Bannatyne Mills

As a 31 year old artist with an animation degree, I have lived through different eras and past lives. I never imagined that I would be here to write this statement. Today, it feels like I’m part of this alternate reality, where every step I take is a direction towards anxiety, danger, uneasiness and unpredictability; which are ongoing themes.

My artwork is based on a school field trip to the Bannatyne Mill situated in the Limerick Docklands with a sprained ankle. While every step seemed like a struggle, every step counts. There’s hope.

The Bannatyne Mill was built between 1873 - 1874; and it still stands to this day. The Victorian style building presents itself as an aged, abandoned, mysterious and a decayed environment.
The staircase situated in the mills was deemed unusable and unsafe, and became a symbol of survival, strength and endurance, despite the wear and tear. I experimented with different mediums, processes and larger scales to breathe life into an inanimate object.

During the process, I became more connected as an artist to this structure, which gave this staircase an identity of its own. My artwork within its core serves as a catharsis that expresses my emotional state during this interdisciplinary practice.

While the future is unknown, the journey as an artist and teacher is just beginning.