Education

Maeve has completed various other courses, one of her most memorable was in Bronze casting (the lost wax process) at the MIT MassArt USA in 1995 where she also completed a stained glass course. Over the years Maeve has continued to expand her work in photography and her study of life drawing has spanned over 40 years at various locations and venues including the Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork, where Maeve currently lives and works..

Career

"Growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, Maeve found solace in the natural world and the creative arts. From a young age she was was encouraged to create and was drawn to the beauty of landscapes and seascapes in those early years. Having been gifted her first camera at eight years old she won her first art competition that same year. This set her on a path that would see her go on to study Fine Art Studies in the early 80’s and then, Fashion and Textile Design at Belfast School of Art’. Throughout her life and career, she has explored various mediums and disciplines. Her artistic practice is characterized by a deep appreciation for the natural world and a fascination with the ways in which science, nature and creativity intersect. This lifelong exploration are evident in her work which is a reflection of those experiences, influences, and passions. She has travelled widely and been exposed to other Cultures, Art and Architecture. Her experiences have influenced her work, and she has been drawn again to capturing the unique light and atmosphere found in landscapes.

Current Work

Her current landscape and Seascape series is called ‘Tellus Bella’ and the idea is from ‘Spiritus Terrae et Maris’ the spirit of the land and Sea. She has been working on this series since 2022 and it borders between abstraction and representation. Although her work is inspired by her large photographic collection, it is also informed by her tacit knowledge of the places she has travelled to, things she has seen and her life experiences all inform the choices she makes within her compositions.

The ‘Tellus Bella’ (beautiful land/earth’) Abstract series are partially influenced by the landscapes and seascapes of Ireland with her focus on illuminating the beauty of our natural world and the desire to call out the devastation climate change is having on our precious earth. From the rugged landscapes of Ireland to the majesty of the ocean, she seeks to capture the essence these scenes and the emotions they evoke through the use of light, colour and form in her work. Her ambition is for the work to speak directly to the emotions of the viewer and to transport them to another place. This work is a reflection of her deep connection and interpretaion of nature, her fascination with the world around her, and her desire to create something beautiful and meaningful. Her work is a testament to the power of art to capture and convey the beauty and complexity of life. Her aim is to inspire others to appreciate our natural world and the components of colour, line, shape, form, value, texture and space that are all present within it.

Through her experiences as an Artist, and a fashion and textile designer in a previous life, she has developed a keen eye for texture, colour, and composition. Her subsequent exploration of photography, bronze casting and print making has further expanded her creative palette. Maeve enjoys experimenting with mediums such as Pastel and Acrylic painting, Screen Printing and Lithography within printmaking, and photography as she frequently references her backup library of images to relay the beauty found in the human form and within nature. Maeve also finds inspiration from music. The landscapes and seascapes of Ireland have remained a constant source of inspiration in her artistic practice over three decades and are rooted in her exploration of the interplay of light, texture, and atmosphere.

With a studio in Cork, Ireland, she is committed to creating art that resonates with those who experience it." As she continues to develop her practice, she is excited to explore new themes and ideas, and to share her work with a wider audience. She is committed to creating art that is both personal and universal, and to building connections with others through her work”. Maeve hopes to continue to share her work with a wider audience and to explore the possibilities of gallery representation.

Memberships

Member of Visual Artists Ireland, Dublin IrelandM

Member of Cork Printmakers, Cork, Ireland

Member of the Lavit Gallery,Cork Ireland