As
the grand-daughter of Irish immigrants, connecting to my heritage
has seemed a natural thing. While I was in graduate school I concentrated
all of my Art history studies on the pre-historic, Celtic
and monastic arts of Ireland. This involved traveling there on
solo pilgrimages, working with archaeologists, photographing ancient
pottery, visiting standing stones, dolmens, cairns and stone circles,
and learning the stories and legendary characters that accompany
so many places. From ancient wells to the Book of Kells, the layers
of art, story and symbol have influenced my own art-making. My
studies led to leading tours in Ireland, teaching the lore, mythology,
and connecting people to sacred and special places. My work continues
to be inspired by the layers of mystery and beauty as I explore
my heritage through art. I interpret symbols found on ancient
Irish pottery and carved into stones, and translate them onto
sculpture and pottery. I also create hand-felted pieces with wool
gathered on my travels to Ireland and Scotland. Below is a gallery
of my work inspired by my travels, studies and heritage.
During
the course of my studies, I encountered the "Greenman"
and the imagery people have been making to denote this symbol
for centuries. Below is a description of the "Spirit of the
Green" and the items I create in clay that depict the spirits
of green.
Irish welcomes have always been a part of the culture, and I enjoy
creating doorway signs for people to continue this tradtion. The
"Fáilte" signs welcome all who enter, and are
available below.
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