Natural Designs - a stunning exhibition now showing in Kilkenny

The draw of nature and its soothing effect on the soul is evident in Clodagh Holahan’s exhibition - Natural Designs which opened at the Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny on Thursday evening.

Having graduated from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Clodagh spent her working life teaching Art and Design in Ireland and Germany while maintaining her art practice. Her return to Ireland coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

Kilkenny city in 1983 - see pics!

Pictures from Kevin's World (via RTÉ, 1983)

“Coming home was not easy, so much had changed in the intervening years, resulting in a feeling of isolation. A bit like a bird whose wings had been clipped, or not fully formed; sometimes trapped in a hawthorn tree,” said the artist.

“Having always had a keen interest in gardening and nature, I volunteered in the Upper Paddock Biodiversity Garden in Thomastown. It was a good way to involve myself with the local community, while supporting the ecosystem,” she added.

The artist’s love and understanding of the natural world is evident in her latest offering which abounds in vibrant colours and designs mirroring the everchanging cycles which exist in nature.

“With restrictions in place being present there brought a sense of freedom. The Upper Paddock Biodiversity Garden volunteer group formed a social distance collective, and time, which seemed endless, was given over to observation, research, investigation, walking and, of course, gardening.

“This artwork is a response to the time spent together, but separate in this our place of nature. It focuses on the natural world, as found in the garden and discoveries on the many walks exploring new terrains, little known places, together with neglected and forgotten ruins and monuments.”

Most of her artworks are inspired by the natural environment, reflecting her love of nature, her life experience and interests. Holahan demonstrates a love of pattern and decoration. She works in various media including: pencil, ink, gouache, tempera, watercolours, oils, acrylics and photography. She also sculpts in bronze, through which she explores emotional themes in semi-abstract human forms.

Holahan has exhibited paintings and sculptures throughout Europe, the USA and in Australia.

Before leaving Ireland for Germany in the mid-1990s, Holahan showed her work in many exhibitions. Holahan returned to Ireland in 2016, and she started to exhibit her artwork in Ireland again in 2017, during the Kilkenny Arts Festival.

In 2018 she joined TCAF, (Thomastown Creative Arts Festival) and apart from 2020, (when everything was shut down due to Covid) she has exhibited every year with them. Natural Designs runs at the Watergate until June 30.