Tending Joy Exhibition Catalogue, Jennings Gallery, College of Medicine and Health, February 2024

Welcome This year’s exhibition explores the theme ‘Tending Joy’ and the prints depict the many and varied ways that our first year [2022-2023] Occupational Therapy students experience joy in their everyday lives, from travel, to sea swimming, to beloved pets, music, good cups of coffee and cherished relationships.

In their printmaking sessions, our students were encouraged to reflect on how they experience and cultivate joy in the big and small moments of their daily lives. Helping the people with whom we work as Occupational Therapists to find moments of joy in their lives is a great privilege and something for us to nurture amongst our students. In Occupational Therapy, we believe that “occupations” are all the ordinary and extraordinary activities that make up our days. Oftentimes, it is only when we are unable to do what we need, want and have to do in our daily life, that we come to truly appreciate how many of these ordinary activities we might take for granted. COVID-19 also taught us all how ordinary activities matter so much for our lives and wellbeing. When we can’t do what matters to us, it can have a powerful impact on our health and wellbeing.

Our first year Occupational Therapy students have the opportunity to participate in printmaking as part of the module OT1005 Creative Occupations and Health in collaboration with Cork Printmakers. They participate in printmaking sessions for two hours each week over six weeks, and then critically reflect on their experiences in the end of module written paper.

Since the foundation of the profession of Occupational Therapy in the early 20th Century and influenced by social movements including the Arts and Crafts Movement art, craft and creative activities have played a central role in Occupational Therapy. The printmaking sessions allow students to explore this heritage and to examine first-hand the potential therapeutic power of creative activities.

To this day, Occupational Therapists are problem-solvers who work collaboratively with their clients and patients to figure out solutions to challenges in health or life circumstances, and to restore or find new joy and meaning in daily life. Being able to think creatively is central to that.

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Indeed, creative thinking is one of UCC’s Graduate Attributes and Values and is one of the top 10 skills of 2023 according to the World Economic Forum. It’s essential that we cultivate creativity amongst our students.

In her poem Don’t Hesitate, the esteemed poet Mary Oliver wrote, “If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it.” The scientific evidence suggests that in so doing, we expand our brain’s capacity to experience joy and tilt the balance away from our evolutionarily hardwired tendency towards noticing threat and danger in our lives. In the words of writer Zadie Smith, joy multiplies itself dangerously. Ross Gay is a professor of English at Indiana University. His books include a book of essays, The Book of Delights in which he observes that we can often overlook small joys in our busy lives. He uses the phrase tending joy to bring to life the engagement and action required to really experience and cultivate joy.

We are honoured that our exhibition is opened by Odhrán Allen, CEO of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland who says “Occupational Therapists, with our creative and practical approach to problem-solving, have so much to offer in identifying and providing solutions to the many complex healthcare challenges for individuals and society”.

Professor Margaret McGrath, UCC’s new head of the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy adds “Regardless of where or with whom Occupational Therapists work, creativity is central to supporting meaningful engagement and participation in daily life. For Occupational Therapy students, learning to explore, understand and embrace their innate creativity is a critical milestone on the journey towards professional practice”.

We hope you enjoy the exhibition and invite you to think about how you tend joy in your own life.

Dr Eithne Hunt Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, UCC February 2024

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About Cork Printmakers The Occupational Therapy students employed a range of printmaking techniques in their exploration of the theme ‘Tending Joy’. Over a six-week period, they worked at Cork Printmakers, which gave them access to technical support, equipment and materials. They explored Monoprinting, Collagraphy, Drypoint and Reduction Linocut. While developing their practical skills, they creatively delved into the theme in a personal capacity, while also researching artists who work in the field of printmaking.

Cork Printmakers is a print studio and gallery providing artists with a creative and well-equipped environment in which to work and offering audiences a diverse and inclusive environment in which to experience, appreciate, understand and enjoy art. As a resource organisation, it generates professional development opportunities to members. Through its showcasing function, it produces and presents art and critical discourse in the context of a curator-led programme. It plays a key role in the cultural ecology of Cork and is recognised for its activity in Ireland and internationally.

Cork Printmakers Fine Art Printmaking Studio

About the Jennings Gallery The gallery promotes and supports visual literacy and creative growth among the staff, students and graduates of the College of Medicine and Health. It aims to facilitate creativity amongst students and staff by the provision of a dedicated exhibition forum.

The Jennings Gallery

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Introducing the Students Katie Allen ‘Springtime’

Caoimhe Bradfield ‘Winter’s Forest’

The theme for our creative occupations this year was ‘Tending Joy’. After hearing this theme, I started thinking about things that bring me lasting and genuine joy. The one thing that came to mind was the refreshing arrival of the spring months each year. I chose to do my print on a baby bunny emerging through the freshly grown flowers. Spring is a time of growth and new beginnings. It is a time when the dark winter months merge into the bright, fresh spring days. These days see colour being restored to the trees and baby animals prancing around the fields. In spring you are woken each morning to a choir of birds chirping outside your window.

I have titled my piece ‘Winter’s Forest’. The print is based off of a picture I captured while on a walk one winter evening in my local forest. Walking has always been a cherished hobby of mine and having a forest so close to where I live is one of the little things in my life that brings me great joy. I love being able to get out of the house and getting to engage with nature. Walking in the fresh air gives me the ability to think clearly and eases my stress.

I have so many fond memories associated with this forest such as going for walks with friends and family, going cycling, having picnics and barbecues during the summer as a child, swimming in the lake, and even going for nature walks as far back as junior infants.

This forest has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was tasked to create prints that incorporated the theme ‘Tending Joy’, I knew that I wanted one of my prints to pay homage towards this beautiful forest which has been a source of much joy and happiness in my life.

I chose to create this print using the etching technique as I felt that it captured the lovely detail of a baby bunny’s face. The flowers surrounding the bunny signify the regrowth of nature during the spring and how lively the world becomes again. These are some of the reasons that entering into spring brings me pleasure and ‘tending joy’ each year.

One may not find it to be a joyful print due to it being very dark as it is inspired by the forest in the depths of the winter months. It is a piece I find beautiful and joyful due to the fond memories I associate with the forest, and I believe that it is symbolic of being able to experience joy even in the dark and trying times in life.

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Saoirse Coffey ‘Together We Will Fly’

Rory Dalton ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright’

The piece I have chosen to display is that of that of a butterfly, with the title ‘Together We Will Fly’. When I reflected on the meaning of tending to, or cultivating joy in my life, I found myself reflecting on my first-year experience and the way in which I have changed as a person. My reflection was inspired by a quote from a favourite poet of mine:

The theme for this year's exhibition is ‘Tending Joy’. When I first heard this theme, it immediately evoked imagery of performing my favourite leisure occupations, particularly playing and listening to music with my friends.

When I realised my classmate Tadhg had a similar conceptualisation of this theme, we decided to collaborate artistically to create a joint piece for this exhibition. We both decided that we wanted to depict the musicians who have brought us the most joy in our lives through their music. For this, I chose to depict my favourite musician of all time, Bob Dylan, while my friend chose his favourite artist, John Lennon. We felt that a piece depicting both of these musical legends would be ideal for this exhibition as both musicians were part of the Hippie Movement of the 1960’s which spread the values of peace, love and joy.

"There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask, "What if I fall?"

Oh, but my darling, What if you fly?“ These lines were ones I often returned to in times of self-doubt. The feeling of spreading my wings and leaping into the unknown is one I became accustomed to throughout my first year of college. Letting go of familiarity is simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating. I found the transition difficult at times, but every obstacle I overcame contributed to the person I am today. When I searched for something to represent this metaphorical flight, I landed on a butterfly. There is dual symbolism linked to my choosing of a butterfly. A butterfly is a symbol of transformation, change, and new beginnings.

My final print of a butterfly is not only representing the growth I experienced in my skills as an artist, but also the growth I experienced as a person throughout my first year of college. However, butterflies are also a symbol of friendship. I opted to entitle the piece ‘Together We Will Fly’ because this transformation and growth was not something I undertook on my own, but with the support and encouragement of the friendships I formed along the way.

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To create this piece, we both used the intaglio printmaking style which involves carving an image onto an acetate sheet before printing.

During the printing part of the process, we both decided to use a ‘dirty print’ effect which involves leaving more ink than usual on the acetate sheet before printing. This helped in making the piece more atmospheric and in bringing these musical legends to life.

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Orla Daly ‘Rediscovering Joy’

Jenny Durning ‘Skies Full of Colour’

The theme for this year’s art exhibition is ‘Tending Joy’. I chose to focus on music for this theme. Ever since I was little music has always brought me joy. My love for music originated from my grandad. My grandad loved to sing and always spoke of his ‘grá’ for music. Some of my fondest childhood memories consist of my grandad singing. He instilled his ‘grá’ for music in many of his grandchildren and to this day a family gathering cannot end until a singsong is had.

‘Tending Joy’ was the theme we used as a prompt for our creative pieces. I chose to exhibit my abstract piece of artwork. My piece illustrates a sky and the colours hidden within it. I chose the phrase “the sky's the limit” as my inspiration because I think you find true joy in life when you believe in yourself and your capabilities. I found great joy in the process of creating abstract work, having freedom and no plan allowed me to express how I was feeling in the moment on my canvas. I chose colours of blue, yellow and green for my artwork. I used a brush to create a smooth transition into each colour whilst still clearly showing the individual colours used. I added more yellow and green to my page too as it shows that although blue is the main colour we may envision when picturing the sky, there is more depth in the concept than what meets the eye. The mirage-like technique used expresses all the worries I have being washed away as I engaged in the creative process.

My chosen piece for the exhibition is a print of my violin. I began playing the violin at the age of seven and immediately fell in love with it. It brought me joy. I studied music in school but after the pressure of preparing for the music practical I lost my interest in playing.

On this specific day when I was drawing the picture of my violin, I was reminded of the feeling I used to get while playing it. I experienced the feeling of flow, a state of being completely immersed in an activity that you lose awareness of passing time (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975).

From this experience I rediscovered my joy for playing the violin.

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My creation shows how creative occupations such as printmaking can have a positive effect on our emotions and mental health. When you allow yourself to fully participate in an occupation it can be a great stress reliever and a coping mechanism.

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Josie Ewence ‘Well, it could be worse...’

Les Machines de l'île (which translates as ‘The Machines of the Island,’) is located in Nantes and is in reality, a steampunk kingdom filled with larger than life sized, functional, mechanical animals. The most famous of these is its Elephant. Three times the size of any real elephant and masterfully built with leather, wood, and steel to emulate its movements while also providing a surreal experience to any passengers lucky enough to ride in the compartment on its back and sides.

I went to Les Machines de l'île when I was 15 on a family holiday where I was fascinated by the giant squid (larger than any squid ever in existence), hanging from the rafters and filling the roof a hall previously used for ship building. The ability to use static materials like wood and iron to impersonate the fluid movements of a squid was astounding to me.

My print is but a poor impression of a poster of this squid which I bought there. At 15, my head was full of the fantastical creatures found in books, recalling Moby Dick in particular. The poster has survived several different houses in Ireland and abroad and remained a framed staple above my bed. It is a source of joy derived both from the sense of nostalgia it brings me (as a mature student 15 was quite a while ago) and as a source of strength. Even on the most difficult of days the scene tempts me to produce sardonic smile as I am prompted to think, 'Well, it could be worse..’.

I had some experience of print before, with lino printing in particular but I had found it frustrating to accept the gap between my attempts at delicate texture on my plate which were never translated onto my print, resolutely stubborn in its contrasting starkness between ink and paper. I found the process of dry point etching much more enjoyable.

Drawing with pencil and pen is something I particularly enjoy, creating shape and form Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

with a single colour in various levels of shade can, when done well equate to a type of trickery, capturing dynamic life on a static page. I found the process of dry point to be the most similar printmaking technique to drawing. Hatching could be used as a way of creating tone and when printing, partially wiping away areas of ink gave an atmospheric, smoky effect. The dry point process allowed me to achieve a sense of flow, becoming a mini escape from the stresses of a busy week.

Being able to achieve this in an activity while using an image which hold nostalgic and symbolistic meaning to me epitomizes the essence of tending joy and is an experience I will seek to repeat in the future.

Gillian Foley ‘A World Filled with Joy’ The theme of this year’s OT1005 exhibition is ‘Tending Joy’, a concept that I find eyeopening because of its positive and uplifting nature. My chosen piece is known as ‘A World Filled with Joy’. Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness, something that brings light to our lives. I find joy in many aspects of my life, but I often find joy in exploring our world and all that it has to offer. I chose to exhibit my lino print of a plane flying around the Earth, to portray the joy and happiness I find in exploring the hidden gems of the world. A thought that is always in the back of my mind is, ‘when will my next trip be?’. Busy with college, work, and the activities of daily life, I am constantly reminded of what a joyful experience travelling is when I find the time to explore. I am lucky enough to have explored so many countries at such a young age, and I believe this is an interest I will carry into later adulthood.

Exploring the world exposes me to other realities and shifts my priorities. I learn about different cultures, different types of people, and most importantly, I learn more about myself and what makes me happiest.

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Martha Kelly ‘Simplistic Beauty in Nature’ Mary Reilly said that “Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energised by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health”.

Through printmaking, I found that working on pieces of art impacted my health and wellbeing, both positively and negatively. When I was informed that the theme was ‘Tending Joy’, I considered what aspects of my life brought me happiness. Every piece of art I created was inspired by beauty in nature. I like to capture the essence of our environment in any way I can.

I capture moments of refinements through photography, and so decided to use some of my photos for printmaking. This piece was inspired by a photo I took in Fota Wildlife Park. It presented as slightly challenging, as there was great detail in the face of the animal, and the stripey pattern. Overall, I was satisfied with this piece, and proud of my achievement. Printmaking was a creative way of demonstrating the parts of life that represent ‘Tending Joy’ for myself. I enjoyed this aspect of the printmaking as I was representing something I loved.

Nicole Knowles O’ Callaghan ‘Winter Immersion: Finding Warmth in the Chill of the Atlantic’ Creativity is a powerful force that resides within us all. It can bring us joy, fulfilment, and a sense of purpose. The theme ‘Tending Joy’ helped me choose and create this piece.

Having this print that I created with my own hands is a testament to the power of creativity and the value it brings to my life. It reminds me that I can create something beautiful and meaningful, and that the act of creation itself can bring me joy and a sense of fulfilment.

This piece reminds me that even amidst the coldest, darkest days, joy can be found, we just need the right tools and motivation to unlock it. The following embodies the concept of tending to joy for me.

Despite the chill in the air, I bundle up in warm clothes and make my way down to the rocky shore of the Atlantic Sea in Ireland. As I make my way into the water, the icy chill hits me like a jolt of electricity, as my skin feels as though its set on fire. As I emerge from the swim, my skin tingling and pink with the cold, the thought of the cosy little sauna overlooking the sea brings a smile to my face.

Inside, the heat envelops me like a warm embrace, and I breathe in the scent of eucalyptus and pine. By braving the coldness of the sea and finding comfort in the sauna, I am nurturing my mind, body, and soul. I feel a sense of gratitude wash over me - for the sea, for the sauna, for this moment of pure joy.

It is a moment of stillness and tranquillity in a world that can feel so chaotic and overwhelming. And when I emerge from the sauna, feeling renewed and reinvigorated, I am truly alive.

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Dubheasa Lawlor ‘Plugged’ ‘Plugged’ depicts a scene of my boyfriend sitting at the window of our favourite café, plugged, surrounded by coffee cups, and books. The assigned theme of this print is ‘Tending Joy', and I interpreted this as meaning how we maintain, cherish, and value ordinary things that bring us joy in our day-today lives. 'Plugged’ represents some of the things that bring daily joy to my life, such as my relationship, reading, writing, a good cup of coffee, and a calming space to relax in. The bright yellow window frames provide depth and contrast against the otherwise black-and white palette suggesting the simple beauty and meaning that can be found in ordinary rituals. To create this print, I used a technique called dry-point. This involves etching the image onto a plastic palette, then loading the palette with ink, removing the ink from the surface, and finally printing it onto damp paper, using a press. To create the yellow window frame, I used chine-collé, a technique where coloured paper is placed over the plate before the print is pressed.

Kalyssa Manning ‘A Sip of Joy’ I chose to create this image of a coffee machine using the printmaking style called “engraving”. It is a tedious process in my opinion and “it is the oldest form of intaglio printmaking” (Hill, 2018). Intaglio printing requires cutting grooves or incisions into a plate, applying ink, and then cleaning the surface so that the ink stays in the grooves.

The printing press then presses the paper into the grooves of the plate, picking up the ink as it does so. You can see that the ink has adhered to the paper when you peel the paper and plate apart (Hill, 2018). When I was told that the theme for our exhibition was ‘Tending Joy’, I instantly thought of my love for coffee and knew that this would be a relevant thing to pick to link back to the theme.

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There are many reasons why I chose to create this coffee machine and decided to include these colours in particular. I made this print the day before my job interview for a new job in a café. I currently love my job and could not think of a better part-time job to have during college. I developed a positive relationship with my colleagues and created many friendships. It may seem like something small to many people, but coffee will always remind me of the friendships I have created in the workplace. Work is a positive and happy environment every time I walk in the door, the smell of ground coffee beans makes this even more enjoyable.

Another reason why I chose a coffee machine is because during each lockdown for COVID19, making different types of coffees daily and trying out new things brought joy to my sisters and me. It was something we used to bond with one another. I am a very sociable person and there is also a huge social aspect attached to coffee. When I meet my friends for a catch up we always would grab a coffee. I feel a sense of joy and pleasure when meeting friends. Coffee also reminds me of my nana, after having to distance myself from her for many months due to COVID-19, now that we can meet again, I make her a coffee every time she comes, it gives me a sense of euphoria. I met with my nana many times and we had a coffee together, I would tell her all about college and the printmaking I was taking part in. I explained to her how I designed a coffee machine and thought of her when doing so. The appreciative look on her face brought me a feeling of joy. I also chose these colours carefully with the theme in mind. Pink, blue and red are three of my favourite colours. These bright, vibrant and lively colours provide freedom and contentment in my life. Colours have a significant impact on our mood and emotions.

I associate pink in particular with love, warmth and nurturing. These colours reflect on my personal preference and enhance my well-being.

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Ava Marsh ‘La Joie à Paris’ To illustrate the subject of Tending Joy through printmaking, I only considered it appropriate for me to create a print of my favourite city on earth, Paris, because joy is geographically located there in my eyes. I have a strong connection with the city of Paris; I have visited many times and my camera roll is flooded with photos of the beautiful city. Once I heard the theme, I knew I had to use my favourite photo of the city that I have as my lock screen since it captures the authentic essence of the city of love. This city inspires me in so many ways, but one of the most important is creativity, and expressing this by cutting and etching the matrix and witnessing the city come to life from the matrix was an empowering experience for me.

I hope you can see in my print the vision and feel the same level of delight I do, as well as how I believe it clearly corresponds with this year's subject of Tending Joy.

Sarah McWey ‘A Cow Can Mean So Much More’ I believe creativity is a unique process which we all undergo as individuals. This integrates with our theme of ‘joy’ as we ourselves as humans can obtain joy from the various occupations that includes creativity.

Printmaking was an eye-opening experience to capture a numerous amount of emotions within the occupation of creating a piece of work. Joy was part of this collaboration of feelings. Joy can be defined as “to experience great pleasure or delight” (Definition of JOY, 2019). For my project I decided to focus on nature to explore my idea of joy in my everyday life. Regarding my project, I created a cow. As simple as it sounds it has a lot of meaning to me, as this part of my printmaking endeavour allowed me to reminisce on my childhood as I come from a farming background. This simplistic cow was like a Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

reminder of how much my life has changed even in just such a short period of time.

Farming with my dad was an everyday task when I grew up and sometimes, I found it daunting. Due to reconnecting with my roots, I have realised how much I have missed this occupation in my life. This cow has allowed me to reflect on my past and how joy could be brought into my future by simply adding an occupation to my life.

During lockdown, my siblings, dad and I would spend every spare minute we had on the farm, and trust me we had a lot of spare time during the COVID-19 era. My life revolved around cattle, slurry, silage, and land, but indirectly it also connected us as a family closer. It allowed for us as children to get an insight into our dad’s everyday routine and the hardships he overcomes day in day out. It also slowed down our very fast-paced lives at the time to allow a break and a reminder of our childhood. When I was younger, I remember vividly going to the farm with my dad most days and playing with my two sisters while he worked. We always loved to go farming with him then as it was a big playground for us, considering we would jump from hay bale to hay bale and run down streams with not a care in the world. Therefore, this print of a cow brought back positive memories, meaning I enjoyed doing the print of the cow.

For something so simple and common to be seen in Ireland, the cow print had a major effect on me and brought me back to a time when I had no worries, only caring about exploring and having as much fun in a day that I could fit in.

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Saoirse Moloney ‘Pure Joy’ Looking for joy in the smallest of moments in ordinary life, in my opinion is essential to live a long, happy, and grateful one. Often, we miss out on the happiest of memories because we are too busy waiting for the extraordinary moments to happen. We seem to wait and look forward to events that are planned ahead and often dread the journey to these destinations. My chosen exhibit focuses on the joy I received and have continued to receive from my cousin Leo. Leo was diagnosed with a terminal illness called Metachromatic Leukodystrophy. From when Leo was diagnosed at twenty-three months it was hard to tend to the joy of him growing up. We knew what was in store for him and his short life and the pain we would encounter as a family.

Every single day was bittersweet. All of the moments that parents and family look forward to as a child grows up seemed to have been ripped out of our hands. We no longer could wait for the extraordinary moments to happen, we had to find joy in all the tiny moments of every single minute of every day.

From all the beautiful photos I have of Leo throughout his six short years I chose to replicate this one for many reasons. First, his smile is infectious. When I look at this picture it brings me back to a time when Leo was laughing with ease surrounded by his cousins.

We had spent the day in the sun, creating a makeshift swimming pool and singing songs with the goal of receiving a cheeky smile.

Secondly, his curls made for an easy recreation. His hair was never tidy, and the curls used to bounce up and down. The freeflowing hair reminds me of his carefree nature.

Lastly this picture sums up Leo’s personality and his attitude to his life, rarely did he cry or show any signs of sadness. Throughout every hospital visit, injection, surgery, and pain he always had a smile on his face.

influence on my life. Although at points I found it tough in the moments when realisation hit, it forced me to look at the joy in my life that I have because of him. I had joy in my life because of him but I am still able to find that joy even after four years of life without him. This week of printmaking was my favourite because I was able to create something with meaning. I experienced flow and the finished result brought me happiness.

The picture of him was not one at a special event. It was an ordinary summer day where we were singing songs and playing games.

Now, that moment will forever be an extraordinary memory in my life that is filled with pure joy.

Easky Moore ‘A Marine Journey’ In order to convey the theme of ‘Tending Joy’ in a personal, effective manner, I drew inspiration from my love of the sea and marine life. In my carrying out of this creative occupation project, I sourced images and pictures that had personal meaning to me, and that would enable me to creatively display the joy marine life bestows on me. Utilizing images of turtles and whales and placing them in their natural environment of the ocean enabled a sense of peace and calmness within me. Using my creative skills in tandem with my love of the marine life and their environment enhanced my experience of the creative occupation of printmaking and enabled me to experience the positive effects it exhibits in full. I attach my personal favourite print that I completed during my sessions, as it enables the feelings of joy and pride within me, which directly correlates with the theme of tending joy.

The process of etching allowed me to look at Leo up close and really familiarise myself with Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

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Alicia O’ Connor ‘Birthday Wishes’ As we all know, joy is a strong sense of pleasure and satisfaction. It is an extremely positive emotion that is frequently characterised by feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and fulfilment. It can be felt in a variety of different contexts such as spending time with the people we love, accomplishing a goal or witnessing a beautiful moment in nature. Joy can come from even the simplest of pleasures in life. One of the things that immediately comes to my mind when I think of joy is birthdays as a child. As a young child, birthdays are exciting, filled with anticipation, wonder and of course, joy. They bring family and friends together to celebrate what is seen as a milestone in a child’s life, marking another year of development learning and growth.

With the exhibition theme being tending joy and my little cousin’s birthday coming up I thought what better way to integrate the two than to depict joy through birthdays. I decided to create a piece of art dedicated especially to him for his special day. At birthdays we take photos and exchange cards in order to remember each and every milestone. So, while my gift to him wasn’t a toy he could play with, it was a gift he could keep forever and appreciate as he grew older, marking his third birthday. Using lino printing, the piece I created was simple and playful depicting a giraffe holding birthday balloons. I chose a giraffe as his favourite toy is a cuddly giraffe that he carries with him wherever he goes. While he was unable to understand the significance of my gift now, I still got to witness his joy as he recognised his favourite toy in the piece.

Aoife O’ Connor ‘Wings of Transformation’ The theme of this year’s exhibition is ‘Tending Joy’. I decided to go with my immediate and gut instinct as to what this means to me personally.

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Therefore, I based my final piece on a quote that I personally turn to in times that I need a boost of happiness and joy - “Like a butterfly, her wings unfolded”. This describes what ‘Tending Joy' entails for me personally. When I think of something that brings happiness to my life, I immediately think of being free and ever-growing as an individual. The butterfly encompasses this vision, a representation of transformation, faith, and acceptance of new beginnings. Engaging in this occupation allowed me to develop and transform on a personal level and as an aspiring occupational therapist.

My exhibit uses a butterfly and colourful flower as a metaphor. This image represents my own possibility to spread my wings and discover beautiful things. I purposely only added colour to the flower to highlight that with growth and transformation, beautiful and colourful experiences await. For me, this image encompasses the concept of ‘Tending Joy’. Without the use of words, this image displays a powerful message, that I carry with me throughout my life.

Ciara O’ Donovan ‘Heart of all Beauty’ The concept of my piece is that beauty is something both within us and around us. I find beauty to be something that fuels my joy; people who are beautiful on the inside and full of kindness give me a sincere sense of happiness. The flowers in this piece symbolise beauty on the inside as they flow out like blood, the momentum that keeps us alive.

Acts of kindness are serotonin releasers for both parties involved, and I wanted to encapsulate that concept in a simple yet effective form. The dots surrounding the main piece signify the magic present in our lives and a release of all our joy-inducing hormones. Overall, I wanted this piece to speak without words and to tend joy.

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Fiona O’ Donovan ‘Ode to Joy’

Jodie O’ Donovan ‘A Creature of the Sea’

I had never done printmaking before, so I was initially nervous about this new challenge.

However, I found it really interesting to learn about the different styles and techniques used in printmaking, such as monoprint, collagraph, dry point, and reduction linocut. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of making this print. This dry point artwork involved carefully etching the design into the plate using a thin scribe and changing the force I was using in order to create a shading effect on the instruments.

When I was tasked with completing an artistic creation, I instantly felt nervous. I am not good at art, and I thought that meant I was not creative. However, over the six weeks of printmaking, I found it easier and easier to access my creative side and eventually created a printmaking piece I could be proud of - a seahorse. When I thought about the things and places that tend joy in my life, I immediately thought of the sea and of animals. I have always felt comfort and joy being close to the sea and being around animals. A seahorse incorporates a little bit of both. I felt it was an object that could represent where much of the joy in my life comes from.

The theme of our six printmaking sessions was ‘Tending Joy’. I reflected on what fills my life with joy and chose to focus my artwork on family and music. I decided to recreate a photograph of myself and my sister with our musical instruments. Ode to Joy is originally a poem celebrating the brotherhood of man which Beethoven used in his Ninth Symphony, and this is often regarded as one of the greatest compositions ever written. This triumphant and exuberant melody is a piece I have often performed alongside my sister.

Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

Many happy memories I have are those where I have spent time around nature and animals, especially at a beach by the sea.

Completing this piece gave me an appreciation for the power of creativity in healing and maintaining well-being.

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Aoife O’ Driscoll ‘The Power of Dance’ The theme ‘Tending Joy’ seemed a bit vague to me when we first discussed it on week one of printmaking. What brings me joy covers such a wide range of people, places, and things. So, when I began to think about what I wanted to create, nothing jumped straight at me. I started to research prints online that showcased my idea of joy, for example, prints of a family unit, dancing, dogs and nature. I also needed to consider my artistic ability and not pick a design that I would not be able to craft it in the way I would need it to be.

My favourite piece that I created was my lino print of a dancer. Dance is a direct connection with joy for me. When I hear the music, when I see the stage and when I begin to dance, I feel like I am in a different world to everyone else. I am in what I call my happy place. A world where it is just me and the music. I used an image of a jazz dancer as that is my favourite style of dance. I tried to ensure I carved her toe pointed and knees straight as that is an essential thing to remember in dance. As I was crafting this design, I was reminded of so many amazing memories I had as a child, and as a young teenager in my stage school.

The piece was not a difficult design but required a good bit of time in order to carve out the white since it was a big design. I completed this piece surrounded by my friends while we played music in the background. The setting was an enjoyable social setting which made me feel very relaxed and at ease so completing my design was a fun experience. As a group we all asked each other the reasoning behind why we picked the design which was very amusing for me as I loved hearing what brought my classmates joy. Some of my classmates picked a design similar to mine but had a completely different reasoning behind doing so which was so exciting to hear different points of view.

Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

This piece may look like it is just one girl in the centre in a jazz pose but to me it represents how I feel when I dance. I picture myself in the centre of my own world just dancing. I omitted anything surrounding the dancer and chose not to include any extra designs around her as I wanted the picture to showcase the power that dance can bring.

‘Tending Joy’ is a perfect description for my chosen piece but also represents the emotions I felt taking part in the creative occupation of printmaking.

Lisa O’ Halloran ‘Pet Passion’ Through this module, I was motivated to explore a new activity that could enhance my well-being and sense of fulfilment. Despite my initial lack of confidence in my artistic ability, I felt excited going into my first printmaking class. The experience of engaging in a creative occupation that provided a sense of meaning and purpose was eye-opening for me. I created new prints every week based on the theme ‘Tending Joy’, which ignited a variety of interests in me, making it hard to choose just one. Eventually, I focused on my love for my pets and nature. My pets bring me comfort, contentment, and unconditional love. Holding and snuggling my pets eases my loneliness, anxiety and stress. Caring for them helps me feel needed and wanted, and they have a significant impact on my mental and emotional health.

The beauty and wonder of nature evoke a range of positive emotions within me, including a sense of calm, joy, and creative inspiration. Being immersed in nature allows me to feel deeply connected to the world around me which, in turn, energises and uplifts me. I especially love spending time with my pets outside, surrounded by the nature.

Together, we explore and appreciate the wonders of nature, and it fills me with a deep sense of contentment and gratitude. The creative process of printmaking was highly February 2024

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personal, purposeful, and meaningful to me.

My final piece, titled ‘Pet Passion’, reflected my love for my cat and how their presence enhances my overall well-being. In my artwork, I combined two of my passions - my love for my cat and my appreciation of nature.

I aimed to capture the happiness my cat experiences when surrounded by nature, as well as my own contentment when spending time with my pets in nature. By placing my cat within a natural environment in my artwork, I hoped to convey the joy that both my cat and I derive from nature and each other. Engaging in printmaking and reflecting on the theme of ‘Tending Joy’ helped me understand the crucial role pets play in my occupational identity. It made me realise the benefits pets can have on one’s health and well-being. The six weeks of printmaking were a truly enjoyable experience for me, and I feel that I gained a profound appreciation for the therapeutic benefits of engaging in creative activities. Moreover, it made me appreciate the power of creative activities and how they can benefit occupational therapy by providing new skills and enhancing well-being.

Tadhg O’ Riordan ‘JWL’ For me, joy is a substantially broad term, which has differing connotations from person to person. As such, I grappled with the personal meaning I associated with this theme. As an avid musician and lover of all things which create sound, I thought it fitting to convey my understanding of ‘Tending Joy’ around music. It was often difficult to judge what image would best portray music. With time however, I settled on one of the most well-known faces in music history, John Winston Lennon. His effect on music and musical culture permeates into the modern day and as such I believe this insubstantial and unassuming tribute to the music legend in the form of a portrait adequately highlights my love for all things music.

Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

Ellie Peters ‘A Still Moment’ Joy helps many of us through difficult times.

“It is a conscious intention to insist that the harshness and bleakness of our reality do not get to have the last word” (Leu, 2018). To me, tending to joy is a personal preference. We can each decide the extent and source of our joy throughout our lives, accepting the change we may experience when we grow older.

When I was a young child, my source of joy was the new Barbie doll or colouring book. As I have grown older, I tend joy in many more meaningful ways.

One of the ways in which I currently experience joy is when I am outdoors and amongst nature. The sounds of the birds, the smell of the grass, and the vibrant colours of the trees and flowers reminds me of the miracle of each one of our lives. It allows me to clear my mind of any stress-related factors and forget about the build-up of assignments.

While I am surrounded by the wonders of nature my world stops and my mind is taken somewhere that is so still and peaceful. That is why I titled my piece ‘A Still Moment’. All my problems become minimal compared to the relief and freedom I experience in these still moments. The undeniable impact nature has on my life inspired me to base my final piece of my creative occupation’s printmaking project on the joy nature brings me. This print was made using the scratching technique and depicts a still image of a butterfly perched amongst a flower. It is an uncomplicated but effective image that reflects on the simple but undeniable impact nature has on my life. My piece itself is a ‘still moment’. I wanted to try and show the beauty and simplicity of nature and reflect on how it can offer us peace and joy. Creating this print brought me joy as it showed me the depth of my appreciation for the natural world. I became engrossed in the finite detail as I wanted to create something that did justice for the natural world.

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Niamh Power ‘Home is where my Dog is’ My experience at Cork Printmakers was a memorable and enjoyable one. Printmaking was something I was completely unfamiliar with, but this experience gave me the opportunity to learn and create new pieces of artwork. I have never really considered myself an artistic person. I never took art as a subject in school, nor did I enjoy art as a pastime. I found myself more theory-driven and struggled with subjects where creativity plays a key role such as English. However, printmaking allowed me the opportunity to discover and develop my own creative abilities. I have learned that creativity has no boundaries or rules and is an opportunity for self-expression. By engaging in a creative occupation such as printmaking, I have become aware of its therapeutic benefits.

I found the Leaving Certificate a very stressful and anxious timeframe in my life and Charlie always provided me with an outlet from studying and exams. I would walk and chat to him on the Greenway as an escape from the academics. Similarly, the move to college was quite a daunting and frightening experience. I really felt the absence of Charlie and my family for the first couple of months. But coming home on the weekends and being warmly welcomed by Charlie sparked nothing but joy and comfort in my life. For these reasons it was easy to choose an image of Charlie to include in this exhibition as he is my source of happiness and joy in my busy life.

This experience fostered a comfortable, relaxed environment in which I learnt how to appreciate the process and not focus solely on the results. This experience has sparked an interest in me to explore further opportunities to partake in a range of creative occupations which I can implement into my future practice. The theme for the six-week printmaking classes was ‘Tending Joy’. For my final piece I decided to use a technique called etching, in which I used a sharp tool to engrave a photo onto a piece of soft plastic with the addition of ink for it to be printed on an A3 piece of paper. The image I decided to etch was of my golden retriever, Charlie. I took the photo of Charlie standing on the Waterford Greenway with the train tracks, new bridge, and trees in the background. The photo was taken as we were on a walk one summer evening in the beginning of June.

Relating to the theme of ‘Tending Joy’, Charlie always provides me with feelings of happiness and positivity. He has an overwhelmingly upbeat, cheerful, and playful manner. The background of the photo highlights my appreciation for the outdoors.

Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

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Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

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Mai Ling Tynan ‘Joyous Freedom’ I really enjoyed the experience of being able to engage in printmaking this year. This year’s theme of creative occupations is ‘Tending Joy’.

Joy is “the feeling of great pleasure and happiness”. Occupational therapy promotes joy through giving people back their freedom.

It aims to grant people independence and control over their life as it helps people to do the things that they want to do, need to do, and are expected to do. This sense of independence empowers people to feel free and therefore inspires joy. For the past six weeks of printmaking, I decided to base my artwork on occupations that allow me to feel free. One of my most joyous occupations is bringing my dogs for a walk on the local beach. As soon as I step foot on the wooden boardwalk, I am instantly struck with a sense of freedom. I love the feeling of the sand in between my toes, the sounds of crashing waves and the wind in my face. For this reason, I recreated a picture of a wooden boardwalk opening out onto the beach, with the sunrise overlooking the sea in the background. This piece of art represents the sense of anticipation and the prospect of joy I gain as I begin my walk on the beach. I used intaglio print making to capture every minute detail of the experience. For me, it is through a sense of freedom that I achieve joy.

Laura Vesey ‘The Joy of Theatre’ For me, self-expression through drama is how I experience and tend joy in myself. Theatre is a very unique form of storytelling and selfexpression, which can be used to bring people to tears, whether it is tears of laughter or sadness. I have made long lasting friendships through theatre and drama. What’s more, drama has provided me with the opportunity to develop my confidence and social skills.

made of myself and one of my closest friends from drama after my last show with our drama group. It was a very emotional final performance, filled with bittersweet feelings, however, it was also symbolic of years of joyful memories. Theatre allowed me a place to express myself with confidence, and the confidence and joy I developed there has been transferred into my everyday life. I thought it would be perfect for encapsulating the theme of ‘Tending Joy’. Theatre and the joy of performance is one of my favourite creative occupations, so it seemed fitting to select it as my theme for this creative activity.

I had very little prior knowledge about printmaking before I attended the printmaking classes. However, with the guidance and inspiration from both the instructor and my peers, I quickly learned new skills needed for printmaking. The type of printmaking I used was intaglio printing, in which I carved my chosen design into a piece of plastic, covered it in ink, allowing the empty spaces to be filled with ink. I then removed the excess ink and placed it into the printing press. The image then was printed directly onto the page. I enjoyed spending time making a product with my own hands, surrounded by my friends. It was very rewarding to have a finished product at the end of my hard, but enjoyable, work.

Abby Ware ‘Nature’s Family Tree’ The title of this picture is nature’s family tree. I chose this picture in accordance with the theme ‘Tending Joy’ as I enjoy walks in nature with my family. I chose a plain black and white image to emphasise the detail. In this image there is a family of birds in the tree.

This symbolizes the requirement for family in all elements of life, even in nature. This is why I chose the title nature’s family tree as it depicts a family of birds in a tree amid nature.

For this exhibition, I have chosen a print that I Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

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Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

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Jennings Gallery, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

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Further Information Dr. Eithne Hunt Lecturer e.hunt@ucc.ie Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy

T: +353 (0)21 490 1569 E: ot@ucc.ie www.ucc.ie/en/ot www.facebook.com/osotucc @ucc_osot