{"id":9157,"date":"2025-12-02T11:50:05","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T11:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/?p=9157"},"modified":"2026-03-24T19:25:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T19:25:32","slug":"roots-and-wings-a-celebration-of-mother-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/roots-and-wings-a-celebration-of-mother-nature\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Roots and Wings’ A Celebration of Mother Nature"},"content":{"rendered":"

Title: Roots & Wings: A Celebration of Mother Nature<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Group Exhibition by Artists:\u00a0 Colleen Fitzpatrick, Maria Laffey & Linda Proudfoot<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\u201cNature does not hurry yet everything is accomplished.\u201d – Lao Tzu
\nWe are all rooted in Mother Nature but look to the sky where we dream of flying on the wild
\nwind. This exhibition is a celebration of the vastness, beauty and vulnerability of nature in
\nthese uncertain times. If we slow down and tune into nature we learn so much. We live in an
\nage of soundbites and instant gratification. Art can point us to the world and help us to see
\nthings we don\u2019t usually notice, such as the pace and beauty of the natural environment. Art
\nprovides a space where we can pause and contemplate our world; it provides a place of
\npossibilities and new ways of being. We are busy trying to avert the environmental crisis when
\nactually, we need to do less, not more: slow down, take less, use less; pay attention and learn
\nfrom our own source: nature, of which we are an integral part. This exhibition is food for the
\nsoul and a feast for the eyes, it presents work by 3 Irish, female artists with very different styles,
\nunited and inspired by a passion for our natural world, the result is the subjective experience
\nof nature made visible from 3 unique perspectives. This exhibition provides a pause and place
\nof reflection on the spirit of the natural world.<\/p>\n

*******************************<\/p>\n

Artist:\u00a0 Colleen Fitzpatrick\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bio:<\/p>\n

Colleen graduated from the Atlantic Technical University with a BA in Fine Art and also
\ncompleted a PhD in the Philosophy of Art & Culture from the University of Galway, as well
\nas an MA in Psychology from UCD. Predominantly a painter, Colleen\u2019s work has been selected
\nfor a number of curated shows abroad and at home, including Hambly & Hambly Christmas
\nShow, D31 Art Gallery, Doncaster, Aberdeen Summer Exhibition, the Linenhall Mayo Artists
\nShow, Westival, Clifden Arts Festival, the Signal Arts Centre, Bray, Solas Gallery, Leitrim
\nand the Stir Project, TULCA. Colleen\u2019s work is stocked in Kilkenny Design Centre Ireland and
\nthe Quayside Gallery, Westport.
\nStatement
\nMy work is inspired by awe and awareness of nature, although it addresses the serious subject
\nof the environment, it is a celebration rather than a lament. I draw inspiration from where I live
\nalong the Wild Atlantic Way in Mayo, however I aim to create otherworldly spaces that are
\nubiquitous, evoking an atmosphere rather than an actual place. My work celebrates the magic
\nand mystique of nature and is imbued with a mystical sense achieved through fluidity, gold
\nleaf, mixed media and symbols of nature, it is a blend of abstract & figurative.
\nI studied Psychology because the world and people fascinate me, and I make art for the same
\nreason. I work from a phenomenological framework: art expresses a mode of being-in-the
\nworld and allows us to dwell in the lives of others because art is an amalgam of all our
\nexperiences. My Doctoral research in Aesthetics focused on mindfulness and the
\nphenomenology of painting because I believe art provides a place of contemplation which
\nallows us to focus on things we do not normally notice until we witness them in art. Through
\nart, I hope to foster awe of the natural environment.<\/p>\n

www.colleenfitzpatickart.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

*********************************<\/p>\n

Artist:\u00a0 Maria Laffey<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bio:<\/p>\n

Maria Laffey is a visual artist living and working on the west coast of Ireland in Connemara, Co. Galway.\u00a0 Her studio overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, its rugged coastline and neighbouring islands which provide a constant source of inspiration for her nature-focused work.\u00a0 She obtained a B.A. in Fine Art and Design from the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in 2011.<\/p>\n

Maria\u2019s work has been selected for many exhibitions including Clifden Art Festival, Westival, Mayo Artists Biennial Show, Connemara Bog Week, Newport Arts Exhibition, Small Works Exhibition Connemara Sea Week, Kylemore Abbey (Fordham Law Hall).<\/p>\n

\u201cMy current work centres on creating close-up portraits of wildlife, capturing their unique personalities and expressions. I primarily use acrylic and oils in my work, sometimes placing the animal in its natural habitat and sometimes leaving the background bare to focus only on the animal itself peering out from the canvas.<\/p>\n

The gaze of these animals, direct and engaging, invites the audience to connect on a deeper level. The focus is on the expressions and emotions that defines each creature, providing the viewer with a moment of intimacy and understanding, to consider these creatures that journey through the planet with us.<\/p>\n

\u201dwww.marialaffeyart.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

*********************************<\/p>\n

Artist:\u00a0 Linda Proudfoot<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bio
\nLinda graduated from NCAD with an BA in Art Design, Textiles and Embroidery and is a
\nregular exhibitor where she enjoys meeting and talking to the public. Linda showcases her
\nwork in Dublin\u2019s outdoor exhibitions including Stephens Green and Dun Laoghaire along with
\nIreland\u2019s Premier Art Exhibition, RDS, Artsource both 2022 and now 2023.
\nStatement
\nMy name is Linda Proudfoot. I\u2019m an Irish Artist specialising in painting. I\u2019m inspired by nature
\nand the ever-changing Irish Landscape. I have a passionate eye for detail and for capturing a
\nmoment in time in the landscape around me. I\u2019m attracted to the sun\u2019s light and the way it
\naffects and transforms the landscape, I want my paintings to come alive with the moment of
\nthe wind and shifting light. I hope they bring to the viewer a sense of mystery and inspiration.
\nAs a child with dsylexia, art has always been a wonderful place for me where I feel
\ntotally comfortable and free. After leaving Collage I worked in graphics, interior design and
\nwindow display. I worked as an artist creating paintings & murals for interiors in hotels, pubs
\n& restaurants. I enjoy working to private commissions, bringing an idea to life. I went back to
\nmy textile roots when I was asked to create a large Wall Hanging depicting St. Colmcille to
\nhang in the Secondary School which bears his name.
\nI have a huge draw to the wild coast and out in the West of Ireland, especially to the beauty of
\nAchill Island. I have spent time on the island and I have an extensive collection of work based
\non my time in Co. Mayo and on Achill and have work in galleries on the island.
\nMy passion is to make art, to be able to continue to work on what inspires me.<\/p>\n

www.lindaproudfootartist.ie<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Title: Roots & Wings: A Celebration of Mother Nature A Group Exhibition by Artists:\u00a0 Colleen Fitzpatrick, Maria Laffey & Linda Proudfoot \u00a0 \u201cNature does not hurry yet everything is accomplished.\u201d – Lao Tzu We are all rooted in Mother Nature but look to the sky where we dream of flying on the wild wind. This …<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10075,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-24 08:41:09","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9157"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9157\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10078,"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9157\/revisions\/10078"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arasinisgluaire.ie\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}