Last night The Ark gallery space was honoured to play host to the launch of "Iria" a new book written and illustrated by Jole Bortoli.

Jole has worked extensively with The Ark as the facilitator of a number of e xciting and engaging visual art workshops for children and young people. Last summer she guided visitors to our Summer Visual Arts Programme Earth Explorers in the creation of whirly windmills, creative weathervanes and beautiful environmental sculptures displayed during the Rose Festival in St Anne's Park.

Jole is also director and founder of Art to Heart an organisation that provides art courses for children and adults in educational, community and art settings.

We were delighted to see a fantastic turn out in support of the launch of this exquisite book.

Retaining the magic of a fairy tale and the beauty of well crafted art books, "Iria" is a story for all ages. It is a tale about the journey of a creature who inhabits 'in-between' worlds: water and earth, west and east, the written and the oral tradition, the real and the imaginary.

You can find out more about the book and even purchase a copy from the Ark to Heart website, www.arttoheart.ie/arttoheartbooks.html