Over the duration of the ROOTS exhibition in the Coach House Gallery in Dublin Castle, we will feature the work of one artist each week and the poetry that inspired it. Starting with Fidelma who has created five artworks for the exhibition.

Fidelma’s medium of choice is paint. Since joining element15 she has successfully expanded her practice to include textiles, paper, stitch and found objects. A case in point (excuse the pun) is ‘Stay’ partly crafted from a piece of old leather, appliquéd onto distressed and painted fabric with added hand stitching detail.

The work was inspired by Jane Clarke’s poem, The Suitcase, describing a woman’s packed suitcase stored permanently under the bed and her children’s apprehension at what that might mean…

"As children they didn't understand that despair was a neighbour                                                                                                                                              of love 
and if you were lucky                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      it stayed beyond the garden gate just visiting from time to time ..."

The Suitcase, Jane Clarke

The suitcase was both her anchor and her possibility of escape.

Fidelma used a piece of leather from an old jacket to craft the main suitcase, making it ‘real’. The other suitcases, all different in design to show our individuality, were painted in the same colour tones to represent the idea that somehow we all have something to ground us. The background fabric was torn, the edges singed and painted in sepia tones to represent those moments of distress when we might just reach for the suitcase. In this work Fidelma asks if we all have our own ‘suitcase’ to offer a means of escape or a reassurance to stay?

The second featured artwork comprises two individual pieces, ‘In a Moment I and In a Moment II’, in response to Jane’s poem, Kintsugi. This poignant poem captures the moment when a dear friend is injured and subsequently dies. ‘When I heard you were knocked from your bike…I let the teapot slip from my hands’. The teapot shattering as it falls to the ground symbolizes the poet’s world falling apart in that moment when she received the heartbreaking news.

Fidelma used soft, fading colours to create an almost dreamy background aiming to capture the sense of absence and stillness that surrounds us during such moments. It’s as if everything around you blurs in that fleeting instant.

“Late in the evening I found the teapot could not hold”. Fidelma was moved by the depiction of the teapot, its pieces meticulously glued back together in an attempt to restore it, occupying the poet’s hours while she awaited news. In the tradition of kintsugi, Fidelma used gold to ‘repair’ the cracks in the teapot symbolising the hope that the repaired pot would be as good, if not better than before. Yet, like the life of the poet’s friend, the teapot was ultimately beyond saving.

In creating the base for ‘In a Moment II‘, Fidelma challenged herself to replicate the background effect achieved on board in “In A Moment I,” by using a mix of paint mediums on oil cloth.   The loose threads not only symbolize the pot’s leakage but also the helplessness in such moments of tragedy.  Small golden paint droplets were added to the ends of the hanging threads to symbolize tears.

The images above are some small details of the works in progress as Fidelma created them and built up the layers of paint and stitch.

‘Leaf in a Slow Stream’ is inspired by the poem ‘For Isobel’… “She’s floating away from you, a leaf in a slow stream”. The leaf is a beautiful metaphor for the gradual decline of someone as they age. Using polyfelt geotextile background, Fidelma employed a mix of paint and hand stitch to create the simplified image of a stream, allowing the leave to remain the focal point. The leave itself is dry felted to capture the essence of an autumn leaf in the early stages of decay, symbolising this phase in Isobel’s mother’s life and the gradual fading of her memory.

The final piece is called ‘Stone by Stone’ responding to the poem ‘Dry Stone Wall’. Fidelma hand crafted paper stones set against a mixed media painted background to create a 3D tapestry that captures the intricate arrangements and natural beauty of this ancient craft. Small details such as the little piece of baling twine tied to the paper posts are included to enhance its authenticity. This age old tradition highlights our ability to shape landscapes to meet our needs while maintaining a harmonious balance with nature and honouring the distinct character of each environment. Now with UNESCO’s official protection, this practice continues to thrive in many regions across the globe.

Thank you to Jane Clarke and her publisher, Bloodaxe Books for allowing us to work with her poetry, and to Fidelma for sharing her thoughts and processes with us. The exhibition is open 7 days a week from 10 am until 5 pm (with a lunch break from 1.15-1.45) at the Coach House Gallery, Dublin Castle until 19th January 2025.