirit watch over you always."

- Christy Coote, Broken Arrow Healing

An Ton Studios Festival Poster

An Ton Studio Festival Multicolor Poster, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Join us May 5th - 11th at the An Ton Festival for a week of painting and drawing classes, voice workshops, performances, spiritual development and healing, puppet acts, live music every evening, dancing and drumming, dance workshops and song from the Sonke! choir.
© 2011 Mark Rafter · "Poster Series"

Singing Workshop with Helen Webb

Singer Helen Webb, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr

Helen Webb is a voice coach and vocalist who has studied and performed many different vocal traditions and genres worldwide. Helen comes from a family of singers from the UK and the Caribbean with a wealth of technical knowledge and experience passed down through generations. Helen will hold a voice workshop on Sunday, May 6th, 1- 4pm. She intends to share on some of her vocal knowledge, techniques and beautiful songs from different musical traditions ranging from African to American and European culture. The workshop is suitable for all standards from beginners to experienced singers. All are welcome to join Helen in this warm, rich and inspiring singing experience.

Helen is an established vocalist and composer with teaching practices in Galway, Kinvara, London and Cambridgeshire and Musical Director of Sonke!, Galway's multicultural community choir.

Cost: 25 Euros. For booking, email: antonfestival@gmail.com@.

More information is available at:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonke-Community-Choir-Galway/

Meetup:: http://www.meetup.com/galway-multicultural-community-choir-meeting-groupco

Art Workshops with Mark Rafter

Dunguaire Castle Kinvara, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Throughout the festival, artist and painter Mark Rafter will hold workshops. On Monday, Mark will hold a painting and drawing workshop for kids, and on Wednesday and Friday, acrylic painting and drawing workshops for adults. See the Calendar of Events for more information.
© 2011 Mark Rafter · "Dunguaire Castle"

Sonke! Choir on Opening Day

Choir, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Join us the evening of the festival opening, May 5th, for Sonke!, Galway's multicultural choir. Sonke! has performed at the Galway Christmas Market, Johnson's Hall in Kinvara and other regional venues.
© 2011 Mark Rafter · "Choir"

Mark Rafter: In His Own Words

Mark Rafter, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

An Autobiography:

"Born in Wales on April 23, 1961 of Anglo-Irish parents, I started drawing and painting as a young boy, winning prizes and awards during my time at boarding school. Following this I went on to study painting at Central St. Martins in London, then continued on to an MA in painting at the Royal Collage of Art, London. After diversifying into design and technology at the London Collage of Printing, I worked as a traditional animator and storyboard artist on several feature length films. I went on to work in film and advertising for several years using my visualisation skills to art direct and storyboard. In 1999 I started work in television, working as a storyboard artist, art director and graphic designer at Turner Broadcasting, Nickelodeon and finally as art director at the Disney Channel.

Since leaving collage I have painted only intermittently as a hobby until last year, when I spent an inspirational holiday in Nepal. So touched by the beauty of this remarkable country and the sincerity of the people I met there, I turned to painting and drawing as my natural response to the place. I had now left the corporate media world behind, and was free to work as an artist and painter.

On my return to London, I meet Helen Webb quite by chance through a mutual friend. I was invited to join the An Ton Studios and work as artist in residence, forming the An Ton Gallery and contributing in the upcoming festival.

My paintings are a spontaneous response to my surroundings which balance two worlds; one of paint itself, of shape, colour and texture; the other is a record of my observations and love of the world, with all it's beautiful diversity."

-Mark Rafter

An Ton Studios Logo

An Ton Studios Logo, a photo by AnTonGallery on Flickr.

Join us on Opening Day, May 5th at the An Ton Gallery & Studios. You'll meet singers Helen Webb, Matthew G., and JoAnn Creed, dancer Amber Elderfield, and artist Mark Rafter.
© 2011 Mark Rafter · "Logo Series"