June 11th to 29th
Sarah O'Brien Painting
'Who is Gosh?'
Sarah describes her painting as 'dressing up boards', she uses lots of paint and pieces of fabric and tassles to create pieces which don't necessarily stay on the wall but can drift into the gallery space and bring the viewer into a world of colour. Her work is playful and uplifting, although she claims it's based on the menial tasks of everyday family life, the end result is bursting with a real sense of joy and satisfaction.
In her exhibition this June at Sarah Walker Gallery, Sarah O'Brien is exploring painting through a focus on habitual and domestic actions. Sometimes looking at labour associated with construction, large paintings created with sweeping brushes/toilet brushes and cement trowels realise an unintended aesthetic potential.
Domestic chores are more frequent than artful ones in Sarah's everyday life, this comes through in the work. It is also in keeping with Sarah's method of painting as a space where processes drive the work and everything emerges from this. The lack of control inherent to paint as a medium makes the process all the more engaging.
Sarah O’Brien’s practice is focused on drawing and painting based installation. Earlier this year she exhibitied in the West Cork Art Centre, Uilinn in a group exhibition Unfold. Recently she took part in The Kindly Ones in the Crawford Gallery, Cork, SYNC, Galway Arts Centre and Eigse. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, having solo shows at Pallas Contemporary Projects (PCP) in May 2008, Very Common Glory, Draiocht Arts Centre in January 2011 A Circle Dance and Stutter and fluid, Bar 8 Galway, curated by Galway Arts Centre.
Among selected group exhibitions Sarah took part in Holding Together (Autumn 2010) at the Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin which celebrated 50 years of the Modern Art Collection at Trinity College.
Solo Exhibitions
2012
STUTTER and FLUID, Bar 8, Galway, Curated by Alicia Lydon/Galway Arts Centre.
2011
A CIRCLE DANCE Draiocht Arts Centre, Blanchardstown, Dublin.
2008
VERY COMMON GLORY, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin. Curator Gavin Murphy.
Exhibitions
2013
Crawford Municipal Gallery, Cork. The Kindly Ones. Gallery intervention curated by Stephen McGlynn to coincide with artist publication, Pilot Plot, book launch.
2012
Galway Arts Centre, SYNC, Curated by Maeve Mulrennan and John Twomey.
EIGSE 2012, Visual, Carlow. Curated by Barbara Dawson and Brian Duggan.
2011
EverythingSoon, The Joinery, Dublin. Curatorial advice by Miranda Driscoll.
2010
HOLDING TOGETHER, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin. Curated by Barry White, Sheena Malone and Michael Hill.
2009
PAPERWORK, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin.
CLAREMORRIS OPEN 2009, Claremorris, Co. Mayo. Curated by Tom Morton, Hayward Galleries, London.
2008
TIMBUKTU, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin.
WINTER SALON, Temple Bar Galleries & Studios, Dublin.
FAX ON/ FAX OFF, Artist Led Archive, Galway Arts Centre and Catalyst, Belfast. Curator Megs Morley
2007
BIG STORE, Temple Bar Galleries & Studios, Dublin.
Broadcasthere, Broadcast Gallery, DIT. Curator Mark Garry and Jesse Jones.
CITY OF STRANGERS, TULCA’07. Galway. Curator Aideen Barry and Louise Manifold.
WEATHER PERMITTING, g126 (off-site) Lough Corrib, Headford, Co.Galway.
ART TRAIL 2007, Backwater Artists Group, Cork. Invitation to produce a site specific drawing installation.
Irske kunststudenter, Galleri Barbara, Sunndal Kulturhus, Oratorget, Norway.
NCAD MFA Degree Show, The Digital Hub, Dublin.
2006
MAPLESS, La Cathedral, Dublin.
2005
VillaK, Cork Caucus. Form Gallery Cork and Ard Bia Gallery, Galway in conjunction with Cork European Capital of Culture and the National Sculpture Factory.
2004
EVERYONES PRETENDING, Tigh Fili, Cork.
24hr TOURIST, Triskel Arts Centre, Art Trail.