Portfolio from the CCOI
PORTFOLIO, a digital catalogue of work from Ireland's leading art and design-led makers, will be launched at Plan Expo in Dublin, 10–12 November 2005. Developed by the Crafts Council, PORTFOLIO aims to sustain and enhance Ireland's reputation as a source of creatively inspired craft and will be available on CD and through the Craft Council website.

The following crafts people were selected by an international advisory panel for inclusion in PORTFOLIO on the first selection day in May 2005: Jewellery: Alan Ardiff, Angela O'Kelly, Berina Kelly, Erika Marks, Inga Reed; Basketry: Joe Hogan; Ceramics: Cormac Boydell, Jim Turner, Laura O'Hagan, Robert Lee, Sara Flynn; Textiles: Bernie Leahy, Gillian Freedman, Patricia Murphy, Stephanie Conroy, Liz Nilsson; Glass: Karl Harron, Michelle O'Donnell, Peadar Lamb; Metal: Kevin O'Dwyer; Richard Kirk, Seamus Gill; Furniture: Joseph Walsh, Laura Mays, Michael Bell; Woodturning: Liam Flynn,Roger Bennett. The next selection for PORTFOLIO will take place mid-September 2005. It will continue to be updated twice yearly in spring and autumn, and selection will always be by an international advisory panel.

Ulster Design
A Life in Design: the International Career of Max Clendinning is a retrospective exhibition covering the life and career of Max Clendinning, the Northern Irish architect, interior designer and furniture designer. Born in 1934, his iconic interiors and furniture designs, most notably in the 1960s, have made him the province's most internationally established designer. Probably his best known designs, now seen in textbooks of the period, are those made for his own house in London, one of which shows the striking 'supergraphics' on the wall echoing the shapes of his Race chairs. Another, his white living room, was so redolent of its time that it was the
subject of recent parody in the television series, Absolutely Fabulous. His more recent, post-modern work is in strong contrast to the minimalist styles of the 1960s and the glamourous designs of the 1970s. A wide variety of material, including furniture, decor and fittings, is used in the exhibition to recreate room settings, particularly sections of rooms in Clendinning's present house. The exhibition runs at the Ulster Museum from
28 October 2005 to 26 March 2006.

Making her Mark
As part of a group that started the Rubicon Studio in Dublin in 1991, Erika Marks has spent much of her career supplying jewellery shops and craft outlets around Ireland and England. Now living near Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, she continues to produce distinctive collections, almost always in 24ct gold and silver, marrying simplicity of form with a sense of shared imagery and history. Using simple shapes her pieces are nearly always textured and oxidised. They feel like they've been around a long time. An impression of hidden meaning has always been important to her, and over the years she has developed a script that she uses to convey a sense of something mysterious and intangible. She uses 24ct gold partly for the intrinsic symbolic connotations of the metal. The Leitrim sky, free from light pollution, has inspired large domed silver brooches etched with combinations of the Milky Way and constellations, the stars picked out in 24ct gold. Her most recent commercial collection uses freshwater pearls, both black and cream, in combination with blackened silver chains and gold links and catches. Reminiscent of medieval chain mail the collection is nonetheless very feminine: the pearls and gold gleaming against the darkened silver.

Design Taste
Two fourth-year industrial design students at the National College of Art & Design have been announced the winners of a prestigious international design award for a design project entitled Design for Healthy Eating. Maria Mullane and Billy Harney entered their joint, final year project: Ólas (a convenient juice maker for the workplace), for the RSA Design Directions 2004-05. The competition was open to all design students studying in EU countries and there were over 1,500 entries. Mullane and Harney have been awarded a Kenwood Internship worth £6,000 from the RSA.

Baskets from the West
Basket maker Joe Hogan's non-functional work is frankly breathtaking. Some are baskets that include the willow catkins, their delicate furry shapes softening the lines of the wood so that it looks as if the basket is an element of the growing tree. Others are built around twisted and weathered bits of wood that were 'too nice to be left behind.' He describes his motive as 'just enjoyment – a change from ordinary work' but the baskets have the sort of intricate and natural beauty that you would normally find in a bird's nest, but rarely in something manmade. Hogan originally came to basketmaking because it offered the promise of life in the countryside of Connemara, a place where means of livelihood are thin on the ground. 'The initial attraction was the ease and speed with which willow could be grown, it's a very convenient raw material.' But what began as a marriage of convenience became a lifelong love affair. 'Basketmaking has helped to deepen my sense of belonging to this earth and of having a rightful place here. It's contributed to my life in many unforeseen ways. The long hours spent in the workshop at work I find absorbing and very satisfying and have taught me subtle lessons; the fulfilment of one's own standards, the need for repetition to achieve fluency, and the importance of not being impatient about the outcome.'

Honest to Goodness
Honest to Goodness, a new café in the Market Arcade, Georges Street, Dublin designed by Scudding Clouds was opened in June 2005. The lofty, narrow, wood panelled space, reminiscent of a Dutch merchant's house, posed numerous problems, but the innovative design team rose to meet the challenge with their usual verve. An overscaled steel mobile, made of orange plastic buckets and large wooden spoons hangs, suspended from the soaring ceiling, making visual use of otherwise wasted space. The banquette seating has a rhythmical verticality, with a high banded back in contrasting shades of tangerine, mocha, slate, and glossy black; Alicante Rosa marble table tops co-ordinate perfectly with the terracotta colour grout in between the creamy floor tiles. The metallic striated Formica serving counter fools even the most design-savvy eye, whilst the artwork consisting of found and discarded objects add a sense of witty freshness.

The Nature of Jewellery
Jeweller Anna-Marie St Clair had a workshop near London's Hatton Garden before moving to Leitrim. She works primarily in silver, inspired by fluid natural forms, but is increasingly drawn to the geometry found in nature, and has used this research to create a group of honeycomb pieces mixing grid patterns with three-dimensional gold bees. Using the metal as both canvas and paint, she explores shape, texture and subtle colouring effects to recreate the moment when a leaf curls, ice melts, or an ancient piece of jewellery is excavated, worn, and battered by the elements and time. Both Erika Marks and St. Clair exhibit through Leitrim Design House, who also welcome two new jewellers: Clairin Molloy, who mixes semi-precious stones with Swarovski crystal and Bohemian glass to create easy-going contemporary pieces and Rachel McKnight who makes jewellery using innovative materials like rubber, plastics and sliver.
From September 2005 The Leitrim Design House will be based at the Dock Arts Centre, St Georges Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon. Nearly twice the size of the existing unit, the new Leitrim Design House will be the first port-of-call for visitors to the Arts Centre. Glass doors set within a glass bulkhead will give access from the main atrium of the building and allow audiences to see work on display even when the shop is closed. The finishes are a mix – or deliberate clash – of new and old, with stainless steel and resin for the desk contrasting with solid timber for the flooring, and lighting will continue the clash-of-periods concept. Leitrim Design House is committed to cross-border shows and selling, and will now host work by Northern makers as a constant element in their retail approach. The premiere exhibition at the Dock will play host to the work of leading Irish contemporary wood turner Roger Bennett and an exhibition of new paintings by Leitrim-born artist Melanie O'Rourke.

Innovative Cutler
Cutler Rory Connor shows an ability to reinterpret such stalwart forms as the knife, fork and spoon, with his stainless steel cutlery with blue wood laminate handles; the spoon is hand-beaten, the knife hand-ground, and the fork hand-formed and twisted. His carving set in a rosewood box with wood handles in a snake pattern contains welded stainless steel blades and a fork with solid silver fittings.

Body Art
Wearable UnWearable is an exhibition of contemporary jewellery, fashion, and textile art inspired by the body. The exhibition, which blurs the boundaries between fashion, textiles, sculpture and jewellery, will include the work of fourteen of the most innovative and experimental craft artists in Ireland and the UK who make work related to the body. Some work will be readily wearable; other work will be unwearable decorative art forms.

Exhibits include a paper stiletto shoe installation by Susan Cutts, selotape shoes by Helen McAlister, resin cocktail-stick shoes by Carmel McElroy, sculptured blouse by Kei Ito and a textile undergarment installation by Lucy Brown. The exhibition is curated by Angela O'Kelly and will open in the National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, on 6 October and will run until 27 November 2005. Visit the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny this November for a sneak preview of Christmas Presence. This stylish collection of contemporary craft will be on display in their new gallery space (12–20 November 2005), before travelling to the RDS in Dublin in December. Avoid the Christmas rush!

Bridging the Gap
Dublin's Docklands is undergoing a time of regeneration and redesign. Initiatives like the boardwalks and the quayside developments in the Docklands make this part of the city a pleasant place to be, especially for the long neglected pedestrian. The latest development in this trend is the new Sean O'Casey Bridge. Located to the east of the Talbot Memorial Bridge, the Sean O'Casey Bridge spans almost 100m between the North and South Quays. It has two 'leaves' or arms that will swing open to allow boats pass up and down the river. The project team for the construction of the Sean O'Casey bridge included architects, Brian O'Halloran & Associates; engineers, O'Connor Sutton Cronin and contractors John Mowlem Construction Ltd who worked with the Docklands Authority and a team of over 100 people to complete the challenging project.

NCAD Games
Among the fun, skill and talent at the National College of Art and Design graduate show 2005, a collection from Marie-Therese Walker entitled: Wear Me, See Me, Play Me had a particular appeal. Silver, gold, steel, and aluminium are among her materials, and her techniques include anodising, casting, oxidation, laser cutting, and water jet cutting. 'These pieces function as both playable games and as fun wearable jewellery,' says Walker. 'Interactive game-playing is an excellent way for people to relate; bonds are created, certain character traits are displayed and relationships are forged. Most importantly, games are exciting, enjoyable, and fun'. She based the collection on the time-honoured game of Noughts and Crosses, due to its universal simplicity of both play and design. 'These pieces will encourage people to interact and may be used as a means of sparking off a new relationship or reinforcing an old one. When you see them you want to play them!' Walker is planning to continue creating her own pieces, whilst gaining experience and inspiration both at home and abroad.

RDS Winners
The RDS National Crafts Competition is one of the major events in the Irish Crafts industry calendar, allowing both professional and amateur craft designers to compete for prestigious awards in nineteen different categories. This year Geraldine Fox was awarded the prestigious Award of Excellence for her entry in the contemporary embroidery section. Her wonderful coats, inspired by 18th-century military costume, have high embroidered areas with influences of the past and modern day contemporary design. Second place overall, and the new Dublin Art Glass Award, went to Catherine Taylor for innovative installation in glass. The New Entrants' prize went to Melissa Bell for her knitted hipster trousers, while Lisa Shaw scooped the Graduate/Student Prize for her knitted skirt. Later in the year, the RDS winners' exhibition will travel to three venues: Áras Éanna, Inis Óirr, Aran Islands; Glór, Ennis and the Market House, Monaghan.

Art and Science
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Theory of Relativity and to coincide with the United Nations Year of Science, Farmleigh will present the exhibition Making Time in October 2005. Curated by Adrian Kelly of the Glebe Gallery, Donegal, the exhibition will be the first to take place in the new gallery space created from the refurbished cowsheds at Farmleigh. Exhibitors will include the work of many internationally renowned artists, Alexander Calder, Richard Long, and Bill Viola among them, who will explore the relation of time to works of art: real time, virtual time, and representations of time.

Ceramic Sculptures
From the very first time that Roger Harley began to work in the medium of ceramics he had an interest in working with shape and design. 'I have tried to combine the two techniques, so that the result is not merely an piece of pottery, but a form of sculpture that can be admired and can stimulate the mind into interpreting what makes the piece work for both shape, balance and movement in decoration. It can move from having a two-dimensional surface to having three-dimensional depth, caused by the use of on- glaze or slip decoration. My pots have developed over time and reflect many influences. These range from my local environment of Clew Bay, Westport and Connemara with its sculptured landscapes which can mystify, amaze, shock, and enlighten the mind. I am also very influenced by the work of potters from all over the world, both past and present. I firmly believe that culture and environment play a role in the development of their work.'

A new view of Fibre
For too long, fibre art has been defined by the nature of the process. Whether basket-making or quilts, the traditional skills tend to overshadow the creative force of the work. Fibre: A New World View is an exhibition in which America's top fibre artists take familiar materials and use them in unconventional and unexpected ways to turn tradition on its head. The line-up includes the impressive Nancy Crow, one of the best-known American artists working with quilting techniques; her pieces resemble strong abstract paintings. Rebecca Medel's work is more sculptural. She uses a complex series of three-dimensional patterns and grids. Although her pieces seem at first glance to be made of metal, Medel actually uses stiffened fabrics coiled on a form. Ireland has always had a traditional association with fibres, textiles, and wools. The aim of this exhibition is to stimulate dialogue and help people think outside the box of traditional weaving. By tapping into our impressive cultural history and utilising our vast body of knowledge, we can explore new ways of using our skills and materials. Fibre: A New World View is curated by Rick and Ruth Snyderman of the Snyderman Works Gallery, Philadelphia. The exhibition runs until 2 October in the National Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny.

Create at Fota
An opportunity to view the work of Ireland's top furniture designer/makers this autumn should not be missed. Create 2005 which will be held in the historic surroundings of Fota House just outside Cork city, is open to the public from 1 – 16 October and will feature a wide selection of work, all superbly designed and made. Create will feature new work, by established makers such as Michael Bell, Klimmek and Henderson, Stephen O'Briain and Laura Mays and Ben Gabriel as well as up- and-coming names such as Neill Lyons, Wedge and Sasha Sykes. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase some of the exhibits and for those wishing to commission their own unique piece of furniture, detailed information will be available on each exhibitor.
In all twenty-four makers will be featured and, with an eye to the next generation of Irish designers, the show will showcase a selection of work by students of GMIT Letterfrack – the Furniture College.

This year's event will feature a series of lectures on the opening weekend. An impressive line-up includes John Makepeace, Andrew Varah and Jeremy Broun. Makepeace is widely regarded as one of the world's finest furniture designers with work in major museum collections in Europe and North America, while Andrew Varah's marquetry, has established for him an international client base. Jeremy Broun, is one of a handful of pioneers of the 1970s British Craft Furniture Revival, and has exhibited and published extensively.

Anniversary at Grennan Mill
The Grennan Mill Craft School, Kilkenny, celebrates its 25th birthday this year. To celebrate this special occasion, eight former students have been invited to take part in an exhibition entitled Common Ground. All eight are now established artists, a testament to the success of the Grennan Mill. Their disciplines represent the main areas of study in the school. The exhibitors will be: Anthony Carey (jewellery), Lorna Donlon (textiles), Remco de Fouw (photography), Seamus Gill (silversmith), Jane Jermyn (ceramics), Orla Kaminska (ceramics), Angela O'Kelly (jewellery), and Stephen Vaughan (print).

Innovative Irish Linen
If Irish linen were ever associated with shamrock-embroidered napkins, those days are long past. Designers like Maria Cardenas, who works in linen, silk, satin, and other fine materials have given wearable linen a look that is cool, contemporary, and as international as the designer herself. A third generation tailor, originally from Columbia, Cardenas is now living in County Down, the home of the linen industry. Linen is just one of her materials but, from an Irish point of view it's always going to attract interest. 'I like the drape, the feel of it, and the subtle sheen. It's good to be able to use a local fabric, that's got so much living history involved with it. Being able to source it locally is also a factor.' Cardenas prefers natural materials; they're easy on the body, easy on the environment, and look better. All her Irish linen designs can be made in a woven silk. She also uses Harris Tweed, and a knitted linen she gets dyed in various colours. Cardenas has been invited to show at a high-profile show in the US in early spring, and has had a request for a piece for the Ulster Museum Collection.

Eleanor Flegg is a freelance journalist who specialises in all aspects of design.