About Us

Who are we? We are a group of 11 artists and crafts people and one blog addicted web developer. The web developer is me and I hope to turn all of the other 11 members of the group into fellow blog addicts. I've been writing for over a year now in my blog SiopaEile about the merits of artisan blogging and finally I get the chance to put my theories and observations to the test through the formation of this group.

The artists come from all over Ireland and offer a rich variety of styles and perspectives. At the moment the group is limited to 11, but I may look to expand the number in the future.

Blogging is, above all, a very easy way of publishing your ideas and thoughts online. Its ease of use and flexibility, leads to very spontaneous and authentic writing in my view. Blogging is very social with reader interaction in the form of comments and the networking effect of the blogosphere leading to a kind of connected experience artists won't find with conventional websites.

I hope this blog will act as a catalyst for other artists to take up blogging.

Here is a summary of all the artists involved:

First of all Ellen McDermott

I only just recently came across Ellens blog. Its one of the funniest Irish blogs I've come across in quite a while. She is also an excellent artist and photographer, with some fabulous portait photos.

If ever anybody was made to be a blogger, I would say it's Cliodhna Quinlan. Her ethereal art is refreshingly unique. She also does some lovely embroidered handbags. And she's a wonderful storyteller to top it all. Have a look at her latest entry on artisan revolution.

Cristina Colli is a self taught mosaic artist. Originally from Tuscanny, Cristina describes very eloquently
her art on artisan revoluion.

Michael Ray is an award winning glass sculpturer. Again, I think Michael is showing he has an excellent sense for blogging already and that combined with his outstanding art bodes well.

Lynne Durie is a young jewellery maker, who was hesitant about  writing on the blog as she felt she wasn't experienced enough to have anything to say. In the end she followed my advice  and just wrote in  her natural voice.

Emma Barone is another artist with a unique style of her own. She opened an exhibition called the Shoe Show recently in  Birr theatre & arts centre. Here's how Emma introduces the show.

Mairead De Blaca is an abstract artist. Máiréad's abstract style uses colour and texture to marry together the emotional with the physical. Here's what Mairead has to say about a recent exhibition and her experience of Africa.

Patrick Naughton is a photographer who normally does landscape. Here's his description of an experiment in photographing people.

Sandra Richardson of Feltpix.ie makes handmade original wall art for children. Again this is a unique product and I think ideally suited to blogging. Sandra describes her pieces naturally on artisan revolution.
Ed Parkinson is an artist who mixes painting with digital art to create his images. His Art is very much focused on spirituality and highly original.  Ed has already started a blog for himself and looks very at home in the medium.

Dan and Rebecca Hillman are both crafts people living a sustainable lifestyle in Leitrim. They have been blogging for some time now and are responsible for the fascinating blog Irish Sally Gardens which is all about there efforts to try and live a sustainable lifestyle in rural Ireland. Dan also runs a craft blog called Hobby horse toys and Rebecca has a blog devoted to her felt craft called An Irish Craft Workers Good Life.