RHA Annual Exhibition

I was lucky enough to be invited to exhibit at the RHA Annual Exhibition in Dublin. I produced this stitched drawing.

Artquake, The Joinery Gallery

Wall based textile piece exhibited in a charity group exhibition and silent auction in aid of Haiti at the Joinery Gallery. The work is made up of many stitched pacman ghosts. Some of them are in love, some of them wish they were, some of them wish they were not.

The Social Contract, NCAD Gallery 2009

This work continues the exploration of themes of morality in Ireland through the textile medium.  The pieces themselves are a reflection on attitudes sustained in Irish society by long established stereotypes. They focus on some very raw examples of contemporary living issues that are pigeon-holed with the disadvantaged areas of Dublin. Of course, every social issue in Ireland is currently under-pinned by the economic climate which is reflected by a financial represenation of our country (yes they are real euros, 553 of them, no you can’t have one).

Samples of Irish humour and satirical phrases are collected from candid conversations, forwarded text messages and e-mails are represented through the use of drawing, digiatl embroidery and traditional/machine sewing. The work uses a public space to represent what we as Irish people tend to laugh about in private.

Art Ireland 2008

This series of work continued a preoccupation with the image of the raven through the medium of stitched drawings.

MA Degree Show, NCAD 2008

“Moral Fibre”

The primary aim of the practice-based research is to explore aspects of morality in Ireland, such as racism and our attitudes towards homosexuality and other minority groups, utilising textile processes, through the vehicle of humorous or satirical T-shirts.

This work is a culmination of the visual investigations carried out under the specific aims of the MA proposal. The driving force behind this project has been the fact that as a nation we often respond to moral dilemmas by making a joke about them, often this response can be documented within of events occuring in the form of forwarded text messages and e-mails. The research looks at the t-shirt as an ideal platform that bridges the gap between what we will comfortably say in candid conversation and what we would never say in a more public forum. The idea of making a joke about a serious issue is in itself a moral dilemma and of course, an integrated part of our national identity. Put candidly, “us Irish, we like to take the piss”.

The work exhibited here explores the idea of the space between right and wrong, what we call ‘The Grey Area’

Amharc Fingal 2008

Other Stitched Drawings

Forming Fingal

From the Hand

You, Me & Lines

Other Drawings

Artquake, The Joinery Gallery

Wall based textile piece exhibited in a charity group exhibition and silent auction in aid of Haiti at the Joinery Gallery. The work is made up of many stitched pacman ghost