I just got my weekly newsletter from Benchpeg yesterday, this is a great British website that posts upcoming jewellery exhibitions and workshops. Anyway there was a piece about the recent RDS National Crafts Competition Exhibition and how the exhibition had made its way to the Courtyard Gallery in Midleton, Cork. So I hopped in my car this morning and headed to Midleton to see the show.
The Courtyard is one of two galleries outside of Dublin where this show can be seen.
The exhibition has twenty different categories of craft making made up of the prizewinners of the RDS Competition. Rather than list all twenty I’ll just talk about the pieces that caught my eye.
Stephen O’ Brien’s Bone Chair was the most impressive piece for me, the only disappointment was that I couldn’t sit on it! I’ve never tried working with wood so have no idea what went into making this but I can only imagine it takes skill to get wood to behave in such a fluid manner.
As the only large silversmithing piece Cathal Barber’s silver salt and pepper shaker set stood out for it’s amazing finish and beautiful geometric forms. The only picture half decent picture I can get of this piece is the one I scanned from the catalogue.
My only criticism is that only some of the labels and programme details listed the materials used. With such a wide range of disciplines it would have been great to know the chosen materials of each artist.
Eileen, you can sit in that amazing chair in the reception at the Crafts Council Of Ireland in Kilkenny. Yes, it’s as wonderful to sit in as it looks.
Sorcha, That’s great thanks. I’ll be sure to try it out the next time I’m in Kilkenny. Eileen