Larry Powell and 20 distinguished journalists, art critics, and gallery owners made a three day visit to Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin for the worldwide premier which debuted at the Meadows Museum of the documentary on Anglo-Irish artist John Kingerlee. The museum is known as “the Prado on the Prairie”. Also honored posthumously was Ted Pillsbury, former director of the Kimbell Museum whom New York Times art critic John Russell characterized as “one of the most gifted men in the American museum profession”. Noted Dallas business Irish American Dulany Graften Howland gave a moving tribute to Ted who had been a schoolmate of his at the St. Paul School in New Hampshire.
Ted spent three days in west Cork visiting with John Kingerlee last year. In describing the art and the man he said “my hope is that in many years from now John Kingerlee through his unique universal art will have as much influence on the 21st century as Turner, his great ancestor had on the 19th century and even Paul Cézanne, an artist the Kingerlee deeply reveres, had on 20th century art”.
The Worldwide Ireland Funds President and CEO, Kieran McLoughlin came to Dallas especially to attend the event and spoke eloquently about the arts in Ireland as a vehicle of lifting the spirits of a country mired in gloom and doom. The group travelled to Austin Texas which was the final destination of the American tour of John Kingerlee’s works.
John Kane the Hon. Irish Consul for Texas and Colorado said the Irish group were so appreciative of the hospitality shown the Irish delegation throughout their visit to Texas. He gave a special thank you to Ellen and Andy Welch and to Dr and Mrs. Larry Lancourt who had the entire group for dinner and to Shelly and Tom Codd who entertained the Irish at their home before their Sunday morning departure for the Emerald Isle.
