Graphic Studio Gallery is delighted to present BOWER, an exhibition of new work by Cliona Doyle.

A bower is described as an arbor, a grove, a copse, a den, a hide-away. Cliona Doyle is interested in the significance of trees as a symbol of protection and the garden as a place of refuge and renewal.  She works directly from life outdoors, in order to capture a sense of place and atmosphere.  This imbues the work with an energy and directness which might otherwise be lost.

Doyle’s work is about the changeable and fluid state of the natural world, a sense of place and the passing of time. She works directly from nature whenever possible and captures the peculiarities of a particular plant or tree and how it emerges from the earth and the environment it grows in.

In Doyle’s etchings intricate line drawings are juxtaposed by blocks of colour and tone creating an abstract composition beyond the confines of pure botanical studies. They evoke the Japanese tradition of placing equal emphasis on empty space as those that are filled. Her large-scale carborundum pieces are dynamic and lush capturing a real sense of life force whilst still maintaining an elegance and poise. This body of work focuses on trees found in many Irish gardens including native Irish trees.  Doyle made this series of work in situ at the Hill of Tara, the west of Ireland as well as in the Botanic Gardens and other private gardens around Ireland.