Award-winning Irish artist Bernadette Doolan, living in Wexford, is the winner of the best overall work by a non-Academician, and winner of the Irish News award for depicting Ireland today, in The Royal Ulster Academy annual exhibition.
Bernadette was selected for The Ruth Borchard self-portrait Exhibition, the UK’s only public collection of self-portraits by British and Irish artists. The Ruth Borchard Collection represents the very best of twentieth-century and contemporary self-portraiture.
Bernadette explores the fragility of identity in the context of childhood through much of her recent work. Her figurative work is the depiction of the human self through the exploration of strength and vulnerabilities. Her work has been described as having an ‘emotional weight with a psychological intensity that is not necessarily representing the physical, but one’s internal voice.
Working through painting (Oils and Acrylic), sculpture, and Installation art, she approaches topics of social conscience with sensitivity and respect, to explore the intangible notion of truth. Doolan acknowledges vulnerability whilst not apportioning blame. This is left to the relevant parties, as an artist, her role is to bring awareness and allow the space for the individual to question.
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Self-taught or art school?
Self-taught, always learning.
If you could own one work of art what would it be?
Red Stare head, Jenny Saville.
How would you describe your style?
Loose, intuitive.
Is narrative important within your work?
yes, It is what connects the viewer.
Who are your favourite artists and why?
Dumas, Schiele, Savile, just to mention a few.
Their work is raw, bleak, nervous. It makes me want to ask questions. I believe it resonates on a level of my own vulnerability.
What or who inspires your art?
The psychological states of being. Our vulnerabilities, the lies we tell ourselves to survive. The inner strength we have if only we could see it more often.
Are there any recurring themes within your work and can you tell us about them?
Yes, vulnerability, strength, childhood. The child in my paintings represent the vulnerability we have as children, yet we have incredible resilience. As children, we fall down and get back up again. we don’t give up. As adults, we can be led by our heads and not heart more too often. We are too responsible. If something doesn’t work out we think, ooh better not try that again. If only we tapped into that kid we are experts at being, as we really are still learning how to be an adult, well I am anyway.
Where’s your studio and what’s it like?
My studio is in Wexford Ireland. I have a great studio in the centre of town to work on big scale works. Unfortunately, this will be ending in March so I will be returning to my home studio and renovating another space at home. I am excited about this as we live in the countryside and are surrounded by nature. It also allows me to get back into sculpture.
Do you have any studio rituals?
Show up, most importantly, show up, music own, coffee brewing. Before I know it I have a paintbrush in hand and I can no longer hear the music as I have gone into another world. A world where time, sound doesn’t exist.
What are you working on currently?
I am in the early stages of a self-portrait.
Where can we buy your art?
I am not in a gallery, I have been waiting for the right one. A bit like Carlsberg, I want the best one for my work. I would like gallery representation that allows me to evolve and not become stale. I believe not being in a gallery so far has meant exactly that. The work grows, evolves with no constraints.
To buy my art visit my website www.bernadettedoolan.com and studio visits are always welcome.
What are your ambitions?
I would like to get my work outside Ireland. I have exhibited in China, Nepal, France, London. I would like to be represented with a gallery where my work could travel internationally. I would also like to write a children’s book.
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