Art Form: Visual Art

Areas of Interest:

Patterns of land use in mountain areas i.e. wind farms, conservation.

Currently studying a Fetac course in Care of Elderly, so as to work with elderly people with dementias using art.

Bio:

Maria studied Fine Art (painting) at Camberwell school of Art, London (1984) obtaining a BA Hons.

She facilitated life drawing classes at Southill park art centre, where she started using the print studio., learning drypoint and etching. She joined the Reading guild of Artists and showed in open shows with them and with others at the Old fire Station gallery, Henley on Thames. She was selected to show at the Labrary, Surrey university, (Guilford).

She travelled and painted in Portugal and Italy, whilst teaching English.

She worked in Social Care settings with young people and adults in kent and in London, then came to Ireland in 2001.

Joined cavan visual arists collective and took part in the “Emergence” touring show exhibiting a collaged print “Buffalo Soldiers”, a comment on Guantanamo Bay.

Printmaking:

Printmaking has become for Maria her main medium, with drawing as a foundation, although watercolour painting and using inks are a vital part of the processes she uses. She joined the print studio at Leitrim Sculpture Centre in 2011 and has been a regular user since, exhibiting in their open shows with prints.

In 2013, Maria took part in Leitrim Live craft, a skills based and artist development course at LSC and the Dock design house, showcasing with artists from different disciplines.

2015, maria facilitated a print workshop in monoprinting at the print studio (LSC) as part of a funded project for skills sharing with the wider public.

Maria attends life drawing with the Graphite and Easle group, The Model, Sligo and took part in a collaboration “drawingLife” in January, 2015.

She had her first solo show at Teach ban, Drumcliff, Sligo 2012.

She has work in private and public collections, including C.avan County Council.

For Maria, processes are a concern as much as image making, and recently she has been engaged in her own artist led project exploring upland sheep farming in response to changes in farm practices, through photography and short videos. She is also extending her printmaking to photgraphic methods in photo silk screening.