CREATING FROM STONE & METAL
There is nothing like working with natural materials- a good day out is to go rock hunting, finding the stones that call you - bringing them back and revealing their ancient interiors. Infusing them with my own journey whether from my love of Celtic and Megalithic art, nature, celestial and oceanic hieroglyphics. Finding the poetry in the stone or whatever material I am working in. My sculptures all have a playlist and when I am commissioned to create one I ask you to create your own playlist, which I have been doing for twenty years and every should create for themsel
COME EXPLORE MORE, THE POETRY IN THE STONE - THE DYNAMICS OF STEEL AND ALUMINIUM - EARTHINESS OF WOOD
Garden Design
Garden Tours
& Lectures
Creating from Nature-sharing experiences
Tours to Scotland and Ireland went great in 2019 - please contact me for info on my next tours in 2023
While studying at the Radcliffe landscape design and history program in the 90’s, My focus was on my native country Ireland. I wrote my thesis on ‘ Creating an Irish Garden in a Celtic landscape and a Celtic Garden in an Irish Landscape’ and my in-depth enquiry research in to the Irish garden and it’s history I realized I had been experiencing this and absorbing it all my life. From being vey little sitting in the flower beds up close to these tiny buttery yellow flowers- ‘auricula primula’ beside my mother while gardened away happily to just being in the midst of it all whether down the country or in the city , the ancient stones to magnificent rose gardens. I decided to write some lectures pertaining to the Irish Garden to explain the differences between the Irish garden and other gardens as in the English and the French. Subsequently I furthered my interest into the Welsh and Scottish garden. After I had been asked to speak about the Irish Landscape and garden development at the International Celtic Women’s Conference in Milwaukee Wisconsin in 1995, I realized how I enjoyed sharing my stories and experiences. With my background in art and my Masters in landscape design and History, I could talk design, horticulture, garden history, and weave the many threads from that core through sculpture, poetry, short stories from my ‘garden jaunts’ from my own native Irish perspective. I designed and lead a number of garden tours exclusively to Ireland Scotland Wales, for the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University to a number of private groups since 1995. I am excited to share my new tours for 2019 ‘Karin’s Spring Garden Jaunt” and then in June two tours I was invited to design and lead, co-hosting with Colston Burrell and the Minnesota Horticultural Society- more information on ‘Lectures’
My hope is after hearing a lecture of mine that you too will want to go and experience the unique, enchanting and stunning gardens we have to share.
Poetry & Musings
Creating from Language -
The Landscapes of my Life and other musings.
The Landscapes of my life - poetry, musings and inspirations about my passion for landscape, nature, art, the ancient places I travel to, the gardens I’ve designed and gardens I have visited. Writing about what I see and and create whether sculpture drawings-Dealing with contemplations on life, death, grief, capturing capsules of my life. In describing some of my recent work I am infused with The poetics of nature, the garden, the senses, the celestial world, night and day, shadow and time. Living in the silver sliver in between and exploring these spaces. Contemplating this rhythmic connection from ancient millennia to the present synthesizing these elements evoking a spiritual nostalgia or comfort cloak whether -from anomalectic rock clocks, monoliths or spheres. Labyrinths I have laid, memorials I have made, life stones that can be in the palm of your hand or in your garden to observe and contemplate.