Commissioner Frank Avila & Sherry Avila produced AVILA IRISH CRAIC: IBAM ART hosted by Sherry Avila with Guests Artist Jamieson Michael Flynn and Dolores Whelan co-creator of the Celtic Calendar. Bio for JAMIESON MICHAEL FLYNN Jamieson Michael Flynn was born in 1978 into an Irish Catholic family on the South side of Chicago. In 1987 his family relocated to South Florida, where Jamieson and his two younger sisters lived for around 19 years. His father was a prosecutor for the state attorney's office for many years and his mother was director of a breast cancer institute. It's a humble family that instilled many values, beliefs, and a sense of morality in him under a religious and secular overall framework. Jamieson attended Florida State University where he studied Fine Arts with a concentration in drawing. Later transferring to Florida Atlantic University, he took some additional drawing classes but ultimately would earn a degree in Art History, studying under Dr. David Courtney. The history of art offered Jamieson many new concepts and aesthetics before unknown to him in any cerebral way. Mainly, the influential periods for Jamieson are the Medieval, and the High Renaissance. Surrealism and the modern eras have their place under his influences as well but in many ways, primarily from a conceptual standpoint. As can be seen in the depth of detail in his imagery and the intensity with which he produces it. Visually and artistically, the primary influences for Jamieson include Michelangelo merisi de Caravaggio, Albrecht Durer, Salvador Dali, H.R. Giger, M.C. Esher, Ralph Steadman and Jackson Pollack. Also Celtic, Native American, and other ancient aesthetics have a growing influence on his more recent work. Blending classical themes with an illustrative and warped visual layout is a resounding concept of Jamieson's work. It is the combination of two entirely different stylistic programs into one aesthetic compound. While in college, Jamieson was also introduced to new literature and philosophies. Authors such as Jack Kerouac, John Dewey, Jean-Paul Sartre, Friedrich Nietzsche, among others, greatly interested him. Both their experiences and their philosophies assisted him in his study of life, and of art. Developing his own ontological system, he has etched out some peace, art, and humanity for himself whilst surrounded by a world of chaos. All of these concepts have helped direct and illustrate Jamieson's sought after aesthetic and have shaped him as an autonomous person living for, and living through his Art. Dolores Whelan is a teacher, educator, author and spiritual guide within the Celtic spiritual and mythological tradition who advocates the re-emergence of Celtic spirituality, the protection of sacred Celtic landscapes and the celebration of ancient Celtic traditions. Dolores believes the Celtic tradition is always evolving, therefore it is possible for its coexistence within our 21st century society. Dolores has been involved with education all her adult life, initially as a Biochemistry lecturer, and for the past 25 years as an educator and spiritual guide working in the area of human and spiritual development. She holds an M.Sc in Biochemistry from TCD and an MA in Spirituality from ICCS California. Her studies with Creation Centred Spirituality and Native American Spirituality in the US in the early 1980s eventually led her on a journey of rediscovery of her own spiritual roots. Over the years Dolores has integrated these different disciplines to create her own unique approach to the work of personal and spiritual development. She passionately believes in the hidden potential of every individual and the possibility of becoming more fully ourselves through the exploration of our Celtic spiritual roots. Her work supports the evocation of the hidden potential in each person and the gifts of the Celtic and pre-Celtic cultures and their influence and relevance in today's world. More than 25 years on, Dolores continues to work as an educator and spiritual development guide throughout Ireland, the UK and the USA. From her home in Ravensdale, County Louth, Dolores facilitates workshops and courses on personal and spiritual development using the wisdom of the Celtic tradition, and regularly hosts Celtic festivals and pilgrimages to the Sacred Sites of Ireland and Scotland. She has written two books, Your Breaking Point (1993) and Ever Ancient, Ever New - Celtic Spirituality for the 21st Century (2006, update and expanded second edition 2011), She is a contributor to Celtic threads ( 1999) The Quite Quarter Anthology (2009) and Of Constant Heart (2010). She created a CD, A Journey Through the Celtic Year, which explores the wisdom of the Celtic tradition though the Celtic Year calendar . She contributes to discussions on Celtic spirituality on television, radio and is a regular speaker at events celebrating Irish and Celtic culture at conferences around the world. Her latest work involves the creation of a unique Celtic calendar in collaboration with American artist, Cynthia Matyi. For more information about Dolores or her work, visit www.doloreswhelan.ie or phone 00353+ (0)42-9371901. Dolores Whelan list of key works Founded and directed the Iomlanu Centre for Healing and Creative Living in Dundalk (1986-1997). Speaker at the International Celtic Spiritual Conferences held in Glendalough. (1999 and 2002) Contributed to Celtic Threads. (1999) Keynote speaker at the Brigid Festival in Kildare. (2004) Contributor and organiser of the Wise Woman’s Weekend in Dromahair, Co. Leitrim. (2005, 2006 and 2007). Ever Ancient, Ever New - Celtic Spirituality in the 21st Century published by Columba Press in Dublin. 1500 copies sold within seven months. (2006) Organised pilgrimages to the Holy Wells of Oriel as part of Heritage Week. (2007 and 2009) Facilitated the year long programme “A Journey through the Celtic Year”, held over four weekends. (2004-2005 and 2006-2007) Created audio CD A Journey through the Celtic Year. (2007) Speaker at the Divine Feminine Conference in Dublin. (2007) Featured on RTE’s iWitness programme speaking about the Celtic Festival of Samhain. (2008) Speaker at the World in Transition Conference, Scotland. (2008) Presented a paper at the International Ritual Year Conference, University College Cork. (June, 2008) Initiated Brigid Festival in Dundalk, Co. Louth. One of the main festival organisers of that event in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Also a speaker/workshop facilitator at each year’s festival. Presented The Quiet Quarter series for Lyric FM. (May, 2009) One of the pieces subsequently chosen for inclusion in an anthology celebrating 10 years of that programme. (Published December, 2009) Speaker on the Festival of Bealtaine at the Mythic Links forum in Dublin. (May, 2009) Featured in Ann Marie McCarthy's Of Constant Heart, Conversations with Wise Women in Ireland (2010) Keynote speaker at the John McGrath weekend in Westport, Co Mayo. Spoke about the role of music in awakenig and accessing deeper levels of the Celtic spirit and soul. (April, 2011) Hosted celebrations of Lughnasadh as part of National Heritage week. Events included a talk on Lughnasadh, a reading form Dancing at Lughnasadh by Brian Friel in Ravensdale Community Centre followed by a day of activities for adults and children in the tradition of the Aonach. (August, 2011) Gave a keynote speech on “Awakening the Celtic Soul through Music” at Fleadh Ceoil na h-Eireann, Cavan. (August, 2010) And again at the Gerry Whelan memorial weekend in Cootehill. (September, 2010) Dolores and friends organise a celebration of the Celtic Festival of Lughnasadh at her home in Ravensdale, Co Louth. (2010) Dolores and Paola Ambrosi facilitate a collaborative workshop on the wisdom of ancient calendars of the Celtic and Mayan peoples. (November, 2010) Second edition of Ever Ancient, Ever New - Celtic Spirituality in the 21st Century published. (January, 2011) Featured on RTE’s religious programme Spirit Level (January, 2011). and iWitness (February, 2011) Facilitated a day on Celtic Spirituality for Celtic Women International, from Michigan USA. (February, 2011) Less