I HAVE FOUND MY TRIBE
VOICES
I use to paint, it was something I did in the middle of rearing my children, it gave me something of my own. Later when working in Upstate Theatre I met actors, writers, set designers, project managers, people who loved their work, it made me wonder if I had the opportunity what would I love to be doing and it was a conversation with my friend Noreen and sister Kathleen I realised I’d love to study painting. I was lucky to be able to attend the Art and portfolio course in DIFE with Simon Rainsford in the afternoons, he was the first person I met who recognised the artist in me and well before I did. I only wanted to learn more about painting and hadn't planned on going to college but the idea of working in other mediums such as print, sculpture and ceramics excited me and applied to the Art and Design foundation course in Newry, initially for part time but over a summer of going backwards and forwards in my mind I jumped off what felt like a cliff edge and went full time! and from there got accepted to Duncan of Jordanstone, the University of Dundee, Scotland to the Fine Art degree course. It was where I discovered my love of sculpture and in particular stone. The strange thing is that when I opted to do the sculpture workshops I asked the sculpture tutor if I could do some stone carving, he was surprised (so was I) and had to go in search of the hammers and chisels, they hadn’t been used in a long time. College teaches you about the creative processes, finding your voice and big ideas, but not great on teaching practical skills, in 2010 when I returned to Ireland with a degree in fine art I went in search of people who could teach me more about stone carving and found stone sculptors Martha Quinn in Sligo and Stephen Burke and Richie Healy in Dublin. I have met a lot of the stone sculptors around the country and have exhibited with them in various exhibitions and feel like I am part of the family of stone carvers. When I heard Ruth Fitzmaurice author of ‘I found my Tribe’ describe the companionship and connection she feels with other swimmers I understood what she meant, I know I have found my tribe.
Nuala Early Visual Artist
www.droichead.com
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