Turas Samhlaíoch - Creative Journey
Turas Samhlaíoch
An tSiúr Clair Dillon
Cuireadh tús leis an turas samhlaíoch seo i nDoire Chonaire i mí Mhárta 2006 agus, go bunúsach, ba é an 1ad Sraith Dordveidhle de chuid Bach a chuaigh i gcion air. I dtús báire, rinne Clair cuid mhór breacaireachta le theacht ar dhóigh chun a cuid físeanna fá na Coinséartónna seo a léiriú agus ghlac sí leis an adamh mar a samhailchomhartha. Thosaigh na físeanna seo le feiniméin an ‘bhuile mhóir’, nuair a cruthaíodh an domhan, nuair a cruthaíodh muid inne, tríd na staideanna éagsúla d’fhorbairt spioradálta go dtí cothromaíocht inláimhsithe, bás, aiséirí nó athbhreith, agus sa deireadh thiar thall ag teacht ar ais go dtí áit úrnua. Rinne an t-ealaíontóir forbairt ar 24 saothar uiscedhatha, cairtiú nó mapáil ar an turas adamhach seo, agus iad eagraithe ina 6 chaibidil nó mir.
Sa saothar seo, tharraing an t-ealaíontóir óna saol féin agus a taithí spioradálta agus ar an tséala sin thuig sí an tábhacht a bhain le himeascadh agus rannpháirtíocht a comhghleacaithe spioradálta, a teaghlach agus a cairde. Is saothar mór teicstíle atá sa lármhír den bhailiúchán seo, a ndearnadh forbairt dhíreach air ó na huiscedhathanna a raibh baint ag mórán dá comhpháirtithe, ó aois 18 – 80+ bliain, leo. As seo, chruthaigh sí sraith de 24 píosa peintéireachta. Agus sa deireadh, chruthaigh sí saothar galánta cruain i gcomhar le Anne Murphy ó ‘Eala Enamels’, Ceatharlach.
Tá saol spioradálta an ealaíontóra le sonrú sa turas machnamhach seo. Cuireann a cuid dathanna beoga fuinniúla in iúl an beathfhórsa atá bunúsach don fhealsúnacht spioradálta atá ag Clair. Tá cuireadh tugtha ag An Gailearaí do Clair a cuid físeanna a roinnt leis an phobal as a dtáinig sias as a measc.
Saothar Nua
Marie O’Donoghue
Tá teagmháil leanúnach coinnithe ag An Gailearaí le Marie ón uair gur bronnadh céim sa Mínealaín uirthi i 1998 agus dá bhrí sin tá taithí phearsanta acu ar a dul chun cinn cruthaitheach. Thar na deich mbliana sin, tháinig forbairt ar stíl léiriúcháin atá láidir, muiníneach, oilte agus inniúil. Sa bhliain 1998, ba é plána teibí gan figiúirí daonna ar bith a bhí ag an ealaíontóir, péintéireacht láidir deismir i bpailéid ghorm mhaolaithe. Ansin, nuair a tháinig sí ar ais abhaile ó Bhéal Feirste, ba é ‘uisce’ a ndearna sí taiscéaladh air, go speisialta na huiscí thart ar Oileán Thoraí, chun a teanga ‘radhairc’ a fhorbairt. Léirigh an tréimhse seo filleadh an ealaíontóra ar a comhthéacs cultúrtha féin – eispéireas tuaithe na Gaeilge labhartha. D’aimsigh sí láidreacht anseo, fréamh a raibh aithne aici uirthi, croílar bunúsach. Thosaigh an figiúr ag nochtadh, chorruair faoi uisce, chorruair ar thalamh tirim – ach an raibh sé cinnte cá háit a ba chóir do a bheith?
Ina dhiaidh sin, lonnaigh an t-ealaíontóir í féin ar an talamh tirim ab eol di, gur chruthaigh sí taispeántas fíorálainn de thírdhreacha leath-teibí. Anois agus arís, bhíodh figiúirí le feiceáil sna canbháis seo ach iad níos láidre anois; bhain sí úsáid as pailéad níos leithne agus bhí lorg breá cinnte scuaibe le sonrú iontu.
Agus í ag ullmhú don taispeántas seo, chuir Marie in iúl dúinn go raibh athrach tagtha ar a cuid saothar - bhí an ceart aici! Tá a pailéad misniúil cinnte agus tá lorg a scuaibe go hiomlán mín réidh. Tá a fhios ag na figiúirí anois cé hiad fein – tá siad sa bhaile. A priosma - cothromaíocht comhlántach idir dath agus cruth. Treoraíonn Marie súile an lucht féachana go comhleanúnach chuig mionbhríonna a d'fhéadfadh muid gan a thabhairt faoi deara in éagmais a leithéid.
Is é ról An Ghailearaí deiseanna a chur ar fáil d'ealaíontóiri a léiríonn stíl chomaimseartha atá ceangailte ar dhóigh éigin le céadfacht Gaeltachta. Baineann an dís, Marie O’Donoghue agus Clair Dillon, leis an sainmheon seo.
Creative Journey
Sr. Clair Dillon
This creative journey began in Derryconnor in March 2006 and was fundamentally influenced by Bach’s 1st Cello Suite. Beginning with many doodles, Clair set out to express her visions associated with these Concertos and took the atom as her symbol. These visions begin with the ‘big-bang’ phenomena, the time of world creation, the time of our creation, through various stages of spiritual development through to tangible balance, death, resurrection or rebirth and finally a returning – anew to a new place. The artist developed 24 watercolours, a charting or mapping of this atomic journey, a ‘turas’ if you like, arranged into 6 chapters or phrases.
The artist has brought her spiritual life and experience to bear in this work and as such she understood the significance of the inclusion and participation of her spiritual colleagues, family and friends. The centre piece of this collection is a large textile work, developed directly from the watercolours, on which many of Clair’s associates participated who’s ages range from 18 – 80+. From this she developed a series of 24 paintings. Finally, in collaboration with Anne Murphy of ‘Eala Enamels’ Carlow, a beautifully crafted enamel work was produced.
This medative ‘turas’ is reflective of the artists spiritual life. Her vibrant colours express the inherent life-force of Clair’s spiritual philosophy. An Gailearaí has invited Clair to share these visions with the community amongst whom they were conceived.
New Work
Marie O’Donoghue
An Gailearaí has maintained contact with Marie since her Fine Art graduation in 1998 and has observed her creative development first hand. Emerging over this 10 year period is a strong, confident, proficient and articulate visual expression. In 1998, the artist’s plane was abstract, no figures populated her world. These were strong and eloquent expressions of blue muted palettes. On her return from Belfast, ‘water’, specifically the waters surrounding Tory Island, then became a place to explore further her visual language. This phase represented the artist’s return to her own cultural context – a Gaelic spoken rural experience. She found strength here, a familiar root, a primary core. The figure began to emerge, sometimes submerged, sometimes on dry land – but was it sure of it’s place?
Next, the artist placed herself on ‘terra-firma’, the land of her familiar, and produced an exquisite exhibition of semi-abstract landscapes. Figures sometimes populated these canvases and were stronger this time, she had broadened her palette and her brush strokes were assured.
In preparation for this exhibition Marie warned of ‘a change’ in her work and she was right. Her palette is courageous but assured and the brush strokes are by now totally fluid. The figures now know where they are – they belong. Her prism - a harmonious balance of colour and form. Marie coherently leads the viewer’s eye to nuances we may otherwise overlook.
The role of An Gailearaí is to provide opportunities for artists who represent a contemporary expression that has some link to a gaeltacht sensibility. Both Marie O’Donoghue and Clair Dillon pertain to this ethos.