The National Museum of Ireland - Country Life has unveiled a striking new sculptural artwork inspired by St Brigid in the grounds of Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo.
The artwork has been crafted from willow, hazel and oak by artists Aidan Crotty and Naomi Rogers.
It was commissioned by the Museum to celebrate the feast day of St Brigid on 1 February – an important seasonal marker in folk tradition, which signalled the onset of spring in the Irish calendar.
The methods employed in creating this piece derive from traditional ways of working with this material. The willow, hazel and oak used to build this temporary sculpture were harvested locally. We worked in the winter to coppice and pollard the material to create Brigid, who heralds the spring." - Artists Aidan Crotty and Naomi Rogers
The artwork is located just next to Turlough Park House, overlooking the Victorian terraces and man-made lake.
Beannachtaí Lá Fhéile Bríde!
About the artists
Naomi Rogers
Naomi Rogers is an artist who is currently living and working in west Sligo. She received a Degree in Ceramic Design from the Crawford Collage of Art and Design, Cork, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Community Arts Education in the National Collage of Art and Design, Dublin. Naomi has spent over two decades working in street art and spectacle, with a focus on community involvement and arts in education. Recently Naomi has had the opportunity re-engage with her work in ceramics.
Aidan Crotty
Aidan Crotty lives and works in Sligo. He graduated in 2004 from Fine Art Painting at the Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork. Primarily a painter, he has been continually developing his practice since 2005 while also teaching and working with arts in the community. Most recently, Aidan was awarded the ESB Keating Award and Silver Medal at the Royal Hibernian Academy 192nd Annual Exhibition 2022. He was the recipient of the Jackson’s Painting Prize for the Still Life / Botanical Award 2022 (UK) and the Zurich Portrait Prize 2020 at the National Gallery of Ireland.
