A panel discussion exploring a return to the studio, to study, to rekindling and sustaining a creative practice.

Join artists Brenda Brady, Maria Ginnity, Clíodhna Ní Anluain and Carolann Courtney (Chair) to discuss their work and their different paths back to a visual arts practice.

Brenda Brady 
Brenda Brady graduated with an MA in Art Research & Collaboration from IADT Dun Laoghaire in 2020 and a BA Design (Ceramics) from Dun Laoghaire School of Art (now IADT) 1979. Selected exhibitions include Unassembled, a group exhibition in The LAB Gallery, Dublin 2020; 190th RHA Annual Exhibition, Ely Place, Dublin 2020 and A Cast of Paintings, McKenna Gallery, Riverbank Arts Centre 2023.  

Maria Ginnity 
Maria attended Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design in the mid-70s. While maintaining an interest in painting and creativity, the realities of earning a living and raising a family meant a 45 – year detour.  As she puts it herself “Enterprise policy and spider man birthday cakes didn’t quite satisfy my creative appetite”.  Maria has returned to her artistic practice with a passion and graduates from the RHA School of Arts in May. Focused primarily on figurative art, Maria’s work captures a moment in time as she draws the viewer in through her use of cropped images and unusual perspectives. Maria is a member of the Advisory Board of the RHA and Visual Artists Ireland.  She has recently exhibited in group exhibitions with ArtNetdlr and No 6 Ranelagh Arts. Her first solo exhibition with ArtNetdlr will show in Dun Laoghaire in June 2023. 

Clíodhna Ní Anluain  
Clíodhna Ní Anluain’s interdisciplinary visual art practice emerges from time spent with constructed spaces and locations, approaches to narration and presentation, archives and memory. Her other work as a radio programme maker, editor, theatre producer and curator also influence her art practice. Most recently Pillar Talk was screened at the Lighthouse, Dublin as part of IMMA’s 100 Years of Self-Determination International Conference (2022) and will be included in a forthcoming IMMA publication (2023). Limerick City Gallery director, Una McCarthy, has programmed her forthcoming exhibition there. Her exhibition Beautiful Things without [undue] Comment at The Dock (2022) was commissioned by its director Sarah Searson and curated by Ruth Carroll. She has received a Centre Culturel, Paris Bursary (2022) and an Arts Council Agility Award (2021). She is secretary and a board member of Visual Artists Ireland and an Art Research and Collaboration MA graduate of IADT (2021). 

CHAIR: Carolann Courtney
Carolann Courtney is Coordinator, Creative Places Tuam and Creative Places Network Services. Carolann’s work in Tuam engages directly with communities, artists and stakeholders to successfully realise the programme’s aims and objectives. Prior to this role, Carolann worked as the arts, health and wellbeing specialist for Kildare County Council, progressing the council’s specialist work to create high quality arts practice in health care settings. Carolann holds a BA Fine Art from DIT and a Post Graduate HDip in Community Arts Education from NCAD.