Catherine McWilliams: Selected Work 1961 – 2021

4 February – 3 June 2023

The F.E. McWilliam Gallery and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council are delighted to present Catherine McWilliams: Selected Work 1961 – 2021. For over six decades, McWilliams has produced original and compelling images of life in Northern Ireland. From a self-portrait painted when she was 21 to recent compositions exploring the threat of climate change, her work ranges from the domestic to the surreal and prioritises the experiences of women and children. McWilliams lives in North Belfast, in the shadow of Cavehill, and taught in a local secondary school during the worst years of the conflict. Throughout those decades, her work documented everyday life – from marriage and motherhood to teaching and teenage rebellion – at a time when the media was saturated with images of violence and destruction. Within this context, McWilliams’ paintings of home and the suburban landscape constitute a radical alternative to the dominant view of Northern Ireland during the period.

Initiated by Dr Louise Wallace, Lecturer in Painting at Belfast School of Art, who has co-curated the exhibition with Dr Riann Coulter of the F.E. McWilliam Gallery, Catherine McWilliams: Selected Work 1961 – 2021 provides a unique opportunity to appreciate the quality and range of McWilliams’ practice and confirms her place in the canon of Irish art.

Gallery Opening Hours:

Monday to Saturday, 10:00 – 17:00

Made In Ireland

24/09/2022 – 21/01/2023

The F.E. McWilliam Gallery and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council are delighted to present Made In Ireland. A celebration of the wealth and vibrancy of Ireland’s studio crafts, the exhibition presents work by over 110 craftspeople from 27 counties, each creating beautiful, considered objects using skills honed over many years. Supported by Design & Crafts Council Ireland and  managed by the creative team of Hilary Morley, Stephen O’Connell and Mary Gallagher, Made In Ireland comes to the F.E. McWilliam Gallery after successful runs at the National Design & Craft Gallery in Kilkenny and Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin.

Ireland’s makers, working in and across different sectors, are creating innovative work of high quality. Makers work in local and carefully sourced materials, across all regions of our island. Some are household names, some work away quietly perfecting their skill and promoting their work locally and regionally. The Irish public has shown itself to have a lively interest in craft, however, they are largely unaware of the diverse range and quality of work being produced in the country by skilled makers.

Selected after an open call, Made In Ireland showcases the skill of potters, glassmakers, textile artists, woodturners, basket makers, gold and silversmiths, metalsmiths and furniture makers. Exhibitors include makers of international renown as well as young, emerging artists and those who have practised quietly in areas of the country such as Clare Island, West Cork and the North Antrim Coast.  Some are members of Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s Portfolio Critical Selection, while others are makers who practise away from the spotlight and national attention.

At a time when many people are showing a considerable preference and appreciation for goods that are Irish made, we can think of no better time to create a colourful, inclusive exhibition that shows the very best of what is Made In Ireland.