Project Description
I completed an Artist in Schools Residency with St Annes School, Ennis. I worked with three of the older classes in the School, Willow, Oak and Rowan Classes. Together we worked on a design of the mural, incorporating ideas the pupils had around friendship, learning, the environment, the geography of the area and what school means to them. On designing the mural we took into consideration that all the school would pass by the mural everyday, pupils from all classes and staff alike, so it had to work for everyone. All the children who took part in the mural design and painting have an original drawing incorporated into the mural. The painting of the mural took longer than planned, due to its size, 35 foot x 8 foot, and the usual unpredictable Irish weather issues. The St Annes classes were amazing to work with and took the project really seriously.
- Painting the mural
- Painting the mural
- Tools of the trade
- Detail of the finished mural
- Detail of the finished mural
- Detail of the finished mural
- The finished mural
- Newspaper article about the Mural
In 2020/21 I completed an Artist In Schools Residency with Knockanean National School, Ennis, Co Clare.
The project was called a Pen Pal life experience exchange. It consisted of a series of letter exchanges with the Knockanean pupil and a resident of St Josephs Hospital Care Facility. We finished the exchange with each class making a mural which was presented to the hospital. As lockdown restrictions lifted, we were hugely fortunate to finish the project by being able to visit St Josephs for a tea party in the hospital gardens, allowing the penpals to meet each other finally.
- Letters from pupils of Knockanean for St Josephs Residents
- Putting the mobile mural together
- Putting the mobile mural together
- Delivering the letters to St Josephs Hospital
- A letter from a Knockanean Pupil to their penpal
- On zoom with Knockanean
- A letter from a Knockanean Pupil to their penpal
- Article in paper The Clare Champion
- Knockanean NS students L-R Elle O’Keeffe, Aoife Kirrane, Lilly McMahon and Sophie Giller bringing their art work to St Josephs on Monday. Pic Arthur Ellis.
- Knockanean NS student Aaron Moloney chatting to St Josephs resident and penpal Flan Howard with artist Rachel McManus during their penpal visit on Monday. Pic Arthur Ellis.
- Knockanean NS students Eve Davoren and Nathan Gibbs chatting to St Josephs residents Annie Murphy, Ballynacally, during their penpal visit on Monday. Pic Arthur Ellis.
- Knockanean NS students paying a visit to St Josephs residents and staff during their penpal visit on Monday. Pic Arthur Ellis.