When I arrived in Ballinglen for the first time I was fortunate to have so many people who were prepared to sit for me no questions asked because of my association with the Centre. Shane Kelly was one of the people asked on my behalf to sit for his portrait, he agreed to come to the studio and this painting is the outcome. The idea was that the portrait would be commenced and completed in one sitting, enabling me to achieve a level of engagement that would focus the mind, making every mark count. I wanted to make a record of my time there through the people I met and landscapes I encountered. I was conscious of previous artists who painted people in Mayo during the early part of the 20th century.       - Michael O’Dea