My practice explores memory, examining lives and histories. For many years, I have worked from family photographs, revisiting moments, questioning how memory functions - what is retained, what erodes, and what is reimagined. Sustained engagement with familial archives forms the foundation of my practice and directly informs my upcoming body of new work about women in domestic service. My interest in this subject is historical and personal. My great aunt worked as a nanny. She devoted her life to the family she served, even turning down marriage proposal because she did not want to leave the children in her care. Within our family, her identity was subsumed by her role; she was known only as “Nana,” her real name lost. This erasure of individual identity reflects the wider experience of many women in domestic service. Through my new work I want to tell the stories of these women. Until the 1950’s domestic service was the biggest employer of Irish women.
Do you have a story you would like to share with me?
The work will consist of a few interconnected strands. Firstly a series of paintings and drawings portraying some of these women, based on archival research and familial stories. By painting the lives of domestic servants, I aim to confer a sense of reverence, dignity, and permanence - and most importantly to make work that highlights their narratives. A second strand will consist of abstract paintings that act as proxies for their daily live in service. I am also going to experiment with a sculptural element. Together, the works will offer both personal presence and collective experience.
Do you have a story to tell? Do you or did you have a family member who worked in domestic service in one of Ireland’s big houses? If so, I would love you get in contact if you would like me to tell her story.
Both the painting above and this sculpture are actually of my maternal grandmother, Lilly. Whilst she did not work in service, unlike her sister who was the Nanny mentioned above, she did as a young girl go and work summers in the big house. I am working on her to get my hand back into working on the portrait - as its a long time since I have made any.
I am really having fun experimenting with sculpture. Believe it or not - even after going through art school, this is the first clay head that I have ever made, other than working with children in classes etc. I am loving the process and plan on doing more and also casting some smaller ones. I want to stress that this is very much a work in progress and not a finished piece.