Continuing on with my Tipperary Focus - I wanted to introduce you to the talented artist Mollie Barrow who works in kiln formed glass. She lives in Cloughjordan, just down the road from me and she clearly loves colour as much as I do!
Mollie started working in glass in 2000, when, after expecting her son, she discovered the work of Dale Chihuly. I'm a huge fan of Chihuly's work myself and saw and exhibit in Baltimore years ago that I will never forget. And funnily enough, I rang my mother in the States the other day and she was walking through a Chihuly exhibit in Boston. If you ever get to see an exhibit of his- you must go- it is an utterly amazing experience.
Anyway, back to Mollie. Mollie told me "his art was so full of amazing colour and spontaneous form that I couldn't sleep at night without the images of his work invading my dreams."
So, she signed up for a 16 week course at the Pangur Bawn Glass Studio in Dublin and took the first step in kilm-forming. After the course, she bought her first kiln, threw out the rulebook and started experimenting. I'm so glad she did because the results are simply beautiful - bold and colourful. She's inspired by the colours and shapes of the cosmos which you can clearly see.
For the month of May, Mollie is exhibiting her work at The Craft Granary Gallery in Cahir, Co. Tipperary. She'll also be running a series of workshops for children during the Cloughjordan Festival this summer.
Above: Other Planes of There
Her work is also sold at Sheelah na Gig, her bookstore in Cloughjordan, The Black Studio and Avaluk in Kilkenny.
Do let me know what you think of her work - pretty amazing stuff- check out more though - she has amazing samples on her Facebook page and do get to see her exhibit if you can.
As always, I am running my "Love Irish Crafts" blog campaign all year long as part of the Year of the Craft 2011 a collaborative effort with the Crafts Council of Ireland and Craft Northern Ireland.
These are gorgeous! Fabulous glass! Enjoy the lovely day, Kellie xx
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