Exploring social and demographic changes in Ireland

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. 

Previous projects explored shifts and change in rural Ireland.  My current project explores Ireland's offshore islands.

CV

2013: 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, H. Dip. Ed.; T.T.G; Higher Diplomas in Spanish and Italian.)

Member of the Graphic Studio, Dublin; Leinster Printmaking Studio, Clane; Blueway Artist Studio, Narraghmore and VAI.

2022: Featured on “The Artists Well”

Awards:

2025:  2024:    Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Co Arts Service to complete Island Project; Creative Communities Collaborative Grant with Shane Hynan and Sheena Malone, Kildare Co Council
2023:    Agility Award, Arts Council; Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council on behalf of Sult Artists, to organise an International Open Call Visual Arts Exhibition for Brigid 1500, Kildare in 2024
2022:    Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council Island Project;  Grant on behalf of SULT Artists for LIFE GOES ON, marking the withdrawal of the British Army from Ireland in 1922, as part of the Decade of Commemorations Programme. 
2017 -2021:  Arts Act Grant Kildare Co Council for various projects above
2018:   Culture Ireland Grant on behalf of LPS in Italy; Culture Ireland Grant for Impact 10 Encuentro, Santander.
2016:    3rd Prize, Lessidra International Mini-Print, Bulgaria
2013:    Foras na Gaeilge award for Midland Project; Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Co Monaghan. Kildare Co Council Award 
2010-13: Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry

Projects: 

2019  -  ongoing: Island Project: exploring, painting, documenting islands off the Irish coast. 
2018-22:  Re:Place, an exploration of rural Ireland in video, painting and printmaking.
2016 -17: Curator/ Organiser Little Stories Little Prints, 1916 Commemorative Visual Arts Project
2012 - 2015: The Midland and Broadstone Projects, a multimedia project exploring the Midlands of Ireland and the legacy of the MGWR  
2008 - 2012: Coordinator/participant Le Chéile Print Project, International Printmaking Project.

Collaborative Projects:

2024-25: Tóch - Dig Project (www.tochdig.com)

2024: Little Book of Brigid, Blueway Art Studio (www.bluewayartstudio.ie)

2024: Unravelling an Icon (https://sultartists.com/brigid-1500)

2022: Life goes on (https://sultartists.com/life-goes-on)

Solo Exhibitions:

2022:    16 Islands, Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange and Knowth), 31st July- 23rd Aug 
             Ionadú / Re: Place, (Painting and Print) Cultúrlann Béal Feirste, Márta\Aibreán 2022 
2021:    Ionadú / Re: Place, (Painting, Prints and Video), Áras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet. 
2018:    Exhibition of Original Prints, Imagine Festival. Waterford. (October) INVITED ARTIST 
             Midland Journey, Printmaking Exhibition, Impact 10 Encuentro International, Santander 
2017:    Midland/Lár Tíre, photographic exhibition touring libraries Dublin, Kildare and Offaly. 
            Aug-Sept: Midland- Lár Tíre, Edenderry Library (Heritage Week Programme). 
2015:    Silence, Broadstone Shed, Kildare Library, (Aug) now Permanent Exhibition 
             Midland- Lár Tíre. Cycling the MGWR from Past to Present.  Multimedia exhibition, National Photographic Archive, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 (Jan-May)
2014-15: Mid Land 2 / Lár Tíre 2, Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo (Nov-Jan)
2013:     Mid Land1/ Lár Tíre 1, Áras Inis Gluaire, Béal an Mhuiread, Co Muigheo. (July/Aug) 
2011:     As it is,  Paintings and Prints, Iniscarra Gallery, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin (Nov)
              Silence, an exhibition of photographs and video, The Ivy House, Dublin 1 (Feb-May)
2002:     First Voice, Mullingar Arts Centre, Co Westmeath. (Feb-Mar) 
1998:     Radharcanna agus Eile, Ionad Árainn, Inis Mór, Aran Islands, Co Galway. (June)
 Recent International Selected Group Exhibitions
2020/21/22: Miniprints: Bimpe,Canada; Cantabria, Santander. Kazanlak, Bugaria. 
2019:    Miniprint de Cantabria, Santander, Spain 
            L.P.S. Responds…, Bassano and Orte, Italy Nov: LPS at Lessidra, Sofia, Bulgaria.  
2018:   Bienial Duoro, Portugal, INVITED ARTIST (Aug-Nov)
            Miniprint exhibitions: Lessidra International Miniprint and Miniprint Kazanlak.
            3rd International Miniature Print Exhibition, New York. 
2017:    9th Global Print Bieniale, Portugal INVITED ARTIST.    
            Miniprint exhibitions at Cadaques, (Spain) Lessidra, Kazanlak, (Bulgaria); Bimpe, Canada. 
2016:    Miniprint exhibitions at Lessidra, Kazanlak, (Bulgaria) and Cadaques, (Spain). 
2011:    Le Chéile at Oriel Ynys Mon, Llangefni, Anglesey, Wales. (Sept-Nov)
            Le Chéile Print Project, Invited International Touring Exhibition, South Australia
            Celtica Festival, Port Arthur, Australia (Dec)        
Selection of Recent Group Exhibitions in Ireland (Selected, Invited and/or Curated)
2024:    Signal Arts Summer Show
             Cairde Visual 2024, Sligo, 
             Pathways, Cahir Arts
             Bucolica, Mont Congreve, Co Waterford (Artform Dunmore East, 
             Unravelling and Icon, Kildare Town
2023:    LPS 25th Anniversary, Kilcock Gallery, Esker Arts, May – Aug, 
              Chaos/Order, Municipal Gallery, Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire
              Here/Now, Artnetdlr group show, Walters, Dún Laoghaire
              Brigid Unfolding, No 8 Gallery, Kildare
2022:    Life Goes On, Exhibition for Kildare Decade of Commemoration 2022, Newbridge, 
              Life Goes On, Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, November. 
              Make your Mark, Siamsa Tíre, Tralee, Jan – March 
              Féile an Earraigh, Ballyferriter, Kerry, April
2021/2: Annual Exhibition, 44 the Quay Gallery, Waterford, Nov 2021 – Feb 2022 
              Oidhreacht – Heritage, Kilcock Art Gallery, June – July 
              Discovering Print 2021, Green Acres, Wexford, July – Aug
              Féile an Earraigh, Ballyferriter, Kerry, April
2020:    ImPRESSions, Galway Art Festival, Aug – Sept:
              LPS Responds to Heaney, Mountains to Sea Festival, Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire
              Interpretations in Printmaking, Kilcock Art Gallery, Kilcock, Co. Kildare 
 2019:   ImPRESSions, Galway Arts Festival
              Hopkins Summer School Exhibition, Newbridge. 
              Féile an Earraigh, Ballyferriter, Kerry, April
2018:    LPS 20th Anniversary, Ballycroy National Park and Lexicon, Dún Laoghaire, May – Sept
            Féile an Earraigh, Ballyferriter, Kerry, April
2017:    LPS 20th Anniversary touring exhibiton, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth etc
             Féile an Earraigh,  Ballyferriter, Kerry 
2016:    Invisible Stories, a project devised and curated by Sheena Malone, (INVITED ARTIST),
             Second Harvest, Riverbank Art Gallery, Newbridge, (INVITED ARTIST) Aug
              LPS @ Castlewarren Studios, Kilkenny Fringe  
              Impressions, Galway Arts Festival, Galway, July
              Little Stories, Little Prints touring venues around Ireland    
              Comóradh, Kenny Gallery, Galway July
2015:    Impressions Book Exhibition, Galway Arts Festival 
              Bog 50 x 70, Connemara Bog Week, Letterfrack, Co Galway, May-Jun
2013:     Duanaire, Magill Summer School, Glentees, Co Donegal, July
2011:     Joyce Exhibition, Castle Keep, Maynooth, Co Kildare, June
2010:     The Big Egg Hunt, invited artists, various venues, Dublin, Feb-April 
               Printmakers in Residence, Le Chéile at Cill Rialaig, Urban Retreat Gallery, Dublin. Jul-Aug
                Impressions 11, Framewell Gallery, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. June
2009:     Hopkins at The General Stores …artists respond, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare. July
2008:     Bog 50x 70, Éigse Fringe, Carlow. June, The Factory, Capel Street, Dublin, March
               Trace, 10 to12 artists, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin. June
                Le Chéile, Graphic Studio Gallery, Dublin. Mar       
Commissions and Collections:  
     Dublin Bus, commissioned work. 
     OPW, Irish Rail,      Kildare Co. Council Municipal Collection.  
Private and Public Collections in Ireland, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Canada, U.S.A., Bermuda, and Australia. 
Publications: 
2024:    Unravelling an Icon. Celebrating and Remembering Brigid and her Legacy.  For Sult and Brigid 1500
2022:    Life Goes On, Marking the withdrawal of the British Army from Ireland in 1922. For Kildare Decade of Commemorations 
2021:    VAI newsletter,  (2021, 2009 and 2008)
2020:    Silence: Broadstone Shed, commissioned by Dublin Bus for limited distribution 
2018:    LPS 20th Anniversary Exhibition Booklet 
2016:    Little Stories Little Prints, Limited Edition Publication to accompany exhibition 
2011:    Le Chéile at Cill Rialaig ,  Le Chéile Australian catalogue  
2009:    Le Chéile mid-term publication