My work ranges from object making to site-specific land interventions. I create primarily sculptural pieces with glass and found objects. My approach to the craft of glass casting blends my technical skills as a maker and as a concept-based artist while expanding the field of glass. My own experiences, frustrations and anxieties motivate me and act as catalysts in my practice. A cancer diagnosis in my late twenties shifted the ground beneath my feet, yet it was the landscape of our family farm that helped in my recovery. The medical treatment affected my mental health, physical appearance, and fertility. That challenging time still provokes me to examine the construction of feminine identity and how I move within the world. I use my farm upbringing to reflect on the perception of women within the rural patriarchal space. Inspiration comes from the land, the animals, my memories, and the perspectives of other women. Their voices are undervalued and underrepresented within farming families and broader society. We certainly do more than stand in gaps.
Áine Ryan
Áine
Ryan
