C o n t e n t s

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

18

P.23 SOFA

SIDE BY SIDE P.24

Now in its third year, the Bursary is intended to release recipients from their usual commitments so they can invest in thecreative development of their craft.The recipients are selected by a committee comprised of a chairman and four committeemembers with expertise in different areas of craftsmanship and education. Previous winners were woodturner Liam Flynn,basket-maker Joe Hogan and calligrapher Denis Brown.

Commenting on this years Bursary winner Úna said:“We are delighted to present this year’s award to renowned silversmith KevinO’ Dwyer. Kevin is a remarkably talented, skilled and innovative craftsman whose work has represented Ireland in many prestigiousevents and on the International stage. Some of Kevin’s recent accomplishments include being named as one of ‘Irish America’s Top100 for 2007’ by the Irish America Magazine, and a national award for Best Public Art/Sculpture project for 2007 (LAMA Awards).Through the Crafts Council Bursary Kevin will now have the opportunity for further research and development of new work whichwill involve exploring the relationship between glass and silver.We are very excited about his proposal and look forward to seeingthe results.”

Kevin will use the award for materials, flights, and specialist resources as he travels to the US to collaborate with two leadingUS glassmakers, Jon Kuhn and Andy Shea, on a series of silver and glass designs which will lead to both functional and non-functional artworks. O’Dwyer will use Kuhn’s studio facilities and expertise in a hands-on residency with the aim of creating a series of glass architectural forms that will be incorporated into his silverware. “The residency will be one of exploration, experimentation, and innovation,” says O’Dwyer. “It will also be a hands-on opportunity to create prototypes and finished elements.

For more detailed information on Kevin O’Dwyer and the Bursary Award see pages 2-3.

Congratulations to Silversmith, Kevin O’Dwyer Winner of the 2007 Crafts Council of Ireland Bursary Award

The 2007 Crafts Council of Ireland Bursary was awarded to silversmith Kevin O’Dwyer and acheque for €19,500 was recently presented to him by the Crafts Council’s new CEO, Úna Parsons.

Úna Parsons (CEO of Crafts Council of Ireland) presenting Kevin O'Dwyer (Silversmith) with the 2007 CCoI Bursary Award

News and ReviewsP 2 About the CCoI Bursary

P 4 Irish Arts Review,Winter 2007

‘The First Annual Craft Edition’

P 5 SOFA 2007 Snapshots

P 6 Michelle Lamb,Trend Expert

P 8 Exciting Times for Showcase 2008

P. 9 Craft in the Classroom Participants

Karen Morgan & Ceramic Art London

Craft Community NewsP 10 Fashion Extravaganza at

Louth Craftmark

P 11 Origin - the London Craft Fair

Craft ITP 12 Want to explore selling on ebay?

OpportunitiesP 14 CCoI 50% Scheme

Showcase 2008

- LifeStyle Trend Area

- Trend Seminars

P 15 CCoI Research Missions

Making it in Business

Trainer sought for CCoI

P 16 Dates for Diary

Craft Community Forum P 17 Craft & Criticism - A New Dialogue

Advertisements P 18 Advertisements

Exhibitions & Events P 22 Exhibition Snapshots - EMT

P 23 Gallery News

P 24 Upcoming Exhibitions

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews 2

About the CCoI Bursary Award 2007 Winner - Silversmith Kevin O’Dwyer

A career in craft demands fine balance between creative and commercial interests. On one hand, money has to be made. Forcraftspeople this means turning clay, or glass, or pieces of woodinto money and requires a certain degree of pragmatism. If craftis your livelihood it is of primary importance that the work issaleable, and this applies whether you are selling production orone-off art pieces. It is not only acceptable, but even sensible, tomake some compromises in order to make pieces that will sell.Creativity, on the other hand, is a less straightforward brief.Creativity and inspiration are nebulous concepts and this makesthem difficult to factor into a business plan. But without creativeinput the standard of work will fall or become stale, and this willeventually impact on sales. Craft feeds on creativity, even at themost mundane level, but creative regeneration is often neglectedor overlooked.

There is untold benefit in taking a step back from the necessary grind of daily lifein order to fan your creative spark. This works in different ways for different people. Some people like to travel, to be inspired by different cultures and to learnfrom craftspeople working abroad. Some prefer to explore different mediums andto incorporate new physical elements in their work. Others simply need to let theirimmediate concerns subside so they can rediscover the reasons that they took upa craft in the first place. But, despite the obvious benefits of creative space, mostcraftspeople are self-employed and, when you run your own business, to take timeout to recharge your creative batteries can be an unaffordable luxury. In manycases creative ideas - ranging from brilliant to completely unfeasible - are put tothe back of the mind and left there. It’s an offer that seems almost too good to be true.

The annual Bursary was established by the Crafts Council in recognition that Irishcraft is driven by creativity and it needs to be fuelled by immeasurable factors liketime, peace, travel and inspiration, It is intended to release the craftsperson fromtheir usual commitments so that they can invest in creative development of theirprofessional practice, thereby accessing new opportunities. The recipients areselected by a committee comprised of a chairman and four committee memberswith expertise in different areas of craftsmanship and education. Application isthough the Crafts Council of Ireland.The closing date for the next round of Bursaryawards is in August 2008, and the winners will be announced in September 2008.The 2007 Crafts Council of Ireland Bursary was awarded to the silversmith Kevin

O’Dwyer, who has been presented with a cheque for €19,500 by the CraftsCouncil of Ireland’s new CEO Úna Parsons.

O’Dwyer will use the money for materials, flights, and specialist resources as he travels to the US to collaborate with two leading American glassmakers to developa series of silver and glass designs, leading to functional and non-functional piecesof art.

The Bursary, which offers an annual award of €20,000, was founded in 2005 onthe basis that the ongoing success of Irish craft hinges on the continued creativedevelopment of craftspeople. OO’’DDwwyyeerr’’ss pprrooppoossaall wwaass,, iinn aa nnuuttsshheellll,, ttoo eexxpplloorree tthheeppoossssiibbiilliittiieess ooff wwoorrkkiinngg wwiitthh ssiillvveerr aanndd ggllaassss iinn ccoommbbiinnaattiioonn. ‘Glass, like silver,is a material that can be manipulated either hot or cold; its surface can be patterned, laminated, cast, or polished to create strong sensuous forms or architectural elements. The combination of these materials over the past two centuries has focused on traditional forms for functional use, as found in our museum collections I’m looking at a way of taking this combination of mediumsinto the twenty-first century.’

A firm believer in collaboration, O’Dwyer plans to explore this with two leadingAmerican glassmakers, JJoonn KKuuhhnn and AAnnddyy SShheeaa, each of whose work shows a striking different approach to the medium. Kuhn creates architectural glass formsfrom cut, polished and fused glass, and is considered an innovator in the field oflaminated and fused glass techniques. O’Dwyer will use Kuhn’s studio facilities andexpertise in a hands-on residency with the aim of creating a series of glass architectural forms that will be incorporated into his silverware. ‘The residency willbe one of exploration, experimentation, and innovation,’ says O’Dwyer. ‘It will alsobe a hands-on opportunity to create prototypes and finished elements.’

‘The annual Bursary was established by the

Crafts Council in recognition that Irish craft

is driven by creativity, and it needs to be

fuelled by immeasurable factors like time,

peace, travel and inspiration.’

‘The Bursary, which offers an annual award

of €20,000, was founded in 2005 on the

basis that the ongoing success of Irish

craft hinges on the continued creative

development of craftspeople.’

Andy Shea, whose work featured in the recent Wild Geese exhibition at theNational Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, manipulates hot glass into sensuous forms.O’Dwyer describes him as ‘one of the Godfathers within the USA glass community’whose hot and cold glass techniques combine flowing forms with cut, faceted, andpolished interventions. He plans to spend a month at O’Shea’s hot glass studio todevelop a series of pieces that explore the possibilities of combining the flowingforms of silver and glass in a series of functional and sculptural forms. He is aware,however, that collaboration often has unexpected results. ‘My proposal was allabout pushing a dialogue between two artists and seeing where it goes. We haveplans, but other things will come out of it as well. There’s always an element of surprise.’ O’Dwyer will also develop his knowledge and skills at the Museum ofGlass in Tacoma, Washington as a member of the Visiting Artist Programme.

O’Dwyer is already an established artist of some standing. His lyrical teapots andrestrained coffee services, sculptural interpretations of mundane household items,are in some important international collections, including the Racine Museum ofArt, USA, National Museum of Ireland, Department of Foreign Affairs and theVictoria & Albert Museum, London. Based in Tullamore, County Offaly, O’Dwyeralso directs Sculpture in the Parklands which received a Local Authority Members’Association (LAMA) award for Best Public Art/Sculpture project in 2007. Earlierthis year he was named as one of ‘Irish America’s Top 100 for 2007’ by the IrishAmerica Magazine.

‘The application process was very straightforward,’ said O’Dwyer. ‘I decided that Iwas going to write about something that I’ve really wanted to do for quite a while.I’d had this idea since the 1990s and never had the time or the opportunity to follow it through. Although the application required a great deal of thought andplanning, it was only a day’s work to complete the form.The process of writing itis simple and honest.You have to get the panel to visualise whatever it is that youwant to do, and to get them excited about the possibilities. II wwoouulldd aaddvviissee ppeeoopplleettoo aavvaaiill ooff tthhiiss ooppppoorrttuunniittyy. IItt’’ss aa ggrreeaatt cchhaannccee ttoo ppuusshh yyoouurr wwoorrkk ffoorrwwaarrdd,, ttoo ttrraavveell,, aanndd ttoo aavvaaiill ooff ootthheerr ppeeooppllee’’ss ffaacciilliittiieess aanndd eexxppeerrttiissee. Most of all it’s anopportunity to have some money to develop that thing that’s been in the back ofyour head for years.’

‘Kevin made a strong submission,’ said PPaattrriicckk MMuurrpphhyy, art advisor to the Office ofPublic Works, who has chaired the five person selection committee for the lastthree years. ‘He’s a very able silversmith with an international track record. He’scapable of outstanding work and exposure to some of the top artists in Americawill sharpen his vision.’ The other members of the panel were AAmmaannddaa GGaammee,Director of The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh; FFrroouukkjjee IIddssaarrddii, contemporary jewellery designer/maker and teacher,The Netherlands; EElliizzaabbeetthh MMccCCrruumm, Curatorof Applied Art, The Ulster Museum, Belfast; and JJiimm DDeennnniissoonn, Head of Design,Limerick Institute of Technology.

‘I would like to see more young people apply,’ said Murphy. ‘You must have operateda business based on your craft for five for years to qualify, so it’s not open to recentgraduates, but there are some very talented young craftspeople out there. I’d like to see applications from young potters and weavers of vision, and from silversmiths.We had a great silver tradition in the nineteenth century, we should beable to encourage and revive that tradition. I recently went to an exhibition ofteapots at Jerpoint Glass Studio in Thomastown, Kilkenny. I think that KathleenLeadbetter had invited some makers to create teapots in different media, and thework was fantastic. I hope that some of those makers will be applying for nextyear’s Bursary.’

As well as creative vision, the selection panel are also looking for proposals that arefeasible, financially viable, and can be undertaken within a realistic timeframe.Although all of the successful applications to date have had an international dimension, this is not a condition. The Bursary can be used for additional skills,education, or research, and for travel and associated costs. It can’t be used to fundsolo exhibitions of samples, to launch new product lines, to buy equipment orproperty, to rent premises, or to pay off debts.

The Crafts Council continue to emphasise that the Bursary is open to all craftspeople who fit the criteria.The designs must be good, the proposal must be relevant and interesting, but you do not have to be in the perceived top echelonof internationally established craftspeople. In some ways the choice of LLiiaamm FFllyynnnn(2005), DDeenniiss BBrroowwnn (2006), and O’Dwyer (2007) as Bursary awardees was unsurprising. All three are already artists of some standing and firmly established,through their own initiative, on the international circuit. However JJooee HHooggaann, whoshared the Bursary with Brown in 2006, is simply a superb craftsman who has beena basketmaker for many years and found that his work was moving towards sculpture. His proposal was, quite simply, to take time out from his commercialwork in order to further develop his sculptural baskets, beginning with a visit to theworkshop of David Drew in France, whose work he has always found influential.

Hogan’s application shows nothing more than the need of an excellent craftsmanto take some time to bring his work to a new level. ‘Over the last three years I havebeen gathering pieces of wood which suggest themselves to me as having thepotential to become interesting baskets.The wood is well seasoned and ideas havebeen developing as I look again and again at a piece of wood. At the moment I donot regard this work as commercial although I do realise that it has the potentialto be sold, perhaps at a higher price than functional work. However I sell most ofmy work directly from my own workshop, and in most cases this means workingto order. I realise that I would need to promote this work differently, ideally to an international audience. Some of the work I’m proposing is of a scale that would be unlikely to appeal to individuals, but I don’t want to think of commercialconsiderations in allowing the baskets to develop.The biggest challenge however isto put some time aside from the pressures of ordinary work and the need to generate an income… I estimate that the wood and willow work would take mesix months of sustained work, and I have made some provision to take time outand deflect orders from August 2006. On one level the idea of being able toimmerse myself in such a project in the way that the Bursary would allow seemsalmost a luxury, but I do think that the thoroughness with which one couldapproach the project would be apparent in the quality of the work.’

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews3

‘I’d had this idea since the 1990s and never

had the time or the opportunity to follow

it through.’ Kevin O’ Dwyer

l-r : Jim Dennison (Head of Design, Limerick Institute of Technology), Elizabeth McCrum (formerKeeper of Applied Art, Ulster Museum, Belfast), Pat Murphy (Arts Advisor to Government, OPW),Cornelia McCarthy (Crafts Council of Ireland), Hilary Morley (Project Manager), Amanda Game(Director,The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, Froukje Idsardi (Contemporary Jewellery Designer,Delft,The Netherlands).

Previous Bursary Winners:Liam Flynn (Woodturner) Joe Hogan (Basketmaker)Denis Brown (Calligrapher)

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews 4

The most recent issue of Irish Arts Review (Winter 2007)contains a stunning new supplement dedicated to IrishCraft. In addition to a number of feature articles, it includesa dedicated page to each of the 47 Crafts Council of IrelandPORTFOLIO artists.

Irish Arts Review is available to purchase from Irish newsagents or by contacting

IIrriisshh AArrttss RReevviieeww directly. See the advert below to avail of a special subscription

offer to registered craftspeople.

The Crafts Council of Ireland’s PORTFOLIO is a catalogue of some of Ireland’s

leading designer-makers, selected by an international panel. PORTFOLIO is an

excellent tool and resource for collectors, curators, galleries and anyone interested

in Irish craft and design.

FFoorr ffuurrtthheerr iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ccoonnttaacctt tthhee CCrraaffttss CCoouunncciill ooff IIrreellaanndd aatt::

T: 353 (0)56 7761804 E-mail: info@ccoi.ie

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IRISH ARTS REVIEW, WINTER 2007The First Annual Craft Edition

Special Subscription Offer for Craftspeople

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

National Craft Gallery - Snapshots5

Par ticipants at SOFA 2007 National Craft Gallery stand at SOFA 2007

Karl Harron Brian Kennedy with buyers at SOFA 2007 Liam Flynn

Sara FlynnNational Craft Gallery stand at SOFA 2007

SOFA (Sculptural Objects & Functional Art)Chicago, 2007

Visit www.ccoi.ie for more images and latest news.

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews 6

Michelle LambTrend Expert and Guru to speak at Showcase 2008

Can you predict what will be big in 2009? What colours will we see

in the home and on the catwalks? Will metallics be big, how about

textures? And what patterns will the consumers be crying out for?

For most of us, trying to second guess the whims and desires of the

average consumer is a next to impossible task. But for some people,

it’s a way of life. Michelle Lamb is one of American’s most respected

trend forecasters. She spends all day every day looking into the future

and predicting what will be big in the area of home furnishings. Using

a combination of analysis, business acumen and gut instinct, she has

been leading the field for the last 20 years.

While it’s still a relatively new phenomenon in Ireland, trend forecasting is huge

in the United States. Major companies such as linen manufacturer Prince

Lionheart, Parquet Floors, Kimberley-Clark (the people behind Kleenex) and

nationwide discount store Dollar Tree have all used Michelle’s services.

And next year, the Crafts Council of Ireland are, once again, offering craftspeople

the opportunity to meet with this interiors guru. Michelle will be taking part in

Showcase at the RDS for the second year running.There, she will be speaking to

craftspeople and retailers about the importance of trend forecasting.

“Identifying the trends in home furnishings can make the difference between

success and disaster,” says Michelle. “And once you have identified them, you may

still want help to understand which ones are best for your product and exactly

how (and when) to introduce them into your assortment.”

If the trade are always a few steps ahead of the consumer, then Michelle Lamb

is miles in front. Already, she has her sights set on 2012 and a lot of people are

waiting to hear what her forecast is.

This is a woman of certainties. Barely pausing to draw breath, she speaks with

such confidence that you would be tempted to say what she does isn’t forecasting

or predicting, that leaves a margin of error. Michelle is telling us what we will be

queuing up to buy in the future. And, as she says herself, she’s never been wrong.

Trend forecasting was something she fell into by accident. While working as an

electronics buyer for US retail giant Target she often worked with companies on

the graphics of their products. “At this time everything was black, but I always

wanted to add some excitement. I would ask manufacturers; “how about a bit of

purple on that?” And because I was the buyer for Target, they would oblige me.

Michelle started to order in radios and ghetto blasters in a lurid range of colours

- yellows, pinks, greens. They flew off the shelves. Displaying such a flair for

updating and customizing products, it wasn’t long before she was promoted and

became the Target’s first ever trend merchandiser. “At that time, a big part of

my skill was instinct but I was spending tens of millions of dollars, it was my

responsibility and I had to be right.” Over the years those skills have been honed

and she’s now considered one of the best in the business.

But what is it that makes Michelle Lamb such a well respected trend forecaster?

“Firstly I have a shared perspective. I have experience as a retail buyer, a good

knowledge of the marketplace and a strong financial perspective. I always have an

eye on the turnover goal.To be successful you have to make sure that a company’s

entire assortment, including the trend piece, all achieve the turnover goal.”

“It’s what I do all day, every day. I love it. It feeds both my creative and analytical

side and feeds my short attention span.” It’s a good thing Michelle has a short

attention span because the life span of a trend gets shorter every year. “When I

started out, I would predict 5 to 7 years into the future, sometimes even 7 to

10 years. But now I generally predict 2 to 3 years in advance. My comfort

level gets shaky after 5 years. That’s because, with new technology, the cycle of

manufacturing has shortened.”

“This means the job has become more exciting, but there is more pressure on

you to get the vision, get it fast and get it disseminated. All the cycles are now

compressed. Testing time for new products used to be 2 to 3 months, now it’s

only 3 to 4 weeks. As time is much tighter, the job of the trend spotter has

become more valuable.”

“While it’s still a relatively new phenomenon in Ireland, trend forecasting

is huge in the United States.”

“Another big change is the dovetailing

of interiors and fashion….So we [now]

see similar trends on the catwalks

and in the home.”

Michelle Lamb

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews7

“….changes don’t have to be huge,

very often it is the nuance that makes

something new.”

Another big change is the dovetailing of interiors and fashion. “There has always

been close links between these two areas, but for the last three years, they have

been completely hand in glove.” One major reason for this is the growing number

of people designing concurrently for apparel and the home.“Designers like Ralph

Lauren, Kelly Hoppen and Vera Wang are sending the same trends out for both

markets. So we see similar trends on the catwalks and in the home.”

Aside from fashion, what else has an influence on trends in interiors? “Action

sports are big, their colours and the lifestyle associated certainly shape our

interiors. And youth culture is another big influence - the movement, colour and

fascination with counter culture all have an affect on future trends.”

According to Michelle, it is possible to spot future trends yourself. “Read and

read, look, watch, talk to people and keep in mind there isn’t a trend out there

that doesn’t have a route in lifestyle influences.”

One thing about trends is that they will always be replaced. Is there a danger

that if you pay too much attention to trends that your product will date very

quickly? “Absolutely not! People are passionate about trends of the past. Think

about how popular mid-century items are. Once it’s of its time, then it has a

place. And a well designed item is a well designed item.”

“I would say a bigger risk is to refuse to pay attention to trends and simply say,

“this is what I do”. Maybe people will love your product more if the patterns

were updated or the colour was changed.These changes don’t have to be huge,

very often it is the nuance that makes something new.”

According to Michelle craftspeople are at a distinct advantage when it comes to

trend forecasting. “They are the ones selling their product, they know their

audience better than anyone else. They often have a personal relationship with

people who come into their shops and studios. Craftspeople can discover quite

quickly what their customer base likes. They also know their own capabilities.

They can quite simply look at trend a, b and c and say I can touch all three and

put them in one product.”

Some people may be wary that keeping an eye on trends will interfere with their

natural creative process. But Michelle is adamant that if you are trying to sell your

wares then you have to keep your business moving and developing.

“If you can manage to blend art and commerce, you are very lucky. But in order

to sell to other people you can’t just create something that works for you. If you

have a signature style that is maybe not selling as well as it should, then start off

by testing the waters with something new. You’ll quickly see what works and

what your customers like.”

For those new to the area of trend forecasting, Michelle recommends starting

slowly. “The one trend that everyone is embracing is colour.Things look so fresh

when they are re-coloured. Even if you only work with neutrals, the neutral

palette is changing too.”

So what changes will we see in home furnishings over the next few years? “Get ready for blues, there is huge movement in blues. In 2009, there will be a shift inneutrals. Metallics will become more popular and neon inspired colours will bebig, inspired by the 1960s. We are also tracking pale hues coming back, what weare calling porcelain pales.”

Michelle works regularly with craftspeople on applying future trends to their lineor products, and at Showcase she will be giving a trend overview to Irish crafts-people. “I’ll be helping them do something new. By brainstorming together andusing the right tools, we’ll be able to come up with some exciting new products.

“Sometimes you just need a bit of outside help. Most craftspeople are workingin a very small operation of just 1 or 2 people.They are so busy producing thatit is difficult to change. But you must take time away, clear your mind and look atsomething that’s out of the box for you.You only have your own ideas inside, goout and be exposed to other ideas, other thoughts.”

“If I have only one bit of advice it’s this - breathe deeply, expand your vision, and

consider what else is out there.”

MMiicchheellllee LLaammbb iiss aa gguueesstt ssppeeaakkeerr aatt SShhoowwccaassee 22000088

The talk is free but places are limited.To ensure your place, book early.T: 056 7761804 Email: nicola@ccoi.ie

Trend Lifestyle Area at Showcase 2008Get your product noticed at showcase 2008. Apply now for the Trend Lifestyle Area.

For those of you interested in submitting product to the Crafts Council of Ireland’s TREND LIFESTYLE AREA at Showcase 2008 go to page14 for application details.

‘A great opportunity to introduce your new product to buyers’

For the first time in 2008 there will be four new categoryawards in: Craft & Gift, Interiors & Tabletop, Jewellery andFashion & Accessories.…out of which the best overall new product of the show award will be chosen.

For information on entering your new product for Index 2008 Contact: Catherine Jordan t: 087 221 5287 e: jordanevents@eircom.net

January 2008 will see the 32nd Showcase Ireland tradefair - and there is a range of exciting new developmentsin the pipeline for the show for 2008 and beyond.

Exciting Times for Showcase 2008

For the past several years approximately 180 craftspeople have exhibited at theshow, and under the new CCoI Strategic Plan 2007 - 2009 we are hoping to increasethis number year on year.

The aim, under the new Access Programme is to support and encourage morecraft businesses to sell into retail to grow and develop their business.As part of thisprogramme we are developing services at Showcase to support craft exhibitors atthe show, and in tandem with this we are developing a retailer support programmeto encourage more retailers to sell a greater range and volume of craft. Other initiatives under this programme include the Regional Outlets Programme, andinitiatives with garden centres and department stores.

Plans for Showcase 2009 are already in the pipeline - and in particular we have being re-examining the issue of moving the show to a 3-day event. Expo Events whorun Showcase with CCoI have tested this option with a similar trade fair - and thelearning has been that reducing the number of day does not have the desired impact.Buyers did not all make the shift to the three days despite the change being extensively promoted. It was also felt that at a major show, buyers prefer the optionof visiting over a four day spread of dates.

For this reason we feel it is more positive to remain as a 4 day show, while putting initiatives in place to increase buyer activity and numbers on day 4 and reducing the cost impact for CCoI clients by expanding the subsidy to all registeredcraftspeople. These improvements will be brought in for the 2008 to have maximum impact.

Changes in the pipeline Showcase 2008 include:

• €300 subsidy to all CCoI registered craftspeople at the show*• Greater range of seminars for exhibitors and buyers • A dedicated award for Craftsmanship - details of which will be announced

in the coming weeks• A student exhibition area in the lobby of the Enterprise Hall - to show

buyers the craft talent of the future and encourage them to return• A themed event for the final day of the show - inviting corporate gift buyers• Route map for New Faces

Existing support services are being continued and improved, including:

• Offering more Trend sessions for exhibitors and buyers (see article onTrend expert, Michelle Lamb on pg 6)

• Increasing the very popular Lifestyle Area - depicting craft at the showto buyers and the media (see call out for Product on page 14)

• Offering one-to-one buyer and journalist services - helping them find craftat the show

• New winner categories in the INDEX Top New Product Awards

- offering even more PR and promotional opportunities• Improving the INDEX Top New Products Display Area - to generate more

excitement around the award for buyers

* excluding group stands - for more information on subsidies terms and conditions

contact Julie at 056 7796135 or e-mail julie@ccoi.ie

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews 8

NOTICE: INDEX 2008Top New Product Awards at Showcase

2008

The Source Aisle will continue to be promotedas the selected craft area at the show - and wewould encourage all exhibitors consideringapplying for SOURCE in the future to attendthe SOURCE seminar at the show.

The Crafts Council are also working with the CountyEnterprise Board’s and LEADER Companies - who havegroup stands representing their craft clients - to strengthenthe group stand presence at the show.

In addition, we are looking into the potential of havingcraft demonstrations at the show, as this is a great way togive buyers and journalists a very real understanding ofwhat makes craft unique.

If you are interested in demonstrating your craft at Showcase please contact:

Catherine Jordan t: 087 2215287 e: jordanevents@eircom.net If you have any ideas or suggestions for activity at Showcase 2008 or beyond please e-mail

nicola@ccoi.ie - your views and suggestions are much appreciated.

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews9

Congratulations to the following makers, who have been selected for the Crafts Council of Ireland’s primary level education project ‘Craft in the Classroom’,which will take place in schools in County Wexford and Carlow.

Kathy Donovan - Textile/jewellery/paperEleanor Swan - CeramicsJane Groves - Textiles/wire work/willow sculptureCatherine Wilcoxson - Glass/mosaicAnne McDonnell-Murphy - Printmaking/TextilesCatriona Byrne - JewelleryDeborah Bowden - PrintmakingPatricia Murphy - TextilesPatricia Howard - CeramicsCiara Foster - TextilesMaeve Hunter - TextilesJudy Lawlor - Painting/mixed mediaMairead Holohan - Paper making/card making/batik/screen printing/mixed mediaLiadain Butler - knitwear/leather designer-makerFiona Smith-Darragh - Sculpture

FFoorr ffuurrtthheerr iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ccoonnttaacctt tthhee EEdduuccaattiioonn MMaannaaggeerr::

Sharon Rollston ee:: sharon@ccoi.ie tt:: 056 7761804 ww:: www.ccoi.ie

Crafts Council of Ireland announce2007 /08 ‘Craft in the Classroom’ Participants

A young ceramic artist from Limerick has just stepped onto the international stage. 29-year-old Karen Morgan has receivedthe honour of a lifetime and has been selected to take part in Ceramic Art London 2008.

Major artists from all over Europe compete for selection to this prestigious fair.Taking place in the RoyalCollege of Art, London it is considered one of the world’s leading events for Contemporary Ceramics.

Just one year after graduating from the Crafts Council of Ireland's Pottery Design and Skills Course, Karenwill now take her place alongside some of Europe’s most important practitioners. In fact, her work is ofsuch a high quality that an image of one of her pots is being used to promote the event worldwide.

While it is unusual for someone so young to be selected for Ceramic Art London, former tutor GusMabelson isn’t surprised: “I think her work is good enough to get in anywhere. Karen has a natural ability.What makes her so good is her incredibly high skill level combined with her wonderful ideas.”

This isn’t the first time Karen has been honoured. In 2006, she was named Habitat/House & Home StudentDesigner of the Year.A panel of architects, interior designers and buyers were so impressed with her porcelainmortar and pestle that she was declared the unanimous winner.

Karen’s functional and sculptural pieces are all handthrown in her studio in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. Herwonderful soft and fluid forms bridge the gap between functional and fine art and place Karen very firmlyto the fore of a new generation of exciting young artists.

For more information on Karen and to view more images of her work visit her website at:www.karenmorganceramics.com

Karen Morgan selected for Ceramic Art London, 2008

Karen Morgan

Images: Craft in the Classroom’ 2006/07

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Craft Community News 10

Louth Craftmark, the leading craft retail outlet store in the NorthEast showcasing the collective work of talented Louth

designers and makers

On the 1st October 2007, Louth Craftmark hosted its first major gala fashion show at The Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda.The event coincided with the store’s first birthday and with a full house in attendance, everyone enjoyed an excitingevening of glamourous fashion and delightful entertainment, kicked off with a special performance by award winning choir,Clermont Chorale.

An inspiring display of the latest exciting ranges of jewellery, millinery, bags, knitwear, headwear and fashion accessoriesmade by fifteen talented craft designers were showcased.These innovative designs from the makers at Louth Craftmarkwere modelled alongside the work of several of Ireland’s most exciting new designers including AAiiddeeeenn BBooddkkiinn,, EEiilliiss BBooyyllee,,CCaaooiimmhhee OO’’ DDwwyyeerr,, MMiicchheellllee MMccCCaarrrroollll,, LLiissaa OO’’ RRiioorrddaann,, MMaarriiaa CCaarrddeennaass,, EEddmmuunndd MMccNNuullttyy,, HHeelleenn JJaammeess,, bridaldesigner EEddeell TTuuiittee and JJeennnniiffeerr RRootthhwweellll,, winner of the 2007 ‘Brown Thomas Designer Mentor Programme Award’.

Commenting on the event Ciara Mc Feely, Retail Manager at Louth Craftmark said “the response to the show has beenincredibly positive and people were genuinely surprised at the wealth of talent on show. It was an ideal platform for themakers and designers at Louth Craftmark to prove to the world that they belong up on the catwalk beside the flourishingtalent of the Irish fashion world.This fashion show highlighted once again the continued contribution that Louth Craftmarkis making to the regional and national craft industry in Ireland - a performance that has been well supported by both noviceand expert craft and fashion lovers over the past year. Next year we hope to make the show even bigger and better.”

For further information contact: Ciara McFeely, Retail Manager, Louth Craftmark T: 041 980 3283 E: ciaramcfeely@louthcraftmark.com W: www.louthcraftmark.com

Gala Fashion Extravaganzaat Louth Craftmark

UNIQUE REPETITIONAn Exhibition of Original Fine Prints from Seacourt Print Workshop

Exhibition continues until 1st December 2007

Spacecraft9b The Fountain Centre, College Street, BelfastOOppeenniinngg HHoouurrss:: Monday to Saturday 10.30am - 5.30pmFFuurrtthheerr IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn tt.. 028 9032 9342 ee.. info@countydowncrafts.com ww.. countydowncrafts.com

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Craft Community News11

OriginThe London Craft Fair

The Irish craftspeople selected for ORIGIN 2007 were:

Jewellers - Rachel McKnight and Nuala Jamison

and woodturner - Roger Bennett.

The British Crafts Council first launched Origin, a London Craft Fair in October

2006, which now attracts over 22,000 visitors. The event brings together over

300 of the most innovative and influential international designer-makers, making

it a rare opportunity for the general public to meet these makers and to buy

their work. Objects on show range from fashion accessories to functional and

decorative objects, with the opportunity to commission one-off works of

contemporary craft. Glass, ceramics, jewellery, metal, furniture, paper, basketry,

wood and textiles are all represented, making the fair a true celebration of the

unique and the hand-made.

RRooggeerr BBeennnneetttt tteellllss uuss aabboouutt hhiiss eexxppeerriieennccee ooff tthhiiss yyeeaarr’’ss sshhooww.. “Origin' is a

wonderful fair. It is juried, with about 160 British and international exhibitors each

week showing work of a very high quality. The venue is stunning: a temporary

pavilion in the courtyard of the historic Somerset House on the Strand in London. And

it is exceptionally well organised by the British Crafts Council, from set-up to

take-down and everything between. It attracts very knowledgeable, interested and

interesting visitors, including collectors and galleries.

I took part in the inaugural 'Origin' last year, and thoroughly enjoyed the event. This

year it was even better.The main teething problems from 2006 have been sorted out,

and the fair is settling down in its new location (it has replaced the much-loved

Chelsea Craft Fair). I came home very happy: sales were satisfactory, I had interest

from galleries, I was able to show my work to a lot of people. I would love to see a

similar event being organised in Ireland”

RRooggeerr BBeennnneetttt

"I found Origin to be a great place to show smaller pieces of work alongside some of

my larger pieces. There seems to be a good market for both kinds of work as I met

people who were just starting to become interested in jewellery made from alternative

materials to big jewellery collectors who had been buying challenging work for years.

Origin is a very well organised show with an exceptional standard of work. It's a great

place to gain recognition and raise your profile on an international level."

RRaacchheell MMccKKnniigghhtt

Origin takes place annually in Ben Kelly’s specially designed pavilion in the

Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court at Somerset House, London.

TThhee ddaatteess ffoorr OOrriiggiinn 22000088 aarree aass ffoolllloowwss::

Week One:Tuesday 7 - Sunday 12 October 2008

Week Two:Tuesday 14 - Sunday 19 October 2008

TToo ffiinndd oouutt mmoorree vviissiitt:: wwwwww..wwwwww..ccrraaffttssoonnlliinnee..oorrgg..uukk

6th World Archeological CongressUniversity College Dublin (UCD) Ireland

29th June - 4th July 2008 For Full Programme Visit www.ucd.ie/wac-6/

Includes an exhibition of contemporary, visual and performing arts exploring the negotiation, mediation and translation of things.Curated by Ian Russell in consultation with Pat Cooke and Gabriel Cooney.

The World Archeological Congress (WAC) is the only representative, fully international organisation of practicing archaeologists. Founded in 1986, WACencourages open dialogue among all people genuinely concerned about the past, including scholars from under-represented parts of the world, First Nationspeople, and descendent communities whose pasts are told by archaeologists.

Roger Bennett, Origin 2007

Rachel McKnight, Origin 2007

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews 12

CRAFT-ITWant to explore selling on ebay?

ebay’s online ‘5 Basic Steps to Selling’ will take you through opening a sellers account, preparing

your item for sale, listing your item, pricing, payment & postage and managing your sales.

Tutorial on www.ebay.ie

Test the waters, and start by selling a few un-wanted items at auctionBegin with items that are of little value to you, that are unwanted, and that are perhaps lying around for years in your house. Remember you might make amess if you dive straight in. It is much better to take it slow so that you can figure out how it works and so you won’t end up with negative seller ratings.Thismeans selling a few things say at auction, rather than opening up a full store, to gauge how the process works and if you want to explore further.

Watch what others doLearn from others. Look for people selling similar items.

Ensure to treat customers rightThe level of trust between buyer and seller must be high. If customers feel slighted, they'll move on. Customer service is the absolute key.

Be aware of the costsRead all print that relates to cost. Often discounts are available but only for short periods or as an introductory offer only.

1. How to Open a Seller Account To begin selling on ebay, you will need to register and then create a seller's account.To open a SSeelllleerrss AAccccoouunntt, click on the Sell link on the top of every ebaypage and then select the CCrreeaattee aa sseelllleerr''ss aaccccoouunntt lliinnkk.

To ensure Bay is a safe place to buy and sell, you will be asked to provide credit or debit card details and bank account information.This is for verification purposes only.You will also be charged a small fee to sell your items on ebay.These can include basic listing fees as well as fees to enhance your listings tomake them more attractive to buyers. As you begin to complete the seller account form you will be asked to choose how you want to pay your ebay fees.More information on fee options is available on www.ebay.ie

2. How to Prepare your item for sale PPrreeppaarraattiioonn iiss kkeeyy!! Make sure you do your research and be realistic.

11.. RReesseeaarrcchh tthhee iitteemm yyoouu aarree sseelllliinngg

To get an idea of what to expect to sell your item for, review the sales prices of similar items using ebay's CCoommpplleetteedd IItteemmss search.To do a Completed Itemssearch click on the SSeeaarrcchh link at the top of an ebay page and select AAddvvaanncceedd SSeeaarrcchh. When the search results are returned, click on an item that is mostsimilar to the one you are selling. From here you will be able to find out the following:

AA.. TThhee CCaatteeggoorryy the Item was listed in: particularly helpful if you're not sure where to list.BB.. AAuuccttiioonn oorr BBuuyy IItt NNooww FFoorrmmaatt:: depending on your feedback level you have two ways to sell your item. How others have sold their similar items should

give you an idea of which format works best for your item.CC.. TThhee SSttaarrttiinngg PPrriiccee:: the level at which you start your item can have an affect on the bidding activity and final sales price. For example, many sellers find that

with a very low starting price and no reserve, they can experience higher bids and higher sales prices.DD.. TThhee FFiinnaall SSaalleess PPrriiccee:: this indicates the price you could expect to get for your item.EE.. HHooww ttoo wwrriittee aann IItteemm DDeessccrriippttiioonn:: In order to get the best price possible, you can gain great insight into how to write a successful listing by understanding

why a listing from one seller got more bids than another.FF.. PPaayymmeenntt && PPoossttaaggee DDeettaaiillss:: Buyers want a safe and secure way to pay for your items. Many sellers offer PayPal, a free service for buyers. Many sellers also

accept personal cheques. Always remember to include postage costs as buyers like to know what they are paying for up front.

On ebay you can sell practically anything, however there are a number of items that are prohibited from sale on ebay. For more information check the pprroohhiibbiitteedd iitteemmss ppoolliicciieess on the e.bay website. www.ebay.ie

22.. TTaakkiinngg PPhhoottooss ooff yyoouurr IItteemmss

It's true what they say; a picture paints a thousand words. No matter how well you describe your item, buyers like to see what they are buying and including clear photographs in your listing could mean the difference between a sale or not!

NOTE: This series of CRAFT-IT articles are for information purposes only. If you are thinking about exploring the possibilities

of selling through ebay, make sure to do your research first.

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

News and Reviews13

Before you start to list on ebay, make sure you have taken clear photographs indicating all of the ffeeaattuurreess and hhiigghhlliigghhttiinngg aannyy ffllaawwss, if relevant.You can save theseon your computer, naming them clearly so you can locate them later when you start to list. The simplest way to do this is to use a ddiiggiittaall ccaammeerraa. However, if you have a traditional camera, use a scanner to save them in a digital format. Most photo processing services now offer this service.With eebbaayyPPiiccttuurree SSeerrvviicceess is it simple to add photos to your listing and the first picture you add is free.

There are a number of items that are prohibited from sale on ebay. Check prohibited items policies if you are unsure whether your item is permitted.

3. How to List your itemNow you've completed your research and taken photographs of your item, you are ready to submit your listing to ebay.

•• Use the easy to follow SSeellll YYoouurr IItteemm FFoorrmm to guide you through the steps to a successful item listing.•• Decide what format you want to sell in, aauuccttiioonn--ssttyyllee or at a ffiixxeedd pprriiccee with BBuuyy IItt NNooww where you will need feedback of at least 10 in order to list.•• WWrriittee aa ddeessccrriippttiivvee ttiittllee using all relevant keywords. Imagine you are the buyer - what information would they type in to find your item? Your

description needs to provide buyers with all the information they need. Include information such as brand, age, condition etc and be honest - don't withhold information that may be an issue later.

•• DDeecciiddee tthhee dduurraattiioonn ooff yyoouurr lliissttiinngg. You can list items from 1, 3, 5, 7 or 10 days. Many sellers list items for 7 days and include a weekend to capture weekend shoppers.

•• A picture tells a thousand words so always iinncclluuddee aa ppiiccttuurree of your item. Buyers like to see what they are buying. Using ebay's GGaalllleerryy ffeeaattuurree will ensureyour listings stand out in a crowd.

4. Pricing, Payment & Postage The price at which you start your auction could determine the number of bids you receive and ultimately the final sales price of your item.

PPrriicciinngg:: If you are using an auction-style format to sell, consider starting your item at a low price and without a reserve. If buyers believe they could be in for a bargain, it will encourage them to start bidding on your item and could lead to higher final sale price.

PPaayymmeennttss:: you choose how you would like to accept payment e.g. cheque, credit card, money order. Buyers want a safe and easy way to pay so consider acceptingan online payment system such as PayPal. It's free for buyers and will speed up the payment of your item. (See also PPaayyppaall article in Craft-IT in Stopress: Sept / Oct 2007)

PPoossttaaggee:: Make sure you include all postage and packaging cost in the listing - buyers want to know exactly what they will be paying for your item. If you are willingto ship internationally, make sure you include all of the relevant international postage costs.

5. How to Manage and Complete your sales aa)) MMaannaaggiinngg yyoouurr ssaalleess

Throughout the selling process you may receive email qquueessttiioonnss ffrroomm ppootteennttiiaall bbuuyyeerrss who want to know more about your items. Be sure to respond tothese promptly.You can also opt to ppoosstt yyoouurr qquueessttiioonnss aanndd aannsswweerrss to your item listings page.This will avoid other buyers emailing the same questions twice.

The simplest way to keep track of all our activity is by using MMyy eebbaayy. This is really useful if you have more than one item for sale or if you are both selling and bidding on several items.

My ebay's All Selling page lets you see the status of items you're selling from listing to completion including:

•• The Scheduled Items view shows you items that you scheduled to start at a future time.•• The Items I'm Selling view shows all your items that are currently for sale on ebay include all information about your items, such as the current price,

number of watchers, number of bids, and current high bidder.•• The Items I've Sold view shows your items whose listings ended in a successful sale including information about your items, such as the buyer, sale price,

sale date, and quantity sold.•• The Unsold Items view shows your items whose listings did not end in a successful sale. Remember, you can chose to re-list those items.

bb)) CCoommpplleettiinngg yyoouurr SSaalleessAt the end of a successful listing, both you and the buyer will receive an eenndd ooff aauuccttiioonn eemmaaiill from ebay, detailing the final price of the item and ppaayymmeenntt iinnssttrruuccttiioonnss. If you didn't include payment details in your listing, make sure you ccoonnttaacctt tthhee bbuuyyeerr to arrange payment and delivery details.

If you have opted to receive PPaayyPPaall ppaayymmeennttss, you will receive a ""YYoouu''vvee ggoott ccaasshh"" email from PayPal once the buyer has paid. Simply click on this email to sign intoPayPal and review the details of the payment. Remember to oonnllyy ppoosstt tthhee iitteemm oonnccee yyoouu hhaavvee rreecceeiivveedd ppaayymmeenntt.

Once the sale is complete, leave ffeeeeddbbaacckk for your buyer and encourage them to do the same for you. PPlleeaassee nnoottee:: If for some reason your item doesn't sell, don't forget you can rree--lliisstt ffoorr FFRREEEE.

TThhee ‘‘55 BBaassiicc SStteeppss ttoo SSeelllliinngg’’ iiss ttaakkeenn ffrroomm tthhee eebbaayy oonn--lliinnee ttuuttoorriiaall oonn wwwwww..eebbaayy..iiee

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Opportunities 14

CCoI 50% SchemeApplications now being sought

The CCoI 50% grant programme enables registered craftspeople to:

• develop new product relevant to the market place • take the opportunity to take time out to learn new skills • explore potential new markets and commercial opportunities • explore and use new materials • develop work to a higher level.

To apply: Application forms are available from the CCoI website at:www.ccoi.ie or contact Helen Loughran at:t: 048 30833605 e: helen@ccoi.ie

Closing date:30th November 2007

UNLEADED New lightingdesign ‘highly commended’The piece entitled ‘Ply’, a modular wall and ceilinglighting system recently won a highly commendedIDI (Institute of Designers in Ireland) Award in thecategory of product design. The prize was assessedby an international panel of jurors from a high numberof excellent entries.

‘The 50% Scheme Award from the Crafts Council of Irelandhelped give us an unique opportunity to bring an excitingdesign concept to life.The Crafts Council offered us the chance to create what turned out to be one of our signature design pieces.’

Ina Koenig

Lifestyle Trend Area at Showcase 2008A great opportunity to get extra publicity at Showcase 2008

All that Glitters & Vibrant Violet‘All that Glitters’ and ‘Vibrant Violet’ are the two themes in the Lifestyle Trend Area at Showcase 2008. All registered Showcase exhibitors willshortly receive a letter and Expression of Interest Form to submit product for this very popular area.

If selected your product will be displayed in the Trends Area at the end of Source aisle and will include your stand number so buyers can be referred to yourstand. This very prominent position gets the attention of both buyers and media and has the added benefit of extra publicity for your product.

TToo ssuubbmmiitt pprroodduucctt::If you are interested in submitting a product, preferably a new product, and require an expression of interest form contact: Helen Loughran T: 048 833605 E: helen@ccoi.ie www.ccoi.ie

Trend Seminars with Michelle Lamb at Showcase 2008Don’t miss this great opportunity to meet with this interiors guru (see interview on page 6). Building on the success of last year, the Crafts Council of Ireland will again host these seminars with Michelle Lamb at Showcase2008.There, she will be speaking to designer/makers and retailers about the importance of trend forecasting.

“Identifying the trends in home furnishings can make the difference between success and disaster,” says Michelle. “And once you haveidentified them, you may still want help to understand which ones are best for your product and exactly how (and when) to introducethem into your assortment.”

FFoorr ffuurrtthheerr iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn oorr ttoo bbooookk aa ppllaaccee ccoonnttaacctt::Nicola Doran T: 056 7796153 E: nicola@ccoi.ie

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Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Opportunities15

Research MissionsFinancial assistance towards visiting shows

If you want to research an event/show in 2008

and want to avail of assistance with costs, apply now

Closing date: 30th November 2007

For further information an application form go to:

www.ccoi.ie or contact Helen Loughran T: 048 30833605 E: helen@ccoi.ie

Get inspired, read the reviews on www.ccoi.ieAlso visit the Resource Area of the CCoI website for listings

of Design Museums/Craft Fairs & Exhibitions in Europe.

Making it in BusinessAn Excellent Development Opportunity for Graduates and Emerging CraftEnterprises.

The ‘Making it in Business’ programme is a joint initiative

between the Crafts Council of Ireland and the City and County

Enterprise Boards. It is open to suitable craftspeople wishing

to set up in one of the 35 County Enterprise Board areas.

This exciting opportunity is by portfolio interview.

CClloossiinngg ddaattee iiss:: 2255tthh JJaannuuaarryy 22000088

Interviews will be held on the 6th and 7th February 2008

FFoorr ffuurrtthheerr iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn aanndd aann aapppplliiccaattiioonn ffoorrmm ccoonnttaacctt::

Mary Whelan or Emer Ferran on T: 056 7761804

Email: mary@ccoi.ie

An application form is also available to download

from the CCoI website www.ccoi.ie

Crafts Council of Ireland SEEK JEWELLERY TRAINERUnique teaching opportunity on leading Goldsmithing Course

We are currently seeking a Trainer with the experience, drive and enthusiasm to maintainand add to the course’s achievements to date.

Building on the existing course outline, s/he will develop and supply a dynamic training programmefor 12 trainees in the skills required for the production of high quality jewellery.

This is a unique opportunity to head up this internationally respected course and play a key role inshaping its long-term future.

The Crafts Council of Ireland’s Goldsmithing Design and Skills Course was established in1993 toaddress the Irish craft industry’s need for quality skills training. It is a two-year/88-week intensivecourse based on the master/apprentice training model and achieves consistently high graduate industry entry and retention levels.

For further information and job specification please contact:

Sharon Rollston, Education Programme ManagerCrafts Council of Ireland, Castle Yard, Kilkenny, Ireland.T: 00 353 (0)56 776 1804 E: sharon@ccoi.ie www.ccoi.ie

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sCrafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Opportunities 16

CCoI OPPORTUNITY DIARY DATES BY/ON/CURRENTLY/TBC*

Research Missions by 30th November 2007

50% Scheme by 30th November 2007

Making it in Business by 25th January 2008

Symposium on Ecology, Mythology, Technology on 6th - 7th February 2008

(For details see CCoI website www.ccoi.ie)

NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY (NCG) EXHIBITIONS 2007Contact NCG or visit website www.ccoi.ie NCG, Castle Yard, Kilkenny

Ecology, Mythology, Technology on 13th October - 28th January 2008

SIDE BY SIDE, at the Hunt Museum, Limerick from 23rd November 2007 - 12th January 2008

INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR DATES 2007

Top Drawer 13th - 15th January 2008 www.topdrawerspring.com

Maison et Objet 25th - 29th January 2008

Spring Fair, Birmingham 3rd - 7th February 2008 www.springfair.com

Premiere Vision, Paris 19th - 22nd February 2008 www.premierevision.fr

Collect, London 25th - 29th January 2008 www.craftscouncil.org.uk/collect

Ceramic Art, London 29th February - 2nd March 2008 www.ceramics.org.uk

Pulse 1st - 3rd June 2008 www.pulse-london.com

Home & Gift Harrogate 13th - 16th July 2008 www.homeandgift.co.uk

SHOWS IN IRELAND

National Craft Fair, RDS 5th - 9th December 2007

Showcase 20th - 23rd January 2008

For more information on the above events: T: 056 7761804 or e-mail info@ccoi.ie

Dates for your Diary *Please note: The Jan/Feb issue of Stopress will be

published on 15th January 2008. Please forward all

submissions by 14th December 2007.

Dear Reader,

Since posing the question of a need for Opinion/ Analysis/Criticism in the July/August edition of Stopress I have got great feedback on how necessary and important the issues.But no one has yet written critically analysis of any exhibitions. At the moment the exhibition Ecology, Mythology,Technology is on until 28 January at the National Craft Gallery inKilkenny.This is an exhibition that challenges existing notions about Ireland. It presents us with the possibilities and challenges that face us over the next decade.What do you thinkof it? Does it raise these issues? Does it answer these issues?

On another topic, I was recently invited to teach a short silversmithing block to the metalwork students in the National College of Art and Design (NCAD). I found it a greatexperience.Today the Art Colleges are nurturing the future of craft, and often it is these graduates who are injecting new life into the field.The students of today are studying invirtually a different country and a different culture from the Ireland of the 1980’s that I studied in.These students are the future of craft in Ireland, but what is that future?

Even in the last few years we have seen a lot of changes.Very few sit by the fire happily knitting Aran jumpers to sell to tourists. Domestic thrown pottery has suffered fromchanging taste in fashion and competition from cheap imports.We have seen in the last few weeks how Waterford Crystal is letting hundreds of people go, because of the fallingdollar and falling demand for their products. I’m sure most other craft workers, like me, have regularly been asked the question “Why don’t you get it made in China?”

But it’s not all doom and gloom...the recent exhibition ‘Sculpture in Context’ the largest sculpture exhibition in Ireland, featured many artists registered with the Crafts Council ofIreland, easily crossing between Art and Craft. ‘Design Week’ also featured a large number of craft exhibitions around the country. Craft is now well recognised as an importantsector of contemporary Irish design.There are good stories out there of Irish craft companies who can compete on a world stage. Celtic Weave China based in Donegal, havebeen making fine china for four generations since 1863.Their work is rated so highly that the architect Frank Gehry, who has a degree in ceramics, selected them to make his new bone china table top sculptural pieces for Tiffany & Co.

Most of us love what we do. As long as there is someone who wants what we do, and can afford to buy it, we can continue and there will be a future for craft in Ireland.But will that future be for highly skilled full-time professionals, or go like small farming to more part time workers?

Seamus Gill, Silversmith

To join the forum, simply send in your opinions to stopress@ccoi.ie and put ‘dialogue in the subject bar.

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Craft Community Forum17

Craft & Criticism Opinion/Analysis/Criticism...A New Dialogue

Dear Seamus,

I want to take this opportunity to welcome the initiation for Dialogue for Craftand Criticism.

The three contributors’ in the Sept /Oct issue of Stopress, all made importantand thought provoking points. Firstly I believe all critical debate is positive andwelcome and should encourage different and diverse tones that the debate canpresent. (Debate of agreed consensus may not be debate or indeed be critical).

The ‘craft’ sector has traditionally not been a proactive contributor to critical writingof itself or the subject often being reluctant participants, unlike art and designwith much written theory, methodical approaches and critical research.This is dueto a number of reasons, foremost being that many practitioners’ strongly believein the affinity with the making process and its materiality, feeling the made artefactis self explanatory. Another reason is reluctance to present text of what for manyof us is something intuitive and not easy to define. By explaining or justifying ourproduction there can be the sense that we are somehow ‘dressing it up’ to besomething else, something other than the visual sensory experience of the objectand therefore we don’t embrace the probing or analysis that this involves.

Often practitioners have no need or desire to formulate text or find another language for their production (we relay on a visual tactile language, yet how fluent are we as makers and receivers of this language?) I think it is important webecome critical arbiters of what we do so as to avoid the implication that

as practitioners we mindlessly make not knowing what we do or why we do it.Jonas points out the absurdity of the critical analysis / ‘practice dichotomy whichseems to imply we switch our brains off in order to make and then switch onagain in order to reflect on what we have made’ and that we need others tomake sense of what we do.

I came to critical research with my experiences of a practice (of embroidery) and the methodical approach of the making process. (There is much ongoingdebate of academic research verses the art /design / craft that is not relevanthere).Yet I do think the craft sector in Ireland can contribute to a better /changed understanding with and in the wider art /design arenas that will openup and facilitate confident debates of contemporary craft and criticism.

Dr Helen McAllister

Reference;JONAS Wolfgang (2006) ‘Research through Design through research’Wonderground’ Design ResearchSociety, International Conference, Lisbon

Support Reading;HARROD Tanya (edited 1997), ‘Obscure Objects of Desire’ London., Crafts Council Compilation ofpapers presented for a conference debating issues of ‘Craft’ and its location in critical thinking.

The Craft ForumSubject: Craft & Criticism Response by: Dr Helen McAllister (Practice-based Research Embroidery NCAD)

If you know of any resources that may be of Interest to this forum please send them to stopress@ccoi.ie and put ‘dialogue on the subject bar.

Note: There are also a number of up-coming opportunities for craftspeople to meet up and join in stimulating debate and discussion via the Crafts Council of Ireland’s 2008Exhibition Seminar and Workshop Programme, upcoming Symposium on Ecology, Mythology,Technology on 6th - 7th February 2008. Full details will be announced shortly. Formore details visit the CCoI website at: www.ccoi.ie

Through the ‘Craft Community’ section of Stopress, CCoI are happy to facilitate a FORUM AREA for constructive debate amongst craft enthusiasts. The views in this forum are therefore the views

of individuals and are not necessarily the views of the Crafts Council of Ireland.

Advertisements 18

Female Display Mannequin ,

(beech wood neck cap, washable

cream cover over bust and beech

wood finished base - adjustable

height). Hague linker.Various quantities

and colours of Kilcarra Mohair and of

Shetland (2/9.1NM), great for felting.

For further information contact

Cécile T: 00 44 (0) 777 3396 140

or E: happychapo@aol.com

24" planer thicknesser 2

head multico tennaner. Dewalt radial

arm saw. 28-35 KVA Lister genny.

Watkins crosscut including 16ft roler

banch. Watkins 71/2" cut rip saw also

1”Spalted Beech. Large amount of

native hardwood (elm). For further

information contact Pat M: 086

3279840 T: 051 377142

Yarn stock clearance

- various quantities and fibre

mixes of mohair, wool, merino

wool, metallics and fancy yarns.

For further information contact

Amanda on T: 086 0634634

E: info@amanda-daunt.com

40 x 12.5 kg bags 1117M

Buff Stoneware at €4.95 per

bag. Fireclay based, stoneware body

for domestic ware.Throws well,

turns easily. Plastic, strong and

reliable. For further information

contact Andrea T: 085 7317501

or 059 9724789

Studio Space South Dublin.

Do you need studio space in south

Dublin? We have a range of studio

spaces for lease on very flexible

lease terms. Month by month.

Studios available from 150 - 3000 sq

ft. Includes light, heat, sockets,

Broadband connection, phone line,

WC and parking. For further

information contact Paul or

Declan for more details

T: 01 4299972 M: 087 2265935

E: info@spacestorage.ie

W: www.spacestorage.ie

Studio/Retail Space to

rent within Gallery/Cafe/ Interiors

Centre. Rural location close to

Swords and Malahide. Would suit

Designer, Crafts person, Artist.

For further information contact

T:087 3132795

For Sale: Beautiful 2/3

bedroom farmhouse on

3/4 acre with old stone

buildings and hay barn.

Architectural drawings available for

artists retreat/workshops. 10 miles

from Kilkenny and Carlow. For

further information contact

Gabriella T: 087 7578255

E: gabriellaeviston@gmail.com.

Bridge street studios,

97 Bridge Street, Dundalk.Very

reasonable rent. Includes access to

12 cubic ft kiln. Computer and

broadband. For further information

contact Fiona T: 086 840 5216

E: fionathornton2001@eircom.net

The Golden Fleece Award

€20,000 - closing date 30th

November 2007. The Golden

Fleece Award aims to support and

promote a wide range of artistic

creativity, recognising excellence in

painting, textiles and sculpture,

glasswork, and all the traditional

crafts.The Award was launched in

2001 and is now widely recognised

as a distinctive stamp of creative

support in the realm of Irish art.

For further information see

website www.goldenfleeceaward.com

New and exciting product

ranges wanted for the

Market House, Blacklion,

Co. Cavan. The Market House

has been in existence for 6 years as

a tourist information point and a

craft shop and is situated in the

hometown of Celebrity Chef Neven

Maguire. For further information

contact T: 071 9853941

E: markethouse1@hotmail.com

Wanted Craftspeople,

Sculptors, Artists, Potters to exhibit

in New Gallery opening in prime

location, over retail unit, in

Newbridge, Co, Kildare. Commission

basis. All work that is hand crafted is

required. For further information

contact E: deirdreray@msn.com.

Waterford Homecrafts

Co-op is looking for new members

to participate in their annual

exhibitions. For further information

contact Secretary Ann Camon

T: 051 852317 M: 086 6069699

Wanted 4 Artists/crafts-

people interested in being

part of a Community Arts

Project, in Lanesboro, Co

Longford. Studio 15 x 15 ft - very

reasonable rent, with Café and Craft

shop to the front of the workshop.

The project should be up and

running in 6 - 9 months. For

further information contact

T: 087 6306348 or 043 30873

West Kerry Craft Guild is

looking for new members

To join our established co-operative

gallery in Main Street, Dingle. Only

quality handmade crafts accepted.

A great opportunity to develop

and market your product. For

further information contact Betty

T: 066 915624 or M: 086 1579392

Professional mould and

model maker (MA graduates

in Design - Ceramics) offers help in

your own working space with casting

unique pieces or mass production of

the forms.The plasterwork involves

using lathe, carving model, mould

making (case mould, rubber mould,

PLACEMENTS/JOBOPPORTUNITIES

OPPORTUNITIES

FOR SALE STUDIOSPACE

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

STANDSAVAILABLE

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Advertisements19

press mould). Suitable for the

technique of slip casting, press

moulding and casting the polyester.

For more information contact

Boba T: 0868772068

E: bobachandogova@yahoo.ie

Christmas Fair in Celbridge

Sunday 2nd December. Well

established. Cost of 6ft table is €60.

For further information contact

Elisabetta Healy T: 086 8215794

E: elisabettaravarino@gmail.com

Craft Fair at The Linenhall

Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co Mayo

will be held on Saturday 8th

December with application forms

available in September.The cost is

€50, and all work must be made

in Ireland. For further information

contact Alex Nicholson 087

6320705 alecman@eircom.net

or Brendan Murphy 087 6987340

murphyshalfacre@eircom.net

PETER SCROOPE

PORCELAIN CHRISTMAS

SHOW.....ONE DAY ONLY!

Saturday 8th December 10am to

7pm. From small unique porcelain

gift ideas to large sculptural

porcelain vessels and wall pieces.

Peter Scroope Porcelain, Williams

Lane (near railway bridge)

O’Loughlin Road. Kilkenny. T: 056

7752969 M: 086 3743731

UNIQUE REPETITION

- an exhibition of Original Fine

Prints from Seacourt Print

Workshop at Spacecraft 9b The

Fountain Centre, College Street,

Belfast.The exhibition continues

until Saturday 1st December 2007.

Opening Hours Monday to Saturday

10.30am to 5.30pm. Further

information T: 028 9032 9342

E: info@countydowncrafts.com

W: countydowncrafts.com

'Protection & Passion' - An

exhibition of stitched drawings and

sculpture of bronze with stitching

from Bernie Leahy and paintings

from Nickie Hayden on the subject

of mythology and human fragility.

Exhibition, runs till 6th December

2007 at The Talbot Gallery &

Studios, Dublin 1. Further details

of Bernie Leahy's work is on her

website www.efiberart.com

Meet The Makers at The

Linenhall Arts Centre,

Castlebar, Co. Mayo on

Saturday 8th December. Twenty

eight of the best and brightest

Makers in their fields will be on

display.This is an opportunity to see

and buy quality Hand Made Goods,

to meet the Makers and, perhaps, to

be inspired in your own endeavour.

For further information Alex

Nicholson T: 087 6320705

E: alecman@eircom.net or

Brendan Murphy T: 087 6987340

E: murphyshalfacre@eircom.net

The Fair is open from 10am to 6pm and entry

is free.

The Mill Theatre Gallery,

Dundrum Town Centre

is delighted to host Journey by

James O’Dowd10th November

to 12th December 2007. Open

Mon- Sat 10am-6pm. For further

information contact Aoife O’Toole

The Mill Theatre T: 01 2969340

E: aoife@milltheatre.com

W: www.milltheatre.com

The Bridge Gallery,

presents CHRISTY

KEENEY…. New Paintings

and Sculpture. 1st - 21st

November 2007. Opening Hours:

Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm,

Sunday 2.00 - 5.00pm. For further

information contact The Bridge

Gallery, 6 Upper Ormond

Quay, Dublin 7. T:01 8729702

W: www.thebridgegallery.com

Bear Essentials, Bawnboy

Co. Cavan Create your own

Gingerbread House 15th December

2pm - 4pm. Workshop for children

as well as adults. Also Bear Essentials

Visitor Day in the Silver Bear Centre

on 16th December 11am - 6pm

with complimentary tea and

German Stollen. For further

information contact Anke

Morgenroth T: 049 9523461

E :info@silverbearcentre.com

M: 087 76 105 37

W: www.bearessentials.ie

We also offer overnight packages for that week-

end. Enquiries to E: info@lakeavenuehouse.com

Hillview Alpacas,

Hillview House, Gorteen,

Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny

Fibre Clinics with Liz Barlow,

ABFS Accredited Breeder and BAS

Judge. 26th April 2008 - open for

everybody interested in animal fibre

and the processing if it. Lots of

hands-on and a detailed tour around

Hillview Alpaca Fibre Processing Mini

Mill. 28th April 2008 - Advanced

Fibre Clinic open for Alpaca breeder

and/or owners. Bring your fleeces

and we will guide you through

evaluation and sorting.The second

part of the clinic will focus on

mating your animals in order to

improve your herd’s fibre. Each

clinic costs €150.00 (excl.VAT)

including tea, coffee and refreshment

all through the day, light lunch and

detailed documentation, 9am till

4pm, full payment needed to secure

bookings (limited places) participants

of first clinic on 26th April 08

will have priority for Advanced

Course. €50.00 discount when

booking 2 days, closing date 10th

April 2008. For further

information T: 086 8549858

W: www.hillview-alpacascom

The West Cork Craft &

Design Guild is launching a series

of exhibitions and a new improved

professional website, to celebrate its

EXHIBITIONS

WORKSHOPS/COURSES

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Advertisements 20

first decade of successful networking

and promotion. Celebrations begin

with a 10th Anniversary Show

curated by Sarah Foster (Lecturer

at Crawford Art College) Dec. '07,

at The West Cork Arts Centre,

Skibbereen, West Cork. A film is also

being commissioned (Rob Bradstock)

of the Guilds members at work.The

Guild is best known for it's high

standard of craftsmanship and

innovative design, inspired by the

creative energy of the West Cork

landscape. For further information

visit website www.westcorkcraft.org.

One-day Digital

Photography workshops

in West Cork A one-day

workshop on how to get the best

from your camera, in and around

Bantry House or Gougane Barra

hotel. Basic courses and Level

2 courses for experienced

photographers new to digital. In

association with Olympus. €75

- refreshments provided, lovely

lunches available at each venue.

For further information

contact Ben T: 027 66133

E: benr@esatclear.ie

Hands on creative

workshops in West Cork

A chance to spend time with top

professionals, learning arts or craft

skills. A wide range of classes, courses

and workshops, from single days to

ongoing day/evening classes in a

variety of locations in West Cork.

For further information contact

W: www.handsonwestcork.com

Web Design - You take pride

in your craft.We take pride in design-

ing a site for you that represents

your products at their best.Visit our

site www.mckeedesign.co.uk for

samples of work we have done

for other crafts people. For

further information contact:

T +44 (0) 28 97565681

JDLdigital - Have your work

professionally photographed for

publication. Full working photographic

studio 27ft x 14ft with rear access to

bring in your larger pieces of art

work Paintings, Jewellery, Pottery,

Craft Work. For further information

contact John T: 085 144 2270

E: info@jdldigital.com

W: www.jdldigital.com

Specialist small delivery

service for craftspeople and artist.

Fully insured. For further info

contact Katrina 086 2327541

Irish Woodwool - the ideal

packaging material.Very good

absorbing quality, competitively

priced, clean, antibacterial, sustainable,

compostable, ecologically

recommended, aesthetically

appealing.1 highly compressed bale

approx 20kg, €20 - discounts

available on orders over 50 bales.

For further information contact

Irish Woodwool, Clonmel,

Co Tipperary T: 087 1252527

or T: 086 3306366

dynamite :: we think with you ::

Design Consultants offering a

graphic design, web and print

management service to craftspeople.

Delivering unique and creative

design solutions. Special rates for all

start-up businesses. Contact Tom

T: 056 7728797 E: tom@dynamite.ie

W: www.dynamite.ie

Designer Websites - As a

recent design graduate of NCAD, I

offer a web design service that

understands you, your business and

your requirements. After careful

consultation, I can design a website

as individual and creative as your

business. For further information

contact T: 086 3001006

W: www.metricdesigns.com

Packaging - Wooden

Presentation/Giftware

Boxes Present your exquisitely

handmade quality jewellery in our

top of the range handcrafted wooden

boxes created from native and exotic

woods. Commissions also available.

Discount on batch purchases.

For more information please

contact Ian or Kate on

T: +44 (0) 28 90843532 or

E: ian@hawthornecrafts.com or

E: kate@hawthornecrafts.com

W: www.hawthornecrafts.com

Designed 4U presentation

boxes for a range of gifts and

crafts. All boxes are made to

customer requirements.Your company

logo can be included on the box and

it can be lined using a range of

materials. No minimum order.

No set-up fee. For further

information contact: Declan

McKenna, Designed 4U

T: +44 (0)28 30850122

F: +44 (0)28 30851011

E: info@designed4u-ireland.com

Jem textiles are agents for

Bennetts Silks in Ireland, offering a

comprehensive range of silks,

e.g. dupions, satins, georgette, chiffon,

crepes & velvets in an extensive

range of colours, suitable for bridal,

fashion & interiors, and at competitive

wholesale prices. For further

information please contact Jacinta

T:059 9152270 M:087 9952489

or E:jemtextiles@eircom.net

Craft Supplies Website

www.craftsupplies.ie cardmaking,

scrap booking and other craft

supplies. Includes crafter’s forum.

Ships all over Ireland. For

further information contact

info@craftsupplies.ie

Fibres for spinning and felt making.

Top quality silk and wool tops.

Gaywool dyes perfect for dyeing

wool and silk. Ashford weaving and

spinning equipment. For further

information contact Suzie

Sullivan T: 098 21888 or

E: suzie@derryauncrafts.com

W: www.derryauncrafts.com

Adorn.ie. Cardmaking,

Scrapbooking and Jewellery making

supplies for all your crafting needs.

Create your own Wedding

Invites or choose from our range

SUPPLIERS

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Advertisements21

of Wedding Stationary.

For further information

contact Marcella T: 061 327857

W: www.adorn.gencodesigns.com

RiseCreatives is an online

portfolio site dedicated to showcasing

creative talent in Ireland.The Studio

provides a fantastic opportunity for

RiseCreatives members to sell their

work to a much wider market with

no commission on sales. For buyers,

the Studio is a unique reference

point to source art, design and

craft work in one place.

For more information visit us

at W: www.risecreatives.ie or

E: info@risecreatives.ie

T: 087 2703890.

Space Self Storage 20%

Discount CCOI Members.

Make our space yours. We are a

new state of the art self storage

facility based on the M50 in south

Dublin and are proud of offer all

CCOI members a 20% off their first

months rent on any of our storage

units. We offer own door own key

storage units which you can access

whenever you wish. We have a large

range of units from 10 - 300sq ft.

Units available from €10 per week.

For further information contact

Paul or Declan for more details

T: 01 4299972 M: 087 2265935

E: info@spacestorage.ie

W: www.spacestorage.ie

Gifted - The perfect online

wedding list Gifted is a fresh

approach to the traditional wedding

list. We are looking for artists and

creators from all over Ireland, who

can expand our range of products.

Gifted are committed to platforming

as many home-grown creations as

possible. So if you think your product

or range are suitable as wedding

gifts, contact Cate Sheeran

T: +44(0)2890 603703

M: +44(0)7870 389040

E: info@gifted-online.com

W: www.gifted-online.com

NOTICEBOARD - Free

newsletter to all Artists and Crafts

people in Ireland. Every two weeks

you will receive information about

fairs, exhibitions, good suppliers, help

to start your own business.You can

also advertise your own business,

products and classes/courses.

'Connecting Artists and Crafts

People in Ireland'. For more

information contact Karen

Harper T: 086 8885321 or

E: harperkaren@eircom.net.

Do you have Tourist’s asking for the

VAT back when purchasing goods in

your shop? Moneyback VAT refunds

offer the tourists the best refunds

and you can also generate a rebate

for administration. No cost involved.

For more information contact

Anthony T: 087 7716888 or

W: www.moneyback.ie

The Command Group offers

a unique service to the self-

employed individual. We act as a

one-stop shop for sole traders and

small limited companies. Our services

include the following:Vat returns, tax

returns, bookkeeping and on going

tax advice. We can deal with all

general insurance enquiries: mort-

gages, pensions, investments, vivas

health care and life assurance.

Why not visit our website

W: www.command.ie

or T: 01 2763630

AAT Our services include

accountancy for both sole traders

and companies and in particular

start up business. We also provide IT

support, software development and

web site development. We specialise

in developing customised software

to aid business access real time

information at the touch of a button.

For more information contact

Brendan or Kevin T: 1850 930390

W: www.aat.ie

BUSINESS & FINANCE

ADVERTISE ON WWW.CCOI.IE

You can also advertise opportunities

and general advertisements (ie. Craft

Courses, Craft Events, Stands, Fairs,

etc.) on the CCoI website (www.ccoi.ie).

To do so please email details and a

short description to info@ccoi.ie and

mark it for Web Opportunities.

For latest Opportunities log

onto www.ccoi.ie

Patricia Murphy

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Exhibition Snapshots - NCG 22

Rachel McKnight Liz Nilsson

Angela O’Kelly Nest Furniture, Annabel and Neil McCar thy Anita Elliot

Tara CarrigyÚna Parsons, CEO of CCoI and Minister John McGuinness TD Ann Harrington Rees

Ecology, Mythology, Technology

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

National Craft Gallery - News23

Úna Parsons (CEO of CCoI), Joseph Walsh (Furniture Maker),Séan Farrell (Consul General, Chicago)

One of Ireland’s leading furniture designers Joseph Walsh was selected to exhibit in the prestigious ‘Raw Space’ at this year’sSOFA (Sculptural Objects & Functional Art) Chicago. Joseph Walsh, who makes wonderful bespoke pieces at his studio inCounty Cork, was chosen from a group of leading international artists to create a major piece for this years show.

In Aer is a stunning installation that took eight people over 4,000 hours to make. Weighing 500 kilograms, the oak and glass table will be suspended from theceiling with steel rods and cables.The skeletal form of In Aer combines structure and aesthetics in a minimal way. “This is a public viewing piece and is designedto be dramatic with the reaction of the viewer being part of the journey. Every component is there for a reason - nothing is hidden” said Joseph Walsh.

Walsh’s selection for the Raw Space is not the first honor bestowed on the Irish contingent who are now only on their second outing to SOFA Chicago.Following on from last year’s success, two prominent figures in the contemporary art scene at home have also been invited to speak at this year’s event.AAuuddrreeyy WWhhiittttyy, Curator of Applied Arts at the National Museum of Ireland will give a key lecture on the Museum’s important collection of contemporaryapplied arts, and exhibitor and leading woodturner, LLiiaamm FFllyynnnn, will be one five woodturners discussing their inspiration, differences and current work in FivePerspectives in Wood.

Finally, up to 40,000 visitors to SOFA Chicago will also have the opportunity to see work by Ireland’s leading craftspeople at the National Craft Gallery’s standin Navy Pier - the flagship exhibition space for the Crafts Council of Ireland.The Gallery will be showing specially selected work in all disciplines.

SOFA, Chicago recently took place on the 2nd - 4th November 2007. For the latest images and news visit the CCoI website. www.ccoi.ie

VViissiitt wwwwww..ssooffaaeexxppoo..ccoomm

The Crafts Council of Ireland’s participation in SOFA Chicago is kindly supported by Culture Ireland.

‘In AER’ Joseph Walsh exhibits major installation at SOFA, Chicago

Jose

ph W

alsh

This was the first time the Crafts Council of Ireland asked designer/makers to collaborate with

leading Irish architects and the results are spectacular. Both galleries are full or wonderful designs

crafted from recycled materials, indigenous woods and organic materials from renewable sources.

Many of these pioneers of design mingled at the gallery on Saturday 13th October where the exhibitionwas opened by John McGuinness TD, Minister for Trade and Commerce. He commented on how timely this wonderful exhibition is:“The increasing urbanisation of Ireland means that we must use new andemerging technologies to ensure we produce sustainable ways of living.”

Speaking to a packed gallery, Minister McGuinness praised the craftspeople for the work they have donewith new technologies to “ensure that our heritage is preserved and our environment is worth bequeathing to our children.’

Ecology, Mythology,Technology features the work of 21 designer/makers who collaborated with Solearth Architecture, architect Dominic Stevens and Burdon CraigDunne Henry Architects.The exhibition is a must for architects interested in our changing urban landscape and anyone interested in reducing their carbon footprintand embracing sustainability.

The show has already attracted interest overseas. Before it even opened a group of architectural students from Sweden contacted the gallery to arrange a visit tosee just how innovative Ireland’s pioneering artists can be.

Ecology, Mythology,Technology runs at the National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny until 28th January 2008.

Opening of Ecology, Mythology, Technology NCG goes Green

Liz Nilsson

Crafts Council of Ireland Newsletter

Exhibition - NCG 24

All notices and advertisements are published in Stopress for general information purposes only,at the risk of the advertiser and at the discretion of the Crafts Council of Ireland (CCoI). CCoImake no representations or warranties about any of the information contained in any notice oradvertisement and accept no responsibility for the accuracy of any information contained in a noticeor advertisement. Advertisements in Stopress do not indicate endorsement by CCoI. It is theresponsibility of the reader to check that goods and services are described fully and accurately.

CCoI expressly excludes liability for direct or indirect consequential loss or damage which mayarise in respect of Stopress or purchase of the goods and services.

CCoI does not accept any responsibility for or necessarily endorse the views expressed by thirdparty contributors to Stopress.

All copyright, database rights, trade mark design rights and any other intellectual property rightswhatsoever in Stopress are, owned by and the property of CCoI.

Crafts Council of Ireland, Castle Yard, Kilkenny t: 353 56 7761804 f: 353 56 7763754e: info@ccoi.ie www.ccoi.ie

FOR NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY NEWS TURN TO PAGE 23

The copydate for January/February2007, Stopress is December 15th 2007.Publication date is 15th January 2008.

Advertising in Stopress is free and is welcomed. Submissions for articlesfrom craftspeople and those interestedin craft are also always welcome.Please contact:

StopressCrafts Council of Ireland t. 056 7761804 e:stopress@ccoi.ie

While every care has been taken in the compilation of this Stopress, the publisher cannot take responsibility for errors or omissions

new

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Caroline Schofield

Eileen Singleton

High end contemporary craft alongside one of Ireland’s greatest

collections of art and antiquities. A wonderful opportunity to see

masterpieces of the past and the future.

Ceramics, jewellery, wood, glass, textiles, baskets and furniture - some of the finest

examples of contemporary craft can now be seen in context in this groundbreaking

exhibition by the National Craft Gallery.

Work by leading Irish artists such as Liam Flynn, Joe Hogan, Joseph Walsh and Beth

Moran will sit Side by Side with priceless works from the Hunt Museum’s private

collection. Formed by Gertrude and the late John Hunt, this body of work dates from

the Neolithic to the 20th Century and includes works by Renoir, Picasso and Yeats.

As the gap between fine art and contemporary craft continues to narrow, the Crafts

Council of Ireland is developing a vibrant collectors market for Irish craft. Side by Side

demonstrates beautifully the timeless quality and cultural value of this work

Curator Brian Kennedy says the Hunt Museum is the perfect home for this exhibition:

“Here we can show contemporary craft as part of a long lineage of collecting. And what

today’s top craftspeople are creating is of our time, just as contemporary fine art is.”

To see the full list of participants visit our website www.ccoi.ie

The Hunt Museum is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 2pm to 5pm.

Admission is free.

SIDE BY SIDEat the Hunt Museum, Rutland Street, Limerick

23rd Nov 2007 - 12th Jan 2008

FFoorr ffuurrtthheerr iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn oonn tthhee NNaattiioonnaall CCrraafftt GGaalllleerryy:: T: 056 7761804 E: ncgpress@ccoi.ie W: www.ccoi.ie

The National Craft Gallery 2007 opening times are January - March: Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm (Closed Sunday)April - December: Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday 11am - 6pm