Original - The Ireland Collection - The Lift Of The Tune

'The Lift Of The Tune' is a signed, original acrylic and ink painting on illustration board by Kathryn Callaghan.

This painting was inspired by the unmistakable lift of the Irish banjo in a session, that bright, percussive rhythm that seems to skip beneath the melody and pull everyone forward. There’s a kind of cheerful drive to it: grounded, steady, and a little bit daring, the sound that can turn a good tune into something that feels almost unstoppable. With this piece, my hope was to capture that momentum, the way a banjo can spark a set into life and keep it dancing.

It sits within my series of eight Irish musical artists, collectively inspired by the lively and mesmerising traditional music scene found across Ireland’s cosy pubs. The monochrome palette and faceless subject are intentional, leaving space for your imagination to step in: the room warm with conversation, glasses clinking, feet tapping in time, and that familiar swell when the next tune begins. Rather than pinning it to one specific place, I wanted it to feel like a doorway back to your own memories of trad sessions, where the banjo’s rhythm becomes the heartbeat that holds the whole room together.

Kathryn's work is created using a mix of ink and gel. She applies the medium in a freestyle approach, often with no pencil marks as guidelines, which adds a unique sense of life and movement to the subject matter.

This artwork comes in a glazed, black, wooden double frame.

For frame details click the ‘View Frame Details’ link above.

Packaging Details: We go to great lengths to ensure that your purchase arrives in perfect condition. We only use sturdy cardboard postal tubes and double walled cardboard boxes. We use as much recycled and recyclable material as possible, including newspapers from our coffee shop, Coffee Yard, to pack our boxes.

Delivery Details: The framed option is Click & Collect from the gallery due to its size. However, if you would like it delivered, please contact us.