Opening of Groundworks Studios Exhibition at Niland Gallery, Merchant's Road, Galway

Title: CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH

Needlework, home-making, making do and mending tend to be referred to as ‘women’s work’……
Skills learned in the home are often under-appreciated when compared to those learned at school, in university or in the workplace.
This installation celebrates skills learned from the generations of women in my family who shared their knowledge of lace-making, dress-making, tailoring, knitting, crochet and more.

While the items included in this display are not for sale, the skills used to make them can be learned at Groundworks Studios workshops.

The exhibition is open from 10.30 to 18.00 every day until Saturday 6th July, 2011.

See www.groundworksstudios.com for more photos from the exhibition.

Groundworks Studios Exhibition at the Niland Gallery, Galway

Groundworks Studio members are holding an exhibition at the Niland Gallery, Merchants Road, Galway. The exhibition will include fine art, sculpture, ceramics, jewellery and textiles. The opening is at 19.00 on Saturday 30th July and you are all invited! For more information on Groundworks Studios see www.groundworksstudios.com.

August: Cork Craft Month

Lots of stuff going on in Cork in August for Cork Craft Month....so check it all out!

Wonderland: Summer camp of arts and crafts for children at Groundworks Studios

Join Groundworks Studios for their specialist childrens’ arts and crafts camp as they follow the footsteps of Alice down the rabbit hole into Wonderland! Themed on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland activities will include creative journalling, ceramics, textiles, painting, t-shirt printing, jewellery, papercraft and more! Complete with Mad Hatters Tea Party finale on Friday evening!

All workshops are led by practising crafts people in a safe, child friendly environment. The studio environment provides an opportunity for children to engage with professional working artists and to create under their guidance.

Maximum 12 participants per camp, therefore booking is essential. For booking please contact Joanna on 086 8774710. Suitable for children aged 7 – 12 years.

Week 1: 1st – 5th August 2011
Week 2: 8th – 12th August 2011
Time: 10am – 2pm
Price: €100 per child, family discount available.

The Brooklyn Library Sketchbook Project

I heard about this project last year and really liked the sound of it so I thought I'd sign up this year and get involved. To get involved you just need to sign up, pick a theme, pay the basic admin fee (about $25) and you will receive a blank sketchbook in the post. Fill your sketchbook and return it by the deadline for inclusion in the touring exhibition.

For more information check out.... http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject

Some more highlights from "Branching Out" at the Botanic Gardens

"Roses for Rosemary" by Christine McComish. I really liked the mixture of pieced patchwork and applique on this quilt. And the flowers seemed to have a 3d quality to them.

"Family Album" by Mary Ann Fitzpatrick-Browne. This traditional woollen quilt had lovely bainin wools, tweeds, felted sweaters and the backing was a recycled family blanket. I took photos of the details: cats, dogs, sewing machine, thread & scissors and this quirky chicken.

"Poppy Love" by Lynn Naughton. Although I had seen Lynn's quilt at our own exhibition I somehow missed the details! Lynn painted the poppies using a technique learned from the Kemshall's 'Design Matters TV'. But I enjoyed looking at all the little details I missed the first time: little stamped flowers on the trellis design and all the feathered quilting stitches.

"Birchfield" by Elaine Doyle. This subltle quilt was really beautiful. Neutral coloured silks with machine and hand embroidery and lovely machine quilting.

"Parachutes" by Ann Fleeton. I've been a fan of Ann's work since I first met her at an Eastern Branch IPS meeting and I've been lucky enough to participate in a number of her classes. Here she has pieced together cotton organdie, silk organza and silk paper. I love the delicacy of her hand-painted fabrics and machine-stitched drawing.

What makes a successful quilt?

.....when someone small and very cute decides to snuggle up on it! This is Zoey, a visitor, who obviously feels very much at home here!

Branching Out: National IPS exhibition at the Botanic Gardens

The National Exhibition of the Irish Patchwork Society is currently running in the Botanic Gardens, Dublin until 2nd August, 2011. Together with other members of the Western Branch I made a trip by bus to see it at the weekend. The exhibition is well worth a visit if you get the chance, the Botanic Gardens are beautiful and the restaurant has lovely teatime treats or lunch.

The following photos are just some of the highlights that particularly caught my eye (I will credit each artist name below soon but I just don't have the details to hand as I upload these photos). Trust me there's loads more to see, with a huge variety of skill levels, techniques, colours and fabric choices in traditional and contemporary styles....so there's something to appeal to everyone's taste. The IPS members at the information desk are helpful, there's a catalog on sale for 5 Euro and there's a sticky felt design-board for children to play at designing their own patchwork patterns.

"Breathe In, Breathe Out, Interior, Exterior Spaces"by Meg Kenny. I liked the mix of techniques in this piece (Photo printing and applique).

"Growth Patterns" by Ailbhe O'Callaghan I loved the colour choices in this quilt and also the precision of the composition.

"Branching Out/New Beginnings" by Brenda Hogan. I almost missed seeing this piece as it was hung on the side of a pillar. My photo doesn't really do justice to the autumn colours of the batik fabrics used.

"Poppies and Daisies" by Moira Byrne. I loved the colour-wash pieced background and the applique on top in this quilt.

"The Chameleon" by Joke Bursma. The colours and the detailed stitching were worthy of close inspection. But stand back and the piece has immediate visual impact also. This piece was chosen for the cover of the catalogue.

Groundworks Studios Summer Camp 2011

Groundworks Studios announce Summer Camp 2011

Camp Details
Week 1: 1st – 5th August 2011
Week 2: 8th – 12th August 2011
Time: 10am – 2pm
Age: 7 – 12 Years
Cost: €100 per child (inclusive of materials) - 10% sibling discount
Location: Summer camps will take place at Groundworks Studios, Lyrr Building 3, Mervue Business Park, Galway

Description
Join Groundworks Studios for their specialist childrens’ arts and crafts camp as they follow the footsteps of Alice down the rabbit hole into Wonderland! Themed on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland activities will include creative journalling, ceramics, textiles, painting, t-shirt printing, jewellery, papercraft and more! All workshops are led by professional arts and crafts practioners in a safe, child friendly environment. The studio environment provides the perfect opportunity for children to engage with working artists and to create under their guidance.

The week will end with a Mad Hatters Tea Party finale (Friday), showcasing the childrens work! Face painting, tea party, fun and games can be expected! Children wil be fully supervised at all times.

Maximum 12 participants per camp, therefore booking is essential. For booking please contact Joanna on 086 8774710. Suitable for children aged 7 – 12 years.

Children should bring a healthy packed lunch daily.
Creative mess is encouraged therefore children are advised to wear suitable clothing!

For more information see www.groundworksstudios.com

"Modern Languages" at the Galway City Museum

I received an invitation through the Cork Textiles Network and textile artist, Deirdre Nelson (who gave a talk at their conference this year) to this exhibition opening on 12th July. I've been asked to pass it on......so all you craft enthusiasts out there you are invited too!

You are invited to the opening of Modern Languages, a co-production between Galway Arts Festival and the National Craft Gallery, Ireland. Curated by Katy West, Modern Languages (re-interpreting the Irish vernacular) presents the work of Nao Matsunaga, Laura Mays, Deirdre Nelson, Ciara Phillips & Barbara Ridland. Coming from Ireland, Scotland, Canada and Japan, these artists offer new interpretations of traditional Irish craft.
The exhibition explores the relationships between indigenous Irish craft and contemporary international creative practice. It focuses on the intentional adoption and corruption of craft practices within the artist’s work; each adapts elements of the Irish vernacular to convey meanings that are no longer dictated by historic provenance but by their own personal interests and motives.
Modern Languages will be at the National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny from the 22nd of October - 11th of January 2012

Branching Out: National Exhibition of the Irish Patchwork Society at the Botanic Gardens

I was delighted an image of my work (top right) was chosen along with 7 other pieces (4 from Galway in total!) for the invitation to 'Branching Out' the National Exhibition at the Botanic Gardens, Dublin. The exhibition runs until 2nd August and the official opening is at 11.30am on Tuesday 5th July. The Western Branch will travel to the exhibition by bus on Saturday 9th July (members can contact Joan Colleran for details or see http://www.westernips.blogspot.com/). More information about the exhibition celebrating 30 years of the society can be seen at

http://irishpatchwork.blogspot.com/ and also on the Crafts Council's Year of Craft website
http://www.craftinireland.com.

Galway Craft on display at the Galway County Hall

Galway City and County Councils wish to promote Galway craft as part of the Year of Craft Celebrations in 2011. My work is included in a display along with 7 other craftspeople at the Galway County Hall, Prospect Hill, Galway from 4th July to 1st August. The display includes woodwork, ceramics, jewellery, slate and textiles. I hope to include some photographs here soon, but if you're passing the County Hall, do drop in!