"By the Sea, By the Shore"

an exhibition of photographs by Alestren Lovett

The Denis Collins Gallery presents the first public showing of the photographs of Alestren Lovett. This solo exhibition at the Custom House Quay gallery presents a very personal perspective of the ever- changing sights to be seen on Rosslare Strand in all four seasons. Alestren charts the ever-changing beach with images of rolling waves, single shells, the crab graveyard, staring, wide-mouthed fish and a harvesting trawler.

Alestren Lovett spent much of his childhood down at the Burrow in Rosslare Strand, with his twin brother, Kian, and his sister Emer, crab fishing off the point and swimming in the Lagoon. In later years he spent a significant part of his life living in London, but he always had an urge to return to his home town of Wexford. On every visit home Alestren would make a point of spending time on the beach.

When Alestren returned from London he took the opportunity to move to Rosslare Strand, a place he always wanted to live. You'll often see him on "The Strand", biking along its length or kayaking over the waves of the four seasons.

His interest in photography became a comfort after the sad loss of his sister Emer when she died in 2009. He found walking the beach and listening to the sea an outlet for his grief and a steadying hand for his loss, and yet Emer was, and is, always with him as they shared the same love for the beach.

One thing about Alestren's work is that he never alters his photos; no software, no alterations in colours or use of filters, the images are as fresh as when first seen through the lens. In "By the Sea, By the Shore" Alestren presents his photographs on canvas in a large format (60cm X 80cm), each print is in a limited edition of five.

In his photographs you can see a real love for the things we just tend to take for granted, and in his quest to get the right photo you'll often find Alestren on the beach in one place just trying to get that wave or crab at just the right moment. Yet it's all these things around us that we'd miss if they weren't here, the shells on the shoreline, the lapping or the roaring waves that change the shape of the shoreline daily.