Our monthly award for September 2022 has gone to Annemarie Bourke Art Gallery, Limerick for her Basement Art Gallery and Studio at 98 O’Connell. Annemarie is pictured receiving the award from Maura at the studio (Photo: Adrian Butler/Limerick Leader)

As everyone who follows us knows, much of our focus on Limerick’s built environment is to try to improve and encourage the development of the city’s basements, not just by keeping them litter-free but by promoting their huge potential as business or residential premises. We therefore try to select one basement every year as one of our monthly winners and we are delighted to present our September award to Annemarie for her Art Gallery and Studio, which has for a number of years been one of the best examples of a beautifully maintained working basement in the heart of the city, and almost has a feel of Provence with its charming decor. It is also an important culture offering in the city, being open to the public, and there is always a warm welcome for both locals and visitors to the city.

Annemarie began her professional career in 1995 and first opened her Gallery Studio in O’Connell Street in 2008, where she paints daily and runs inspiring workshops for aspiring artists. Originally from Killaloe where she spent her childhood on the shores of Lough Derg sketching and painting, Annemarie has a wonderful empathy for the Irish landscape. She paints in watercolour, oil and pastel, and covers a huge range of subject matter, including landscapes, seascapes, flowers, still-life and portraits. She is also a popular tutor both at home and abroad and travels extensively throughout Europe, painting on location. She has had many successful exhibitions both at home and abroad, and her work can be found in many corporate and private collections worldwide. For more information, you can visit her website annemariebourke.com, Facebook page, Tel: 061 410510 or 086 402 4334 or email artannemarie@gmail.com.