View Frances Crowe’s intricate tapestries alongside Gillian Cussen’s drawings as together they explore ideas of sustainability, connection and crisis.
The dual collection is immersive, intricate and thought-provoking, with current day themes and ideas woven carefully into detailed tapestries, and in-depth, personal sketches created in uniquely sustainable ways.
On view in Áras Inis Gluaire until Friday 11th October
Frances Crowe
Frances Crowe was born in Waterford and studied Fine Art in The National College of Art and Design Dublin, where she discovered the weaving department and fell in love with Tapestry. She moved to Roscommon in 1980 and opened Grange Studio. She worked as an art teacher for many years while still maintaining her artistic practise. As an educator, collaborator and curator Frances has facilitated many school and community based art projects. Supported by The Arts Council of Ireland, Creative Ireland, Roscommon Arts Office, and The Bealtaine Festival.
Her tapestries have been selected for many high profile fibre art exhibitions in Ireland, England, China and Canada. She has been commissioned to create tapestries for public spaces and private collections, in Ireland and abroad. She has received many awards, most recently, An Agility Award from the Arts Council of Ireland. She has been selected by The Michelangelo Foundation for inclusion in the Homo Faber guide for Master Artisans, and was shortlisted for the Golden Fleece Award 2024.
Gillian Cussen
I applied to Crawford College of Art and Design (CCAD) during my last year at school but was not successful at the time. My second choice was social work so I obtained a degree in Social Science(UCC) and followed this up with a post graduate qualification in social work( PQSW,) at Edinburgh University. I then worked as a social worker in Scotland, Canada and Ireland with people of all ages and from diverse backgrounds. I eventually changed career to finally study fine art and graduated from CCAD in 2009 with an honours degree and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).
I have worked consistently as an artist facilitator with all age groups and especially with older adults experiencing memory loss. I am currently employed on a sessional basis at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork where I co-facilitate the Lonradh programme. I am developing my artistic practice towards a sustainable way of making my own art materials –charcoal, pastel, ink and paint –to ensure that they my art making is ecologically sound. My work is in private collections and in the collections of UCC and the Office of Public Works.
