CERAMICIST Maria Connolly has forged a new path in her work with her first solo exhibition which opens this Saturday.
Inspired by her rural industrialised surroundings, the Manorcunningham-based designer has spent the last nine months crafting her striking pieces which will be shown at the Geraldine Harrigan Gallery, Port Road, Letterkenny for two weeks.
Maria’s handmade work has previously been available for sale at the Kilkenny Design Centre but after taking time out to raise her two sons, she has now re-emerged, re-energised and inspired.
Speaking about her exhibition “Pathways”, she said: “I’ve sourced my ideas from the natural environment. I wanted to incorporate the forms and attachments of everyday clearly identifiable functional items like kettles, bottles, vessels and tea-pots but not be constrained by them.
“It’s been a joy for me and I’ve spent the last nine months rediscovering my path.”
Living in the flight path of geese, the path of the Swilly, the landscape has played a huge part in Maria’s work.
She told how she tried different techniques to create her pieces using mono-printing and sgraffito and is now really excited to see her new work on show.
It is a new direction for the designer who used to be based at her ceramics shop at Church Lane in Letterkenny.
“Some people might remember it. It was called Hidden Earth but it closed in 2001 after five years.”
Maria also hopes to take her work to Potfest – a huge UK ceramics festival for potters to market their work.
She said: “I want to take the exhibition to Potfest. I am also really excited about seeing the pieces in environment of the gallery. I hope people come along and enjoy it.”
Pathways opens this Saturday, May 25th and runs until June 8 – gallery 4, 4 Port Road, Lettekenny Tel 074 9125312.
