My art practice seeks to work both historically and dialectically.  I am an artist interested in Irish cultural and environmental landscape, and how objects and images from the past embody cultural memory and characterise the future. My overall philosophy is that art should have a relevance to the society from which it evolves.   

My work documents and reflects social and demographic changes in rural Ireland.  It is project based: I focus on a particular aspect of society, research it, engage with relevant people and their stories, explore the location, (a type of deep mapping), to build up a body of documentation and information which inspires the resulting artwork. Audio clips accompany much of my work, mainly comments and stories from people I meet during my research. 

I work in a variety of media: painting, printmaking, photography, and video. 

My current project explores shifts and change in rural Ireland.  

Projects

2018-22 Re:Place, ongoing since 2018: continuing exploration of rural Ireland

2019-22 Island project: exploring, painting, drawing and documenting islands off the Irish coast

2016-17 Curator Little Stories Little Prints, 1916 Commemorative Visual Arts Project through Printmaking.

2012-15 The Midland and Broadstone Projects, a multimedia project exploring the Midlands of Ireland and the legacy of the MGWR 

2008-12 Coordinator/participant Le Chéile Print Project, International Cross Country Printmaking Project

Solo Exhibitions

2022: “Oileáin” Exhibition of Paintinga and Prints Ballycroy National Park, Mayo. Date tbc

         "Ionadú / Re: Place", (Painting and Print) Cultúrlann Béal Feirste, Márta 2022

2021: Aug - Sept: "Ionadú / Re: Place", (Painting, Prints and Video), Áras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet.

2018: October: "From Castles and Royal Postboxes to Windfarms and Chinese Take-aways" , Imagine Festival, Waterford. INVITED ARTIST

         Sept: "Midland Journey (""From Castles and Royal Postboxes ...), Printmaking Exhibition, Impact 10 Encuentro International, Santander,

2017: "Midland/Lár Tíre", photographic exhibition touring libraries in Dublin, Kildare and Offaly.

         Aug-Sept: "Midland- Lár Tíre", Edenderry Library  (Heritage Week Programme).

         Aug: "Silence, Broadstone Shed",  (Heritage Week Programme). Now Permanent Exhibition

2015: Jan-May: "Midland- Lár Tíre. Cycling the MGWR from Past to Present".  Multimedia exhibition, National Photographic Archive, Dublin 2

2014-15: Nov-Jan: "Mid Land 2 / Lár Tíre 2", Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

              July-Aug: "Mid Land1/ Lár Tíre 1",  Áras Inis Gluaire, Béal an Mhuiread, Co Muigheo.

2013: Nov: "As it is," Paintings and Prints, Iniscarra Gallery, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin 

2011: Feb-May: "Silence", an exhibition of photographs and video, The Ivy House, Dublin 1

2002: Feb-Mar: "First Voice", Mullingar Arts Centre, Co Westmeath.

1998: June: "Radharcanna agus Eile", Ionad Árainn, Inis Mór, Aran Islands, Co Galway.
 

Recent International Selected Group Exhibitions 

2021: Miniprints: Bimpe, Canada; Cantabria, Santander; Kazanlak, Bulgaria 

2020: Miniprints: Bimpe, Canada; Cantabria, Santander; Kazanlak, Bulgaria; 

2019: Miniprint de Cantabria, Santander, Spain; L.P.S. Responds…, Bassano and Orte, Italy

2018: Nov: LPS at Lessidra, Sofia, Bulgaria;   Aug-Nov: Bienial Duoro, Portugal, INVITED ARTIST

         Miniprint exhibitions: Lessidra International Miniprint and Miniprint Kazanlak, Bulgaria; 

         3rd International Miniature Print Exhibition, New York.

2017: 9th Global Print Bieniale,  Portugal INVITED ARTIST;    Miniprint exhibitions at Cadaques, (Spain) Lessidra, Kazanlak, (Bulgaria);                            Bimpe International Miniprint Exhibition, Canada 

2016: Miniprint exhibitions at Lessidra, Kazanlak, (Bulgaria) and Cadaques, (Spain).

2011: Sept-Nov: Le Chéile at Oriel Ynys Mon, Llangefni, Anglesey, Wales.

         Le Chéile Print Project, Invited International Touring Exhibition, 10 venues in South Australia

         Dec: Celtica Festival, Port Arthur, Australia

 

Selection of Recent Group Exhibitions in Ireland (Selected, Invited and/or Curated)

2021: June – July: Oidhreacht – Heritage, Kilcock Art Gallery

         July – Aug: Discovering Print 2021, Green Acres, Wexford

         Aug – Sept: ImPRESSions, Galway Art Festival

2020: Feb- March:  LPS Responds to Heaney, Mountains to Sea Festival, Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire

2019: Nov-Dec: Interpretations in Printmaking, Kilcock Art Gallery, Kilcock, Co. Kildare

         July: ImPRESSions, Galway Arts Festival, LPS Responds to Seamus Heaney, Bassano Italy

         Aug: Hopkins Summer School Exhibition, Newbridge.

         May – Sept: LPS 20th Anniversary, Ballycroy National Park and Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire

         April: Féile an Earraigh, Ballyferriter, Kerry

2018-19: LPS 20th Anniversary touring exhibiton, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth and other places

         March: Féile an Earraigh, Ballyferriter, Kerry

2017: Oct: Invisible Stories, a project devised and curated by Sheena Malone, (INVITED ARTIST)
         Aug: Second Harvest, Riverbank Art Gallery, Newbridge, (INVITED ARTIST)

         LPS @ Castlewarren Studios, Kilkenny Fringe;  July: Impressions, Galway Arts Festival, Galway 
2016: Little Stories, Little Prints touring venues around Ireland;    

         Comóradh, Kenny Gallery, Galway
         July: Impressions Book Exhibition, Galway Arts Festival
2015: May-Jun: Bog 50 x 70, Connemara Bog Week, Letterfrack, Co Galway

2014: July: Duanaire, Magill Summer School, Glentees, Co Donegal

2013: June: Joyce Exhibition,  Castle Keep, Maynooth, Co Kildare

         Feb-April: The Big Egg Hunt, invited artists, various venues, Dublin

2010:  Jul-Aug: Printmakers in Residence, Le Chéile at Cill Rialaig, Urban Retreat Gallery, Dublin.
          June: Impressions 11, Framewell Gallery, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.
          July: Hopkins at The General Stores …artists respond, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare.
2009: June: Bog 50x 70, Éigse Fringe, Carlow.  March: Bog 50x 70, The Factory, Capel Street, Dublin

2009: June: Trace, 10 to12 artists, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin.
         Mar: Le Chéile, Graphic Studio Gallery, Dublin.;        Dec: Taispeántas  Chlub Chonradh, Dublin

Awards and Residencies:

2016-21

Act Grant Kildare Co Council for researching feasibility of a publication

Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council towards exhibition of RE:PLACE

Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council and Culture Ireland Grant on behalf of LPS in Italy

Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council and Culture Ireland Grant for Impact 10 Encuentro, Santander

Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council for continuation of Midland Project

2013: 3rd Prize,  Lessidra International MiniPrint, Bulgaria: Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council; 

Foras na 2010-2012: Gaeilge award; Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co Monaghan. Arts Act Kildare Co Council Award

Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry

Collections: 

OPW, DUBLIN BUS,  Irish Rail, Kildare Co. Council Municipal Collection, 

Private and Public Collections in Ireland, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Canada, Bermuda and Australia.

Education:

2012 - 13: Diploma in Photography, Photography Institute, Pembroke Rd, Dublin.

2010: B.A. Visual Arts Practices, Hons.  IADT, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

2004: DVI, NCAD, Dublin.

(B.A. Hons French/ Irish, Maynooth College; H. Dip. Ed.; T.T.G; Higher Diplomas in Spanish and Italian.)

Publications:

2021: Nov/Dec VAI Publication

2020: Silence, commission for Dublin Bus
2018: LPS 20th Anniversary Exhibition Booklet

2016: Little Stories Little Prints, Limited Edition Publication to accompany exhibition
2011: Le Chéile at Cill Rialaig   

(Blurb.com, 2011. http://www.blurb.com/books/2144828-le-cheile-at-cill-rialaig)
2010: Silence: Broadstone Shed    

(Blurb.com,2010. http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1952098)
Le Chéile Australian catalogue, 

July 2009     Le Chéile mid-term publication, 

May 2007 and 2008: VAI newsletter