I am a Visual Artist, Educator and Curator. My practice varies in themes such as Socially engaged projects and Environmental awareness projects. I have managed to sync my visual arts practice with my educational facilitation method as I introduce ideas and works I am researching and creating in my studio into the classroom and the gallery. I create Sculptural Installations. I work with a diverse range of materials such as clay, mirror, light, metal sculptures, photographic images on perspex and banners. I have created largescale public art sculptures and banners. One work is now part of the OPW collection.

I have created large scale projects working collaboratively with many community groups that were exhibited publicly. Many of my works have been exhibited in International Shows in Museums and Galleries in New York and London, China, Poland. The highlight of my career to date is having my work ‘Desire is’ exhibited in the Turbine Hall in Tate Modern and also it appearing on the Arts Show in BBC 2 in 2009. We Claim was also another important highlight as it was a banner on a building on the Liffey in central Dublin and a beautiful chapbook this was a huge achievement by the entire team. I have over 15 years experience working in Galleries, Schools and Museums.

On two occasions I have brought groups both adults and children to Dunsink Observatory and brought mathematicians to a group to explain how maths are in our everyday life. I also created a walking Tour for the Public of the importance of Mathematician William Rowan Hamilton and Writer James Joyce and the Royal Canal. This was an exploration of physics and literature and how it resonated in the wider World by the discoveries of both Irish based or born men. This was manifested as an artwork in 2012 titled The Planet of Romance exhibited as part of Five Lamps Arts Festival which I have participated in many times. As my projects are often on a large-scale I have built up many contacts in a wide variety of cultural places and institutions through out Ireland.

As an artist I have many areas of enquiry in my Practice which are rooted in Science, Nature, History, Sociology and Philosophy. Most of my work is inspired by factual Scientific evidence and how I understand the World around me. I can act as an advisor to any School being aware of the Curriculum and how Creative learning can happen in and outside the classroom.

I am trained in Visual Thinking Strategies this is a great way of introducing critical thinking, group thinking and creating debate in the classroom. In the many schools I chose images that related to the children’s age and what they were studying in the curriculum devised by teachers and myself.

I have worked in The Hugh Lane Gallery, The Lab, Irish Museum of Modern Art and The Butler Gallery as a educator and workshop facilitator. I have been awarded Creative Schools and Blast in Education as artist in residence in many schools.

bLAST IN EDUCATION

Sligo Schools

The concept for the theme is teased out in the beginning and will often link in with the locations of the School, or the curriculum. Sligo has an incredible landscape and mythology so the basis for many of the workshops was inspired by the Fossils, geology, myths, and Mountains that link back to my visual arts practice. I introduced my website and my practice to the group and led a 30-minute VTS session in the introductory session, following sessions encorporated geology studies and drawing rocks from my collection. We made drawings of the landscape, then made drawings onto clay and then painted them. Other sessions involved collective drawing on large-scale paper with charcoal on sticks, this is a fun thing to do inside and outside the classroom.

Creative Schools

The TAP Teacher Artist Partnership with O’ Connells Primary School in Dublin 1.

I first introduced my own practice and concerning themes and how I unpack and produce those, quite often on a large ambitious scale. A current theme in my practice is the Commons or What is the Common that binds us and connects us. Another recurring theme in my practice is the importance of geology and the land around us. In the Teacher Artist Partnership we explored rocks and Basalt and Volcanoes and this brought us to the importance of the Giants Causeway and the myths of Finn Macool that they were studying Irish Myths in the Curriculum. We created fun exploding Volcanoes which was a novel way to get Science and Geography and Geology across but in a fun creative way whilst they were learning about Irish Myths.

The children told the story of Ireland. How Volcanoes erupted to form the Giants Causeway. The stories of The Children of Lear, Balor and the pirate Queen Gráinne Mhaol - Grace O’Malley. They orated to the art objects being delivered to the art table. It was so much fun and informative, combining the school curriculum and art.

Zooom @Hugh Lane Gallery

Hugh Lane Gallery city-wide project with primary schools

Our Zooom@Hugh Lane Gallery film by artist Liliane Puthod is also showcased on the European wide Museums in Short initiative 2020 here

Phase IV (Nov 2021-June 2022)

Phase III (Nov 2020-June 2021)

Watch our virtual tour for children here

Between November 2020-April 2021, the following schools have participated so far in online Zoom@Hugh Lane Gallery:

Stanhope St. Convent, Stoneybatter, D7; St. Joseph's BNS, Terenure, D6; St. Kevin's BNS, Finglas, D11; St. Vincent De Paul Girls National School D9 and Cromcastle Green BNS, D5; Presentation, Georges Hill, D7; Naomh Finnin, D11; Gaelscoil Baile Mhunna D9; St Peter's NS, D7; St Clare's D6W.

The over-arching theme of this project, which is initially aimed of twenty-six primary schools throughout Dublin city, is to introduce children to the Hugh Lane Gallery, its collection and temporary exhibitions and through discussion and looking more closely, to become more familiar with particular artworks and delve deeply into visual art practice. The project includes a pre-visit to the participating schools when the children are introduced to the project and artworks from the Gallery. During their visits to the Hugh Lane, children and their teachers are introduced to visual art and encouraged to hone in closely to observe and find sometimes overlooked aspects of an artwork. By using this zoomed in approach it is hoped to encourage the children to look from the general to the particular, to develop their observation skills, and to share and articulate the reasons behind their choices.  Following their discussions and sketching in the Gallery, artist-led workshops in the Hugh Lane's dedicated education studio space further explore the themes arising from their looking and the children will make artwork in a variety of media based on their artistic exploration. Green screen animation is also used to capture the thoughts and ideas arising from their visit.

Between December 2018-June 2019, the following schools have participated in Zoom@Hugh Lane Gallery:

Scoil na mBrathar Senior School, North Brunswick St, Dublin 7; St Catherine West NS, Donore Ave, Dublin 8; Gaelscoil Bharra, Cabra, Dublin 7; St Mary’s NS, Fairview, Dublin 3; St Columba’s NS, North Strand, Dublin 3; St Brigid’s Primary School, Haddington Rd, Dublin 4; St Audeon’s NS, Dublin 8; St Malachy’s NS, Finglas, Dublin 11; North Bay Educate Together NS, Kilbarrack, Dublin 5; San Vinseann Cailiní, North William St, Dublin 1; St Mary’s Primary School, Dorset Street, Dublin 7; Banríon na nAingeal, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10; St Vincent’s Primary School, Glasnevin, Dublin 11; Bantiarna na mBuanna, Ballymun, Dublin 9; St Mary’s NS, Donnybrook, Dublin 4; St Patrick’s GNS, Ringsend, Dublin 4; St Ultan’s NS, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10; Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch, Ballymun Rd, Dublin 11; Holy Trinity SNS, D13; Harold’s Cross NS, D6; Scoil Úna Naofa, D12; St Catherine's Senior School, D7;  St Joseph's NS, D17; Our Lady Immaculate SNS, Darndale, D17; St Gabriel’s NS, D7; Ranelagh Multi Denominational School, D6

Zoom@HughLaneGallery short film  (Phase I)

This lovely, vibrant and humorous film produced by artist Liliane Puthod can be viewed here and well done again to all the participating artists for the super work made with the over 800 children from 26 schools so far in Phase I of Zoom@HughLaneGallery (Dec 18-June 2019)

Click here to see the film

https://youtu.be/l0-L4FfRpq8

Phase II of Zoom@HughlaneGallery (Nov 2019-March 2020)

Prior to the Hugh Lane Gallery’s closure in March 2020, Zoom@Hugh Lane Gallery - Phase II of our city-wide outreach project for primary school had engaged with fifteen primary schools through the DCC administrative areas from November 2019-March 2020. The participating schools were Gaelscoil Colaiste Mhuire, D1 - Central Area; City Quays NS, Gloucester St South, D2 – South East Area; Presentation Primary School, D8 – South Central Area; North Dublin Muslim NS Project, D3 - North West Area; St Columba’s NS, D9 – North Central Area; Gardiner St school D1 - Central Area; John Scottus NS, D4 - South East Area; St Enda’s Primary School, D8 – South Central Area; Our Lady of Consolation NS, D5 – North Central Area; St Joseph Senior NS, D11 – North West Area; S N Seosamh Na mBrathar, D3 – North Central Area; St Patrick’s NS, D20 – South Central Area; Naomh Padraig NS, D11 – North West Area; St Michael's NS, D10 - South Central Area; Gaescoil Ui Earcain, D11 – North West Area. A short film documenting the visits to the Gallery and highlighting the artwork made by the children is being produced by artist Liliane Puthod. Planning is now also underway for Phase III of Zoom@HughLane Gallery due to take place during the school year 2020-21. It is aimed to continue to incrementally engage year on year with every primary school in the Dublin city area.

Click here to see the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbLCH-p0xeo

Zoom@Hugh Lane Gallery (Phase I and II) is supported by Dublin City Council and the Creative Ireland Programme, an all-of-Government five-year initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which places creativity at the centre of public policy. Further information from https://www.creativeireland.gov.ie/en #creativeireland

Examples of workshops in Hugh Lane Gallery.