Rowena Keaveny MA Ath MIACAT
Rowena’s work uses digital media & socially engaged practice to explore the diverse issues surrounding social inclusion, disability and access to cultural participation by marginalised groups. Rowena recently completed a commission from Tallaght Community Arts, ‘Crust: Because We Have the Right to Earn One’ working with the DoubleTAKE supported studio. Through portraiture, vigil and a short film, Crust explored disability, employment & the right to dream.
She has been a recipient of bursaries from The Community Foundation of Ireland and also in collaboration with artist, Julie Spollen, The Ireland Funds, The Arts and Disability Ireland Awards (The Arts Council + The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Tyrone Guthrie Award (Offaly County Council), The Arts Council, Artist in the Community Award (Create + The Arts Council). Her work is in public and private collections including Laois County Council, Offaly County Council, The Dublin- Mid Leinster H.S.E, Áras an Uachtaráin + O.P.W. As an Art Psychotherapist Rowena has a special research interest in the use of technology in the form of digital narrative to facilitate an understanding of individual understanding of experience, its impact and as an additional tool to aid self discovery and recovery. Her article, ‘Navigating Grief: Using digital narrative as a therapeutic intervention in Art Therapy’ published in the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists Journal. (Vol 5/No 1: 2018 p 17-28) was the first article on the use of technology in Art Therapy to be published in Ireland.
Julie Spollen BDes NCAD, MA RCA.
Julie works in community and care settings. Her socially-alert practice focuses specifically on artistic interactions working with older participants. She practices collaborative critical thinking in art and design contexts in order to enhance living conditions for participants and the wider community. Partners with an evolving collective of professionals and institutions to advocate for the role of the artists place in cultural engagements and environments.
Julie Spollen holds a B.Des from NCAD and an MA from Royal College of Art. In October 2019 she exhibited Activate, which was exhibited in Áras an Chontae,.Activate investigated place, making public space accessible and inclusive through public seating and the voice of the community in regards to the new Arts Centre in Tullamore, which was unpacked through art workshops and Get Together sessions. She also collaborated with Rowena Keaveny in the co-authorship of a Creative Charter, which was presented to the County Council. Most recently worked on participation-focussed projects where she partnered with Offaly County Council, Dublin Mid- Leinster HSE, Anam Beo, Arts in Health Organisation, The Irish Wheelchair Association, Irish Rail, The Midland Regional Hospital, Offaly Public Participation Network, Irish Museum of Modern Arts and Age & Opportunity. In 2017, made a creative short film & documentary on composer Karen Power’s ‘Sonic Pollinators’ with Quiet Music Ensemble, an environmental project commissioned by funding from Creative Ireland. Since 2006, she has been part of a successful campaign for a purpose built Community Arts Centre to enable local contemporary culture. Julie is an advocate for arts that nourish society.
Jackie Lynch BA(Hons)Pg Dip
“My arts practice expresses itself using a process of deep listening, documenting individual life stories to create tangible pieces of art.”
Jackie Lynch graduated with a B.A. (Hons) Degree in Fine Art and a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Arts from University of Ulster, Belfast. She was the successful recipient of a scholarship from the University of Ulster to study Chinese woodblock printmaking in Xian Academy of Fine Arts, P.R. China. As the recipient of a Monbusho scholarship, a Japanese Government research scholarship, Jackie studied the Japanese language in Kyoto University and Japanese print-making in Kyoto Seika University. Jackie lived and experienced the arts and culture in Kyoto for six years. The Japanese aesthetic of wabisabisuki inspired her first book published in 2011.Her work is held in many private and public collections and she exhibits regularly. Since 2005 Jackie Lynch works with Anam Beo, Offaly Arts, Health and Wellbeing Organisation where she continues to evolve her arts practice within an arts and health and community context. birrfantrail.ie