Artists' Statements*

*​Our Artists are listed in alphabetical order for easy navigation and access.
Gordon Bromley
Huascarán Norte y Sur - Huáscar was an Inca emperor (and god) during the 16th Century, prior to the Spanish conquest and the empire’s subsequent collapse. The granitic mountain named in his honour, Huascarán, actually comprises two peaks and includes the highest summit in the tropics: Huascarán Sur, 6768 m above sea level. Draped in ice, the Huascarán massif lights up like fire in the dawn alpenglow, which is seen here from the neighbouring peak of Pisco. Yet, atmospheric warming over the last century has driven rapid shrinkage of Huascarán's tropical glaciers and melting of permafrost (the glue holding such massive mountains together), resulting in an increasingly mobile and hazardous Andean environment.

Mt. Pulitzer, 85°S - This distant view of Mt. Pulitzer and its satellite peaks protruding through the margins of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would never have worked as a pen sketch. As it is, in colour, I can bring to mind instantly the ear-splitting silence and perpetual milky sunlight of those days in Antarctica devoted to constructing geological records of past changes in ice sheet volume and - critically for the rest of the world - sea level rise.

Glacier du Moirey, Switzerland - Glaciers are a peculiar blend of plastic and brittle. Formed by the gradual accumulation of snowfall and compaction of snow into ice, the glacier grinds down its valley on a bed of sodden rubble and clay, slowly transporting excess ice from the ‘accumulation zone’ down into the ‘ablation zone’, where it melts and joins the world's rivers and oceans. At depth, the ice under enormous pressure assumes plastic qualities, enabling it to ‘flow’. Closer to the surface, the ice remains brittle and is forced to break and fracture as it is dragged downward. On quiet days one can hear the distinct rifle-shot sound of a crevasse opening, or the muffled thump of snow bridges collapsing. In summer, the noise of running water is all around.

Huandoy Norte, Cordillera Blanca - Following fieldwork in the Peruvian Andes, my colleague and I attempted on several occasions to climb Huandoy, arguably the most beautiful peak in the Cordillera Blanca. We never did reach the summit due to avalanches and the fact that global warming has turned the classic ascent routes into cascades of rocky projectiles. This view of Huandoy from the west represents one of my first forays into colour and combines watercolours, tea, and pen in an attempt to capture something of the atmosphere – thin air, strong radiation, fickle winds – of the high tropics in the morning sun.
Anne-Marie Clarke
Unbalanced was created during Covid 19 lockdown when the immobilisation of people magnified the empty streets and buildings, and I questioned society's priorities. My concept addresses global warming issues by illustrating the unbalanced built environment and our historical drainage of the natural environment. We tend to adjust to new norms, refusing to recognise events as a signal to STOP and revert to creating a better-balanced order for our world.

War on Nature - The Bogland of Ireland is a repository of Irish History, formed by the accumulation of decayed vegetation, which helps to regulate the climate by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing carbon within the turf. A Monoprint cannot be repeated, representing how Bogland cannot be replaced. The removal of it creates a finality that manifests the danger to a host of other plants and animals as well as humans because our ecosystems are interconnected.
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Concrete Globe Killanley - Our built environment has nearly outgrown the natural one. We use concrete to tame nature and protect ourselves from sun, wind, and rain, but the benefits to us are outweighed by the constipation of rivers, choking habitats, and the trapping of large areas of fertile soil. 'Concrete Globe' is an etching created by scarring a metal plate and forcing ink into the scars before printing, illustrating man's use of concrete which scars the globe.
Rosie Dore
Endemic to the small, low-lying island of Bramble Cay in the Torres Strait near Papua New Guinea, the Bramble Cay melomys was a ratlike rodent that relied upon the leafy vegetation that once covered the island for food and shelter — 97% of which is said to have been lost in the decade between 2004-2014, due to rising sea waters caused by climate change flooding the island. Having not been seen in the wild since 2009, the species’ extinction was first declared by the IUCN in 2015 and formally acknowledged by the Australian government in 2019, and is notable as the first mammal species whose extinction was caused directly by human-induced climate change.

In 2008, a recovery plan for the species was initiated, yet was never fully implemented. Perhaps because the melomys was not a large, well-known nor particularly ‘charismatic’ creature, it has been suggested that its demise may not have been considered by responsible agencies to be of much importance until it was too late. Yet if this is true, this raises an unsettling question for other species—including humans—who may be threatened by climate change; what creatures and habitats will be considered important enough to save, if not the melomys and its island home? How many other little losses must be endured before such absences are considered unacceptable?
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In this collection of pieces, I aim to highlight the melomys, its appearance and characteristics in life, and the significance of its plight; not only as a worrying symptom of greater problems to come, but as a little animal we will never know more about in living flesh again. As spoken by Tim Beshara of advocacy group The Wilderness Society; ‘The Bramble Cay melomys was a little brown rat, but it was our little brown rat and it was our responsibility to make sure it persisted. And we failed.’
Marie Flaherty
​I completed an MA in Art and Design with Digital Media at Limerick School of Art and Design in 2021, an MA in Art in Public at Ulster University in 2013 and a BA in Fine Art at the Institute of Technology Sligo in 2006. I am a trans-disciplinary artist as my working practice incorporates many facets from teaching, drawing, painting, digital media, photography, installation and socially engaged art practice.
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​I am primarily concerned with exploring the patterns of life and the world we live in and very often my work focuses on common social and physical patterns that exist in our society and on our planet. Each work is constructed as an exploration of these patterns and behaviours, engaging with inherent values of me the artist and the viewer or participant.
Jill & Gill
Jill & Gill is an independent collaborative Irish creative partnership created by Jill Deering and Gillian Henderson. Two creatives who thrive on creating art for people who want to own limited editions. Jill & Gill pieces are not for the faint hearted. Their colours are strong and prints are made to move, empower and to be your creative beacon in a sea of similarity.

All original artworks are illustrated, printed, embellished and created in their Dublin based studio. These prints are special pieces that have been part of solo shows, exhibited internationally or created as a result of a creative flow and in some cases, been the catalyst for  bigger series of work.
Jo Killalea
I am a visual artist from Swinford, County Mayo with a background in farming, in the natural sciences, and in global and local development. Drawing inspiration from the West of Ireland, together with years of working in East Africa, a concern with social, economic and environmental justice issues is the perspective that I bring to my practice.

I try to illuminate the interconnections between local actions and global experiences, and the parallels in our own social history on contemporary issues such as climate change, famine, and migration.

I have completed two series of paintings on the importance of preserving our local bogs, which are a unique ecosystem capable of capturing and storing vast amounts of carbon. But carbon is being lost due to traditional land use practices such as turf-cutting, drainage, afforestation and overgrazing and this is referenced in the painting 'not yet saved'.
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My recent climate change paintings are more figurative, exploring the devastating impacts on vulnerable communities whose livelihoods and lives are being lost, on land and sea, as referenced in the paintings 'sorry for your loss' and 'perished'.
McHenry-McGarry Pauline
Learmount Forest - This painting shows the entrance to our forest in Park Village, Co Derry.   Park village is located in the northern area of the Sperrin Mountain range.  The river Faughan runs through the forest which is ecologically well maintained by Derry Strabane District Council in keeping with its natural beauty.  Already it has been affected by a severe storm in the past year or two and suffered an amount of water damage to pathways, etc.  Our forest would suffer fire hazards due to water depletion following from mega levels of water abstraction for gold mining, together with heat waves from climate change and the leaching of heavy metals into our water and air, to mention a few issues. This will hasten the destruction of the ecosystem of our Sperrins.  Already, we have noticed changes in our rainfall, flooding, summer heat, fires, etc.
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Sperrin Mountains (Dart & Sawel peaks) - This painting is a view of the northern area of the Sperrin Mountain range early on a winter’s morning.  Every winter we have snow for varying lengths of time which is a beauty to behold.  The Sperrins is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, (AONB) and a natural sequester of CO2.  Already, we notice the detrimental consequences on the mountains from human activity.  Now, a major planning application has been submitted for the establishment of a mega sized gold mining operation in this AONB.  If it gets the “go-ahead”, it would give rise to huge environmental destruction, creating fire hazards due to water depletion following from mega levels of water abstraction, large scale tailings ponds/areas, the leaching of heavy metals into our water and air, to mention a few issues. This will hasten the destruction of the ecosystem of our Sperrins and add to the effects of changing weather patterns. Already we have noticed changes in our rainfall, flooding, summer heat, fires, etc.
McKelvey Ciara
As a child growing up near Tara Mines, Europe's largest Zinc mine, I was intrigued by the thought of people working in tunnels miles beneath, but not quite knowing where. In more recent years the fascination remains but more so with the sheer scale of the tailings pond a few short miles from Navan town centre. I find the aesthetics of tailings ponds in general quite beautiful, especially lithium ponds of yellow and blue and iron ore ponds of pink and orange... visually they can be abstract masterpieces! But unfortunately these ponds are extremely toxic and can pose a significant threat of devastation for their surrounding environment, nearby residents and wildlife. These giant liquid landfills have a history of disasters and catastrophic failures, especially in countries with low safety standards and little regulation, resulting in tragic loss of life and ecosystems.

Through my artwork, I strive to capture the intricate relationship between nature and humanity, exploring the detrimental consequences of our need for energy. In a world marked by uncertainty and ecological fragility, my three paintings, each varying in style and medium, serve as visual narratives that provoke contemplation and raise awareness about the pressing issues we face.

'Breach of Trust' was painted with tailing ponds in mind and how toxic waste can seep into surrounding land and rivers, but also of how mining can build an economy and then suddenly drain it if not strategically phased out. Many communities around the world depend on this industry as their only source of income so great consideration is required when calling for the end of fossil fuels. Strategic investment should be prioritised in mining towns facing mine closures to ensure continued opportunities for employment and development.

I painted "Wild Fire" after being captivated by the destructive force of a wild gorse fire ripping through the Ox Mountains in March 2022. It's hard to condone the intentional starting of these fires knowing the devastation they cause and the pressures they put on emergency services. That said, I do empathise with the plight of farmers losing valuable land to gorse. With increasing dryer and warmer seasons, these fires are only going to get more intense as we see happening across the world. Perhaps a naive view, but could incentives be offered to encourage the safe removal of these shrubs? Gorse has many useful attributes and if harvested correctly could potentially be worth the extra effort.

In "Cracking Coasts," a textured coastline painting, I explore the fragile nature of our shorelines, drought and the importance of water conservation. Through a tactile approach, I employ various mediums and techniques to create a richly textured and cracked terrain. 

These three paintings invite introspection about the choices we make and the responsibilities we bear in mitigating destructive ecological and economic impacts. With energy, and agriculture, comes waste. Mining waste requires careful containment and vast areas of land. Wind & Solar Power are not as green or wildlife-friendly as they might seem and also produce huge amounts of waste much of which ends up in landfill. What if we could use the by-products of energy production to create more energy? This is possible with spent nuclear fuel, which begs the question, do we give Nuclear Power enough consideration in Ireland? Although there is no perfect solution, future generations will not thank us for turning the Earth's beautiful landscape into a toxic tapestry of landfills, tailing ponds, solar fields, wind farms, burnt forests, deserts and plastic oceans. We've got to find a better way.
​Connie O’Kane
​At the Beach – Faughan River Dippers - This is a painting of my children and their cousins whilst playing in the river Faughan, Park, Co Derry, Northern Ireland on a hot summer’s day.  It is a spot that I played in as a child with its calming waters, stepping stones and ancient trails uniting communities.  Our fears for the future include a declining fish stock, flooding, natural disasters from climate change and pollution resulting from farming activities.  However, our biggest and immediate fear is the threat from a proposed major gold mining operation in our precious Sperrin Mountains which is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Ciara Reape
The main theme of the piece is the devastating destruction caused by the fast fashion industry and our response to it. I wasn't "inspired" to create this piece. I was provoked - provoked by the deep discrepancy between the bright, colourful pictures promoted by fast fashion brands and the bleak, polluted environments in which clothing items are manufactured. We are stuffing our wardrobes and filling our landfills. The problem is spiralling out of control yet we refuse to act with any urgency to address the issue. "Nothing to Wear" is a stark reminder for us to acknowledge how our bad habits are contributing to huge environmental issues. It is also a call to encourage people to make more conscious, sustainable choices about fashion.
Karena Ryan
Karena Ryan is an award winning Visual Artist from County Galway. Her work is hand made merging contemporary and traditional methods with current work using authentic native Galway wool that is indigenous to Ireland. In her practice she combines hand spun, dyed and felted wool into textile fabric form that is embellished with print, paper piecing, stitch and found objects. Karena also uses Irish tweed and linens in her practice.

Recent work is made in response to how climate change is affecting the land particularly the Burren landscape and Irish bogs using vintage Ordnance Survey maps and National Land Cover maps. She creates work in response to the environment, literature and ancestry. She is aware of how many traditions and skills have been lost and is interested in protecting a sense of who we are and our connection to our heritage.