Deirdre Mc Carthy Designs

Deirdre McCarthy was born in Lusaka, Zambia. She spent her formative years there. The influence of the colour and indigenous patterns of daily life in Africa is evident in her work, especially in her experimental, conceptual pieces, for example her still-lifes and multi-layered work.

She studied Fine art at Crawford Municipal College of Art, Cork and Art Education at L.C.A.D. Deirdre worked in education for many years before finally returning to her “roots ” i.e. expressing herself through her art. In 2002 she represented Ireland in a multi-european art expo in Trieste, Italy. Currently she works in a variety of media.

She has become particularly well known for her landscapes with cows and sheep, and in 2011 she joined Shannonbridge Pottery as a designer for their extremely successful range of Lunchtime and Kilkenny Sheep designs. These are now sold in most leading craft shops including Kilkenny Design, Carraig-Donn , Ireland. Deirdre has appeared on Nationwide, R.T.E and her work has been published in many magazines and newspapers.

She works from field studies and photographic references. There is a discipline in capturing the light and atmosphere of her rural scenes. Nostalgia has prompted the demand for this genre of painting, whilst Deirdre enjoys the challenge of this work, she also likes to work from her intuition. As she begins these pieces, she pulls in threads of inspiration that have impressed upon her and lets the work develop it . “A lot of quiet time spent looking, and the work points itself in its next direction”. The approach with these 2 genres of painting can be summed up simply in that with the rural pieces she knows how they will complete but with the conceptual work she doesn’t. It is this voyage of discovery and creative analysis that she would most like to explore and develop. Her most recent work ,evolving slowly, is exploring the sense of space we inhabit. How we are viewed by others, how private we think we are in public ,and how either statutory or in motion our movements affect others.

Technically she loves to mix free-flowing, expressive, abstract approaches with photorealist painterly styles. “I love the juxtaposition of various styles especially painted in layers. It suggests the passing of time in its depths”. Deirdre’s work can be found in many collections including O.P.A., Guiness Ireland, Taoiseach’s offices and many more all over the world. Deirdre McCarthy now sell prints of her work and special edition geclée prints in larger sizes.

Please feel free to contact Deirdre through her website www.deirdremccarthy.com or message her on facebook. Deirdre also exhibits her work on Merrion Square, every Sunday when weather permits and can be found opposite the original entrance to the National Gallery, Dublin.