Joanne Breen
Born in Wexford, Ireland,
National College of Art and Design, Dublin.
1999-2001 University College Cork
Solo Exhibitions
1992-1994 ‘Bansheanchas’ Touring Exhibition, Commissioned by Siol Phadraig, London/Irish Arts Festival
1994 ‘Lettering and Tapestries’, The Albany Centre, Depford, London, An Lanntair, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland
1999 ‘An Focal Fite – The Woven Word’, The Watch House Gallery, Enniscorthy
2001 ‘An Focal Fite – The Woven Word’, Kunstvere Wien Alte Schmiede, Vienna
2001 ‘Fighe an Fhearann – Weaving the Land’, The Morven Gallery, Isle of Lewis, Scotland
Commissions
County Wexford Education Centre, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Awards
1991 Electricity Supply Board, National Craft Competition, Royal Dublin Society
1994 Arts Flight, Arts Council of Ireland
1998 Artist in the Community Scheme, St Senan’s Parents Group Community Tapestry Project, Arts Council of Ireland Award
2000 Artist in the Community Scheme, Boolavogue Tapestry Group Millenium Community Tapestry Project, Arts Council of Ireland Award
2000 Community Artist Development Fund, Arts Council of Irleand, Individual Bursary.
2002 Artist in the Community Scheme, Boolavogue Tapestry Group, Equality for Womens Measure under the National Development Plan.
Selected Group Exhibitions
1992/3 Wexford Showcase, Invited Artists, Wexford Arts Centre
1995 Masterworks 11, CTA, Clos na bhFiodoiri, Dingle, Kerry
1996 Surface Tension, CTA, An Droichead, Co. Louth
1996 Words Revealed, Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham
1997 Contemporary Tapestry Artists, CTA, Clos na Bhfiodoiri, Dingle, Kerry
1998 Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Equality, Portable Art, Watch House Gallery, Enniscorthy
Selected Bibliography
1991 Arts Show, Raidio Teilifis Eireann Radio
1992 Art Matters, Raidio Teilifis Eireann Television
1994 ITNET, International Tapestry Magazine, Review of Contemporary Tapestry Ireland Exhibition
2000 Tacsi, British Broadcasting Company Scotland Arts Documentary Film
2002 An Leabhar Mór-The Great Book of Gaelic
2003 Joanne Breen – A Retrospective, published by Wexford County Council
Collections
The Gaelic Arts Agency, Stornaway Isle of Lewis, Scotland, Department of Education, Staten Island City Council, USA, Social Work Deparmtent, Comhairle an Eilean Siar, Scotland,
Wexford County Council, Work in private collections in Ireland, England, Finland, Spain, Austria and Australia
Artists Statement
“Thematically I explore the traces and tracks left by mans interaction with the landscapes, it captures transitory images momentarily given by the action of wind, light and tiny footsteps on sand.”
Joanne Breen, 2001
“My work in both drawing and woven tapestry is concerned with the idea of mapping essential lines on the landscape. These lines/patterns are either a result of elemental erosion or are man-made. They may be imprinted or raised, walls or rivers. What is interesting for me as an artist is that they are part of our collective land legacy and are environmental drawings”
Joanne Breen, 2001
Frances Breen
1955 Born in Wexford, Ireland
1973-1979 National College of Art and Design, Dublin
1984-1985 National College of Art and Design, Dublin,
1990-1991 Hochschule fur Angewandte Kunst, Viena, Austria
Solo Exhibitions
1999 ‘I lár na tuara móra’, Kunstverien Wien Alte Schmeide, Vienna
1999 ‘ An Focal Fite – The Woven Word, Watch House Gallery, Enniscorthy
2001 Kunstverien Wien Alte Schmiede, Vienna
Commissions
2000 County Wexford Education Centre, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
2001 Gaelic Arts Agency, Leabhar Mór , Scotland
Awards
1978 University of Oslo, Norway
1989 Pentiment, Hamburg, Germany
1990/91 Austrian Ministry for Science and Culture
Selected Group Exhibitions
1998 ‘Words Revealed’, Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham
1998 ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’, Portable Art, The Watch House Gallery, Enniscorthy.
1999 ‘Lettering Arts’, Berchtold Villa, Salzburg
1999 ‘Fifth Wexford Artists Book Exhibition’, Wexford Arts Centre
2000 ‘Celtic Connections’ – Book Exhibition, Waln, Austria
Selected Bibliography
2001 An Leabhar Mór- The Great Book of Gaelic, edited by Malcolm MacLean, published by Canongate
Collections
Gaelic Arts Agency, Scotland
Wexford County Council
Department of Education & Science
Private collections in Ireland, Scotland, England, Austria and Italy
Artists Statement
I explore the world of language, rhythm, resonance – often historical, at times contemporary and respond to the challenge of giving text visual form.
Collaboration with visual artists, in particular with my sister Joanne Breen, has been a vital part of my visual arts work and experience.