Artwork by Lorraine Whelan . . .
Lost - Moments
Although this series of paintings, Moments,
is over a decade old, they have never been previously exhibited and form
a good complement to the Lost
prints. These paintings are based upon photographs representative of memories
of specific times and places in my life. I think in the current world
situation, my overall theme of "lost moments" carries more weight and
interest than that of my personal circumstances. As with my work from
Memory Is My Homeland,
I think this work is universal in its approach to memory, identity, time
and place.
Lost - Moments will be exhibited at Pearse Museum,
Dublin in Nov'24/Dec '24/Jan '25 and at The Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely,
Co Wicklow in 2026. Exact dates for both these exhibitions has yet to
be decided.
Image Details
- My Girls, 2012, acrylic on raw canvas, 102 cm x 127 cm
- Daddy Kiss, 2012, acrylic on raw canvas, 124 cm x 91 cm
- Chicago Thumb Wars, 2012, acrylic on raw canvas, 82 cm x 121 c
- Nana, Great Nana!, 2012, acrylic on raw canvas, 124 cm x 91 cm
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.