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About Carmel Doherty

Carmel Doherty, Artist
Carmel Doherty, Artist

Since qualifying from the University of Dundee in 1990, with an M.Phil in Public Art & Design, I have exhibited extensively in England, Ireland and on the Continent. I have represented Ireland twice at Sculpture Symposiums in Germany and my work is held in both Private and Public Collections all over the world. I predominantly worked in stone at the beginning but deviated to wood, steel, wire and man made materials as I progressed through my career. 

I have also administrated many Public Art Exhibitions, I am responsible for administrating the first two contemporary permanent Public Art Symposiums in Ennis, resulting in ten pieces of stone sculpture being sited throughout the centre of Ennis of which two are mine.  The ‘Fishy Tale’ at the roundabout in the fountain at the Maid of Eireann on the Lahinch Road and ‘Clara’ a reclining female abstract stone sculpture on the corner of Bindon Street and Bank Place.  I have also a stone piece sited in Ballybeg Forest on the peripheral of Ennis, a memorial piece to my mother called ‘Spirit of the Forest’ and exhibit my garden sculptures in Dromoland Walled Gardens and forest walkways and my paintings in The Rowan Tree.

Although my background is Public Art in 2000 I emigrated to The Algarve in Portugal and started painting full time. I use my painting materials liberally, combining oils, acrylics, pastels, pencils and spray paints as the painting dictates.

Some of my paintings are often worked for ten years or more, building up layers of paint applied on top of each other until the desired effect is accomplished.  Sometimes I paint layers of fast drying paint over slow drying paint allowing the paint to split and crack to achieve a particular rough surface. On other occasions scratching back into the canvas to reveal an underlying layer, exposing it once more to the daylight. One could say that I paint like I sculpt, working with the material, taking away and adding and sometimes destroying. There is no primary movement in my painting as I want the colour to flow through the canvas. The tension is between the layers of pigments, between areas that adhere and conceal and areas that are suddenly revealed creating a lightness through being layed down and taken away, worn away as if by time.

In 2005 I returned once more to the West Coast of Ireland to Co Clare, a wild county surrounded practically by water on all sides with the River Shannon and lakes to the East and the Atlantic to the West, this is where I find my inspiration for all of my work. On my return I established a private art teaching practice called Ennis Art School, as I believe it is extremely important to transfer artistic knowledge to the younger generation.  Art is the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing and of more than ordinary significance to the development of young minds.

Carmel Doherty Sculpture A Fishy Tale
Carmel Doherty Sculpture Clara
Carmel Doherty Sculpture Spirit of the Forest

Art CV

2020 – 2016

Dromoland Walled Gardens, Garden Sculpture Exhibition

2020 – 2016

Electric Picnic exhibiting public sculptures

2019

Langenfeld Sculpture Symposium, representing Ireland carving wood

2019

ForM – showcase selected works from artists who exhibit both nationally and internationally in the beautiful setting of Bangor Castle.

2017

The Whitethorn Art Gallery, Cliften – Painting exhibition

2016

Sol Art Gallery, Dame Street, Dublin – Painting exhibition

2015

‘To Be or Not to Be’ – Glor – painting exhibition

2015

Published a booklet and created a web page on Co Clare Public Art

2014

Langenfeld Sculpture Symposium, representing Ireland carving wood

2014

“Spirit of the Forest’ Ballybeg Forest Ennis, Site Specific Stone Sculpture at entrance to forest

2013 – 2008

‘Anon is Anall’ – Collaboration exhibition between Artists, Traditional Irish Musicians and Poets, exchanging creativity using different formats, painting, sculpture, print, photography, film, sound, video and sound installation The final exhibits were displayed in Glor. A new exhibition was displayed each year using different artists and musicians. The mayor from Phoenix Arizona opened the exhibition on the final year, where the exhibition was invited to travel to Phoenix.
https://youtu.be/gw0-AlGA2K0
https://youtu.be/yi7irCgmOIA
https://youtu.be/r_rpsdijQT4

2012

The Private Collectors Gallery, Cork – Painting Exhibition

2011

RDS Interior Design and Fine Arts EXPO

2011

Galway Arts Festival, Art in the Meyrick.

2010

Ennis Art School – creating an environment of creativity for children to learn art in a fun informative manner.

2010

The Culturlann, & Feile na Phobail, Belfast

2008

The Ivy House, Dublin – Painting Exhibition

2007

The Loft Gallery, Dublin – Painting Exhibition

2007

The Russel Gallery, Kinvara – Painting Exhibition

1999

Ennis Multimedium Arts Project,  incorporating painting, public art, digital media, sound recording and theatre production.

1998

Ennis Seated Sculpture Trail, siting 5 pieces of permanent stone sculpture in Ennis Town Centre.
https://youtu.be/0NcFz15soAQ

1997

Ennis Riverwalk Sculpture Trail, siting 5 pieces of permanent stone sculpture on the River Fergus Parkland and Walkway.
https://youtu.be/dNO49nNHoVk

1996

Dromoland Woods Sculpture Trail.

1991

‘An Rinn Dubh’ Doolin Pier, 10 pieces of temporary sculpture sited on Doolin Pier.

1991

Artist in Residence for the Midlands

1991

West Cork Sculpture Residency

1990

Sculpture Fellowship Limerick School of Art & Design