Artwork by Lorraine Whelan . . .
Lorraine Whelan
Lorraine Whelan is a visual artist and writer based in Bray, Co. Wicklow,
Republic of Ireland. Her published writing takes the form of poetry,
fiction, non-fiction, critical art reviews and commentary.
Her visual art utilises painting, drawing and print media. In addition,
Lorraine has been incorporating book-binding and ceramic skills into
her visual work.
Developing work from charged responses to personal circumstances and
environment, Lorraine has an ongoing interest in the study of dreams
and uses dream imagery and symbols related to her life and family history
both in her writing and visual art. Through the lens of her own life
experience, Lorraine Whelan explores the universal themes of memory,
identity, place, and time.
Follow the links below for images & details on recent projects. To see a classic timeline of experience, check out Lorraine's CV
Artist Statement / Bio
I was born in Toronto, Canada into a large Irish immigrant family. Shortly after obtaining my primary degree in 1986, I moved to Ireland to where my parents and half my siblings had already returned.
My writing (poetry, art criticism & commentary, fiction, non-fiction) has been published in Ireland, Canada, USA, Luxembourg & online.
I have exhibited my artwork throughout Ireland in both solo and group exhibitions and have exhibited in group exhibitions in France, China and Canada. I have participated in artist residencies and symposia and my work is included in private (US, Canada, Australia, UK & Belgium) and in public/corporate collections (Microsoft WPGI, OPW, HSE, Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Europol & IBM).
For over 30 years I have created bodies of work that are inspired and challenged by my environment and circumstances, which are regularly in flux. The study and analysis of dreams plays a large part in much of my work and the development of dream imagery informs the iconography used in both visual and verbal work.
I have worked on projects in response to a specific brief, site, concept, or combination of these. I am fascinated with the immediacy of temporary work yet equally interested in archives and permanence. While I consider myself primarily a painter, I love to experience and experiment with any manner of media. I freely use any media to suit an idea, which is the paramount consideration.
I believe that it is through the expression of individual responses to life circumstances that wider truths can be discovered and understood.
I am an artist. I am here. I remember. I draw. I write. I tell stories.