Ayelet Lalor
Juxtaposition (working title)
6 April to 7 May
Studio 1

Growing up in Ballydehob, I was surrounded by communities of layers within layers. Being spoon-fed on creativity, within a diverse diaspora of artists, craftspeople and alternative thinkers, amidst a local rural community with strong religious and cultural values, combined with threads from my own familial culture (Irish, American, Jewish), created a melting pot of tradition, beliefs and confusion around my own identity.

Exploring this conflict with identity has manifested itself for me in the creation of an icon, in the form of the strong independent women which have been at the core of my figurative work for decades. Capturing the essence of strength has long intrigued me, and my practice has diversified from a mainly clay based one to include portrait painting, print and illustration.

The human figure has been a focus of mine throughout my career, and modelling in clay my central mode of expression. The head, believed by the Celts to be the centre of all identity, has given my work its central character. All my work is focused on the head, and its embellishment as a vehicle to tell stories.

The three months prior to my residency at Uillinn are being spent at The Firestation Artists’ Studios, Dublin, where I have begun developing ideas and experimenting with sculptural forms towards a new body of work, exploring these ideas around identity in the context of growing up in West Cork. For my residency at Uillinn, I plan to create a series of prints based on these sculptures. I will also be developing further work through drawings and small sculptures.

A solo show at the Blue House Gallery, Schull scheduled for June 2022 has given a timeline for the residency work, as some of the artwork will be part of the show, but I also see the residency as a period of research for ongoing work.

I am happy to be available during the residency to meet members of the public on a one to one basis, my door will be open whenever I am there.

Food & Memories Workshop for Adults - Tuesday 26 & Thursday 28 April. 6:30pm to 8:00pm. 8 places available - booking at Uillinn reception by phone on 02822090 or by emailing info@westcorkartscentre.com
Fee €10 (materials covered)
Food brings back many memories of childhood. The food we are brought up with is one of the many layers of experiences that shape our identity and our sense of self.
In this two-part workshop with figurative artist and sculptor Ayelet Lalor, we are going to sculpt and create the foods that are nostalgic to us, foods that evoke our childhood memories.
Starting with a brief intro into the artists’ work, and the inspiration behind the workshop, participants are encouraged to think about foods that relate to childhood and perhaps hold cultural connections.
Through modelling in clay and later painting the finished forms, we will explore form, texture and colour. After the clay is fired, in session 2 we will paint the pieces, and look at them as a collection. There will probably be a lot of crossover. A fun, creative workshop to evoke memories and chat.

Open Studio Event - Saturday 7 May, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm - wine & nibbles, free/drop in - no booking required

Ayelet Lalor is an award-winning, Dublin-based, figurative artist and sculptor. Born in 1974, Ayelet studied at Grennan Mills Craft School, Glasgow School of Art and NCAD, Dublin, graduating with a BA in 1996 and MA in 2009. Growing up in a diverse artistic community has shaped her work greatly, the strong female form being central to her artwork, embellished by strong decorative aspects of colour, pattern and texture. She has worked in clay, bronze, concrete and even edible materials such as chocolate, diversifying more recently into painting and printmaking. Her work has been commissioned and collected both publicly and privately and she has exhibited in Ireland and abroad.

http://www.instagram.com/ayeletlalor
http://www.facebook.com/ayeletlalorstudio
www.ayeletlalor.com

WCAC acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council and Cork County Council in making these residencies possible.