It’s great to se the Drogheda arts scene blossoming. Since 2022 when they moved into new studio spaces at 16 Fair Street, the artists at 8 Fold Artist Studios have been busy representing Drogheda throughout Ireland.
This summer stone sculptor Nuala Early is exhibiting in group shows around the country, so if anyone is on holiday in Sligo over the next month, Nuala’s sculpture “Safe and Sound” will be on view at Cairde Visual 2024 in the Hamiliton Gallery, Sligo from Sat 6-27th July.
If you’re further south head for Ballymaloe, Cork, where her work can be seen at the Richard Scott Ballymaloe Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition until 31st August. As a Louth County Council awardee of the Tyrone Guthrie Bursary 2024 Nuala is looking forward to spending the residency developing new work.
‘Safe and Sound II’ Kilkenny Limestone by Nuala Early.
If you’re planning on taking a daytrip to Ardgillan Castle and Demense over the summer, both Nuala and fellow 8Fold artist Brian Hegarty have works on show at Ardgillan Gallery until 21st July. Brian works mainly in collage exploring the chaos and complexity of modern life. Well known for curation of eclectic live music events he has also recently produced a new issues of DRAG ACID- a series of full colour art zines with accompanying cdr and lathe cut records.
At the 194th Royal Hibernian Annual Exhibition at Ely Place in Dublin 1, Drogheda’s Hebble Sand and d-Hotel feature in Vivienne Byrne’s “Precarious Settlements 2024” pen drawing on Fabriano paper. As an invited artist this year, Vivienne took the opportunity to put the political, cultural and environmental difficulties that Drogheda is grappling with as the largest town in Ireland under the spotlight.
June was a busy month for her when her collaborative film “This Story might be True” with Fighting Words Ireland and Northern Ireland featured at the Boyne Valley International Film Festival JumpCuts festival.
Her film collaboration ‘Take Over’ with artist Hugh McElveen and the girls of the Southside Community Project through Fighting Words and Youth Work Ireland was shown as part of the Place Based Leaders event at the Barbican Centre when Drogheda Implementation Board invited mother, activist and best-selling author Dr Katriona O’ Sullivan to talk about her life story and overcoming the challenges that poverty presented her.
Untitled Collage by Brian Hegarty.
Artists Dee Walsh, Rodney Thornton and Kieran McNulty are all busy working on exhibition pieces, solo shows and creative projects which will come to fruition in the coming months, but more about those as they unfold.
The artists at 8Fold Studios would like to thank the Arts Council of Ireland, Louth County Council, Creative Ireland, and particularly Droichead Arts Centre for their support in the development and success of the studios.
The 8Fold Artists are Nuala Early, Brian Hegarty, Rodney Thornton, Dee Walsh, Kieran McNulty and Vivienne Byrne can be followed on @8foldartiststudios, @nualaearly, @hegarty.brian, @thorntonrodney, @dee_walsh_artist, @kieranmcnultyartist, @oblivienneburn, thirtythree-45.com
