THE eve of her first solo exhibition in Dublin's Kevin Kavanagh Gallery and Kilbride native artist Cora Cummins is in jubilant mood - joined by maybe just the smallest twinge of nerves!

While Cora has exhibited her work in many group shows, going solo is something different, a big step that places her firmly on the next rung of the artistic ladder.

A native of Carrigslaney, Kilbride, Cora admits that she never wanted to do anything else but pursue a career in art. Her love of all things artistic was forged while she attended Ballon NS and further enhanced during her secondary education in Tullow Community School.

"Miss Dempsey's art classes- you know," she laughs warmly.

Cora went on to study fine art in DIT Mountjoy Square and graduated with a first class honours degree in printmaking in 1995- since then there's never been a dull moment for Cora.

No sooner had she her piece of parchment paper in her hand, than Cora was chosen as a member of the Black Church Print Studio based in Dublin's Temple Bar. Through her involvement with this studio Cora has exhibited in many group shows including the RHA Annual Exhibition, The Temple Bar International Print Show and landscape at the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery.

But all this work has been a steady progression to her first solo exhibition which opened last Thursday night at the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery.

The exhibition is inspired by the landscape, in particular places in county Carlow and the coast line at Carlingford, county Louth. Employing a muted palette of tones and simplified forms, the prints are all limited editions - but even so, none of the prints are exactly the same.

"They are all based on landscapes and are various sizes but mostly medium or large," Cora explains.

"There are 14 pieces in the exhibition which I have been working on for the past 7 months.

"The technique I use is a very old one and involves etchings on inked plates, not unlike the way old newspapers were printed. It's very laborious and technical but it's the style I work in," she admits.

When East/West Link spoke to Cora on the eve of the opening, she was busily working in the gallery putting the finishing touches to the exhibition.

"Now that I see it all in place, I'm not as nervous as I was- I'm now looking forward to it," she laughs.

Cora's exhibition was formally opened the following evening by her former lecturer in DIT Mountjoy Alice Hanratty and by all accounts was deemed a marvellous success. Already Cora's work has featured in a number of collections including the Bank of Ireland's and the OPW's and there seems little doubt that the current exhibition will also be quickly snapped up.

With all this success behind her Cora is the pride of her parents Tom and Elizabeth and her four sisters Fiona, Maureen and Frances.