FEATURED ARTIST

COLM BRENNAN

Born near Belmullet in 1943, Colm has been a working sculptor since the 1970s. He lived and worked in Dublin for some years but now lives a few miles outside Gorey, Co. Wexford where he has his studio. He is a founder member of Sculptors’ Society and Sculpture in Context.

In 1986 he was joint founder of Cast ltd., Bronze Foundry, Dublin that is now owned and managed by his son, Cóilín Brennan. Colm still visits the foundry every few weeks to watch the progress of his current pieces.

Part of his oeuvre consists of groupings of human figures, animals and birds, in bronze. Another aspect of his work is of abstracted forms frequently combining stainless steel and bronze.

He has a considerable number of large pieces of public sculpture throughout the country, frequently as a result of his success in public competitions.

He describes himself as, essentially an object maker, delighting in the golden, traditional colour of bronze combined with the silver, contemporary appearance of stainless steel. He has also, in more recent years, made a series of woodcut prints.

Among awards he designed are:

– European of the Year Award for The Irish Council of the European Movement
– David Manly Award for Dublin City Council
– Nova UCD Awards for Emerging Campus Enterprises at UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4.

FESTIVAL FEATURED ARTIST

COLM BRENANN

Mary O’Connor is an artist and printmaker from Wexford living in Dun Laoghaire. Mary studied at TU in Dublin, Chelsea College of Art, London, and in New Zealand.

Mary’s work is of the land and thematically responds to the climate crisis. She references Islands, land boundaries, and geographical locations in screen prints, paintings, large-scale murals, and sculptural installations. Works are made using bold abstract geometric designs and a strong colour pallet.

Mary had a solo exhibition at SO Fine Art Editions in 2020 and has a forthcoming solo exhibition there in 2024. She exhibits regularly in group exhibitions including the Royal Academy London Summer Exhibition, RHA Annual Exhibition in Dublin, RUA Annual Exhibition in Belfast, and The Model Sligo. She has taken part in various group shows by emerging spaces including Glove Box Gallery, Outset Gallery and Hang Tough Contemporary. In 2022 she was Shortlisted for the Beep Painting Biennial Prize.

In 2023 Mary has been awarded the Ballinglen Arts Foundation Residency, Co Mayo. In 2018 she partook in Tyrone Guthrie Centre residency. Mary is a member of Black Church Print Studio and is represented by SO Fine Art Editions.