I am a Scottish born Cork based artist, but I enjoy travelling.
I am a multi-disciplinary artist, who studied sculpture, but am largely self-taught. The following statement sums up how I feel about art.
Art is a doing word.
Art at its best has the ‘power’ to transform individuals and society.
Art and creativity are for all and should be accessible for all. The idea that art is the domain of a few talented individuals should be resisted. We are all able to make art and live creatively. If the spirit of inclusion in creative practice was embraced by society the transformation across society would be positively immeasurable.
At its best art can express all human emotion, bring solace, bring joy and mirth, empower, and evoke personal and societal transformation.
Art never was and never will be confined to galleries, the creative process is bigger than that and cannot be contained. Though the creative process must be channeled into action to be given life to and become real, ideas are nothing without action bringing them into being.
You don’t need big words to talk about creativity and art. If as an artist your practice is visual, you do not necessarily have to explain it.
I am more interested in thinking of work and making work that dwelling on past work. I am critical of my work and will always strive to improve. I would gladly make part of my aim as an artist to mock snobbery in the arts and to resist any attempts to make art exclusive.
This does not mean art is not ‘important’ in-fact the inverse. Art is and always will be a thoroughly human affair. This does not mean all art is ‘good’.
I try to live well and respectfully of people and the planet.
I am creatively open.
I will always make art.
Art is a doing word.
My visual art often focuses on expressive drawing in which i work prolifically. My 2012 exhibition of 1,000 Drawings is testament to this link. I paint in various mediums and have a passion for papier mâché sculpture, with animals often being the theme. I enjoy facilitating workshops and sharing my skills and working in groups, I have worked with many community groups.
A large focus of this community-based work is ‘The Dog Project’, which I have facilitated 6 times with the aim to create 100 papier mâché dogs and involve anyone who wished to collaborate. Link to my last Dog project In Alba , Italy 2023.
If you are interested in attending one of my workshops, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
I have made many large-scale animals as commissions for bars, including Bar Brutal, Can Cisa on Caller Princesa in Barcelona which has seven large scale sculptures. As well as these commissions my work is in other establishments and private collections.
In 2022 I worked with Mick Wilkins in his studio in in Kilnagleary near Carrigaline, where I created 3 bronze Sculptures I had one included in the RHA annual show in 2024.I loved working in bronze and plan to do more.
My other creative outlets are music and performance, singing, playing the ukulele, guitar and harmonica. I write songs and have aspirations to record an album. In performance I am especially interested in clown, and mask work, I have a few solid circus skills
including unicycle, juggling and walking on hands I have done a few solo shows introducing various ridiculous characters, humour is a big part of my life and art. Please look at the performance page to see what I’m up to in the performance part of my practice.
I like to dream of utopia, and have a political side with an urge to have us live more in harmony with each other ourselves and the beautiful planet on which we live.
Thank you for reading this and looking at my work.
Exhibitions
2016: Cork School of Music, Dearbhail and Tom (Group show)
2015: The Gallery Room, Natural Foods Bakery, Cork (Solo show)
2015: The Hole in the Wall, Exhibition and performance residency, Kilkenny Art Festival (Solo show)
2015: Rocketman Princes St, Cork (Solo show)
2014: Cork School of Music, New Work (Solo Show)
2014: Can Cisa, Caller Princesa, Barcelona drawings and Papier mache launch (Solo Show)
2013: Blackbird Gallery, Kilkenny (Solo Show)
2012: Tactic Art Gallery, 1000 Drawing Exhibition, Cork (Solo Show)
2011: Camden Palace, Cork, The Dog Project, Papier Mache project (community based show)
2010: Kinsale Art Festival, Manifest (Group show)
2009: Urban Retreat Gallery and Origin gallery, Dublin, New work (Solo Show)
2008: Shaw Gallery, Cork (Solo Show)
2007: Ard Bia, Galway (Solo Show)
2006: English Market Gallery, Horsey in the Market Gallery (Group show)
2006: Private Collectors' Gallery, Inishannon (Solo Show)
2006: Watergate Theater, Kilkenny, Buy don’t buy (Solo Show)
2005: Dog Project Launch, Triskel Arts Center, Cork (community based show)
2005: Cross Gallery, Christmas Show, Dublin (Group show)
2005: Form Gallery, Art is a doing word, Cork (Group show)
2005: Iontas Small Art Works, Sligo (Group show)
2005: Berkley Gallery, The living artists, Thomastown, Kilkenny
2004: Cross Gallery, Christmas Show, Dublin (Group show)
2004: Passo Blu Gallery, Genoa, Italy (Solo show)
2004: Shandon Gallery, Personal Show, Cork (Solo show)
2002: Tigh Fili Arts Center, Cork (Solo Show)
1999-2001: Peinture Fraiche, Le Cannet, France Bi-monthly (group show)
1997: Garden of Delights Gallery / Cafe, Dublin (Solo show)
1996: Orchardton Arts Festival, Auchencairn, Scotland (group show)
1996: Gardener Arts Centre, The Way We Are Now, Brighton (group show)
1996: Kilkenny Arts Week, Abbey Business Centre, Kilkenny (group Show)
Gallery representation has included:
The Market Gallery, Cork (2013 - 2016)
Boatyard Gallery, Kinsale (2012 - 2016)
Greenlane Gallery, Dingle (2001 - 2003)
Art Select Gallery, Dublin (2001 - 2003)
Form Gallery, Cork (2004 - 2005)
Laundrette Gallery, Cork (2005)
Passo Blu Gallery, Genova (2004 - 2005)
Private Collectors' Gallery, Inishannon (2002 - 2009)
Selected Arts Projects
The Dog Project: The Dog Project's aim was to create 100 papier mache dogs and then to have them walked on the steet and put in formations as a street installation. The project was run as an open workshop where participants could help make the dogs, working From the Triskel Arts Center 78 dogs were completed. In 2011 the project was re-run and 128 dogs were completed. For a link to a film documenting this look at “Dogmation’’ on Youtube. Since then I have facilitated Dog Making in Workshops in schools and with the Waterford Healing Arts Trust. In 2016 I worked with Mind Oxfordshire a charity that works with people with poor mental health in Oxford we created 115 dogs.
Papier mache Commissions: I have been commissioned to make large scale animal sculptures for bars and restaurants. The themes have been animals with the biggest piece being full sized Blue Marlin.
Peinture Fraîche: Was a shared studio space and gallery in Le Cannet in France. I worked there for over a year in collaboration with three other artists, holding regular exhibitions.
Community Arts Experience
Parades: I have assisted in and facilitated various parades involving community groups: Kilkenny Arts Festival, 2001; St. Patrick's Parade, Cork, 2005 & 2006 and perform regularly in St Patrick's Day Parade.
Groups: I have worked with diverse groups including children, teenagers, elderly and people with poor mental health. Projects have included mural painting, papier mache and parades
Street Decoration: I worked on Calle Ciudad Real for the Gracia Festival in Barcelona, which involved the decorating of the street and the making of a 3 meter high mafalda cartoon character.
Performance based work
I have a passion for clown and comedy based performance as well as having an interested in mask. I have collaborated on, and organized, numerous cabarets, performed solo shows and busked. Music is part of this and like to sing, play the ukulele, guitar and harmonica. I have aspirations to record an album. I have performed at many festivals including Kinsale Art Festival, Glastonbury, Electric picnic, and the Body and Soul. I have attended a good amount of clown workshops and am a member of Circus Factory, Cork. Circus skills include unicycle, walking on hands, juggling and basic acrobatics.
Rubbish Performance: This was a group urban performance in which participants were invited to make impromptu costumes using rubbish and sellotape, and then play in the street. This performance took place 5 times and was documented by video.
The Ballheads: Was a collaborative performance that originated in Barcelona with 10 suited performers walking around with balls on their heads, this has since been performed in Cork and Kilkenny.
The Clayhead show: This is a performance where I put a lot of clay on my head and morph it into different masks
T.V. Show: This is a performance where I sit inside a television and present various ridiculous characters and programs this has been used in solos show, cabaret and busking
Other Experience / Skills & Hobbies
I enjoy gardening and bikes. I also like languages and have a good level of French and moderate Italian and Spanish.