My dear blog serves as an archive for my work.Please go to my instagram page for up to date images.

My photo
I am an artist living and working in the West of Ireland. I make drawings,clothes,ZINES and artists books,short films and beloved objects. I have a stall at the Saturday Galway Market (from early february approx through till the last saturday before christmas) ...... if you would like to contact me further please email queenjaneosullivan (at)gmail(dot)com Thanks for visiting !

Thursday, November 06, 2014

artists statement * Life is Supported in Mysterious Ways* Solo Exhibition held at the Talbot Gallery* Dublin * July 2014


Artist Statement

Jane O’Sullivan’s work is concerned with locating a considered and careful space, a place of contemplation where she creates contexts for poignant reflection.
In a search for meaning, she wishes to express the fragility that holds us and all meaning together. This hovering space often bears much sadness , melancholy, loss and darkness.
To counteract this she chooses to be whimsical as a means to further investigation and as a valuable subjective and personal theme that runs through much of the construction of her varied works of art.
Life is Supported in Mysterious Ways is an attempt to reveal a space of “passionate silence” (a term coined by Symbolist artist Gustave Moreau) and which comes from Jane’s extensive research into and around notions of poetic space. She situates her art practice around addressing the margins and edges of reality, by creating fictional worlds and performative narratives.
Working mainly in the medium of drawing, it is sometimes shown alongside experimental filmed elements, re-appropriated found objects and handmade artists books and zines, and through these mediums she has formulated a meta /alter reality and language of her own making.
Her most recent works, A deeper exploration of fragility, love and loss and Holding a Space have helped to prepare the ground for a more in depth and ambitious engagement with her subject matter.
As a development to her work Jane will make a 3minute handmade animation using analogue methods which she will construct entirely in house using her valuable store of found objects (including photographs, ornaments, fabrics and papers) with collected footage of shadows, film stills and new material.
A fully detailed storyboard is being drawn out in which the film’s content is organised alongside the technical needs of the films construction.
The film will allow her to go deeper into the realms of her subject matter as an extension and refuge for the many fragile and poetic moments addressed.
A strong association between images and related objects is important so that a series of sensitive constellations (an installation) of handmade elements, drawings,and prop ephemera emerge from the filmmaking process.                                                                                                                                 Her work is inspired by a wide cross section of influences from Symbolist and Outsider art, the Foucaultian idea of the heterotopia, ,the Occult tradition of the Etheric body as an exploration of eternal. Also personal artistic or visionary investigations into Phenomena(Blake, afKlint, Redon, Kubin, Dzama,Starewitch, Wulff, Anster- Fitzgerald) alongside Victorian notions of sentimentality, particularly their language of flowers, as well as pastoral folklore etiquette and traditions.                                                                    Jane O'Sullivan                                                                                                                                                                                            2014 

my brand new website 







Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Galway market, my love and constant friend

galway market if you would like to buy some affordable art, you can !!! I have a range of cards which feature drawings from my huge archive of work over the years. They are digital images taken from original drawings and cost 3.50 euros and you get an envelope too ! I am there on a saturday only.

Tuesday, October 07, 2014

working away , glad to be alive in this wonderful world with such wonderful friends and and family

a passionate silence
white stoneware ceramic, glass dome , paper rose and woven fabric
I am constructing a proper web page to collect the images of my recent solo exhibition Life is Supported in Mysterious Ways.
Details soon.
untitled yet
white stoneware ceramic painted after firing with watercolour

this piece was made before the pieces that I included in the show really started to take shape.It is I suppose an out take , an extra, yet it has its own importance, it is part of a whole., I recently gave it to a friend.
The weather is so magical, how much longer will it hold on before the winter must enivitably come.

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

back soon , for real xx

biteen distracted at the mo with so much to do.....where to start etc etc etc etc etc ....
really looking forward to being a woman of substance soon.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

we are the substance of our lives

front cover of my book

I am making an edition of 15 artists books for the upcoming Dublin Zine Fair.
It is on this weekend , I will only be there on the sunday as I have to do my market stall in Galway on the saturday.
we are the substance of our lives is a long drawing made on an old linen altar cloth that I was given ,as I am often given old materials with which to make the clothes that I sell on my market stall on saturdays in Galway.
The  book will have a pull out printed version of the long drawing , a concertina book so to speak. It will be small , around A6 in size , an intimate and beloved object , I may write a piece within it on my manual typewriter.

Friday, August 01, 2014

Dublin Zine Fair 2014 !!

details

I am SO looking forward to this !
myself and miss ShelkyBean , will be in attendance on the Sunday only , with some lovely considered and highly magical fare.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Life is Supported in Mysterious Ways

image from artist book holding a space
glass slide
part of installation Life is Supported in Mysterious Ways

I am in the process of gathering a lovely selection of images and words for a special post on my current solo exhibition. Unfortunately my poor computor is not cooperating as it is feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment, with memory problems etc. So do call back and if you are not afraid of f.b you can see a little of what keeps me away from here. I look forward to making much more considered piece soon. Jane x
event page
gallery page
my other f.b page

Monday, June 02, 2014

Life is Supported in Mysterious Ways - an installation of new work.

the collector of calm
stoneware clay

photo by Magda Horrodecka

This is the first piece of my previously unseen work, to be shown online.
It is from  for my upcoming solo exhibition Life is Supported in Mysterious Ways
All the necessary details can be found on the link in the previous sentence,to my event page.
If you do happen to have delightful dear facebook, please would you kindly share my event page, thank-you (do email me if you need any specific info)
A Massive **Thank You** to all the kind and patient people who have supported me to get this work shown.It has been a journey with many many blessings for me and I truelly hope you know how much that kind word along this long and unending road meant. Jane xx

"We work in the dark-we do what we can -we give what we have.
 Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task.
 The rest is the madness of art "
 Henry James

Saturday, May 17, 2014

May flowerings



hello blog and blog friends.....its the middle of lovely May already AND here I am making my mark on my dear blog.

*My 1st of May offering of flowers on my thresh hold an Irish tradition to bring good luck on this auspicious day and keep out any naughty fairy mischief.

I love the symbolism evoked by flowers across the years and different cultures.An Art installation I made for the museum of Country Life three years ago,just after my first solo exhibition at the Custom House Studios and Gallery, Westport,Co.Mayo.The timing was mad , but thankfully it all worked out good in the end !!
you are welcome as the flowers in May

* scetchbook
*Zara and Maisie in my studio

Sunday, April 27, 2014

blossoms everywhere






*favourite inspiring objects of mine include these two old paper pieces from Victorian times.one is a printed envelope and the other a paper cut valentine card , under the woman and horse the words love and fidelity see here

* some of my inspiring old pieces of china , I am working on making objects in clay at the moment to include in my installation life is supported in mysterious ways

*my magic tree that my friend gave me two christmases ago, the first flowers of the year

*upcycled coat , delighted customer last week on my market stall.

*magic flowering wand I would say , seen last week as I ventured to film the swans for the film element of my show.
 All is going quite well , two months left to bring all my work together.
I feel in a privledged position , to know that I have an actual real space in Dublin to show it to the world , properly ,in a space of its own.

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

April is here.






work is going well , I couldnt believe it when I saw these beautiful hellebores growing at the bas of a tree hidden away in our garden.I had forgotten about them , seems they only come up in shady areas , and so havent been able to show themselves in quite a few years, until the garden conditions were right. They look unreal , as if someone planted silk fake flowers in the ground.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Marching on dears through Marchness.

studio



 detail on my market stall today (I will be there most saturdays now), selling my hats and clothes , a mixture of handmade and upcycled and all lovely.vintage china and printed ephemera and a range of cards featuring prints from my original drawings.come and visit , its a lovely market in Galway city.

pocket of my newly made skirt

Hello there :)  if you still come here.I am finding it hard at the moment to keep up online as my work
for my upcoming solo show and life in general is keeping me extremely challenged and busy. I post more frequently here and when I am able I will call back here if I have something worth sharing. I hope all the lovely people out there who have followed my blog and been so supportive and wonderful over the years......... will understand.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

February (my world within it)

remember me in love
pencil, coloured pencil and marker on antique cotton hanky
 detail of coat made for a dear friend this month
 in my studio 
 magical coat
 at my desk



1970's childs hanky and handmade dolls coat , bonnet , bag and ......purse ! (c.1930)
my treasures from a trip back to England this month

this is an old photo from our big snow of 2010

well , its still very cold and wild , but this morning I went out for a long walk with my beloved and our three dogs and on the strength of that went up town on my bike for the first time in AGES !!! gosh it felt good.
Here are some images from my world.
Just begining to get stuck in to my new work for a solo show to happen in July(details at a later date)
I will not be publishing online any of this new work, as I want it to be surprise when it is all installed together in the gallery.
I will continue to post up my world around and about the creation of it, also incidental drawings along the way !!
I would love to hear your comments and I intend to visit some of my favourite blogs and be a better commenter, like I used to be.
 ** a lovely video from a woman who has given me so so much and continues to be an inspiration and joy, thank you ms.K.B.

Thursday, January 16, 2014


I felt as if my heart would fall out in front of me it was so heavy, I held it in tight.
pen, coloured pencil oil pastel and transfer letters on found linen embroidery.
Jan 2014
view here

Sunday, January 12, 2014

my first post this new year , may we all be well.



hello everyone
......happy new year , or whatever you are having yourself.
Is it a continuium ? or do we really feel the need for these seasons and interludes and inbetween spaces , the old year the new year .....isn't it all the same thing really,I guess it just helps to break it down a little bit into days , weeks , months ...years.
 I am looking forward to getting back into my studio as this time of year I will not be distracted by going to the market every saturday(I am not there till mid march)
 So , now is the time to make my exhibition which is titled life is supported in mysterious ways.I am not sure if I can put any of it on here , maybe the stuff that surrounds it is okay , also updates will be on my facebook art page.It will be an installation featuring , drawings , hand made models and an animation of sorts(wish me luck , its badly needed) A lot of it is already started.




Happy dancing girl in the street so so sweet, thanks dear inspiring Lucy of Lucys Lounge for the link.
Heres a few things that make me very happy......
above 3 images 
1* my friends made me a crochet cushion (thanks Richael) and a blanket (thanks Pat) for christmas and my last weeks big birthday.I cannot stop looking and admiring them , they radiate with love for me.
2*friends are for me ,along with my close family , the glue that keeps me sane , together. This year more than most I have really felt the benefit of friends and know that I am very lucky.I spent a lovely day and night with some dear seldom seen but important friends between Christmas and the new year, this is the view from their window over to Knocknahur mountain from Rosses Point Sligo , it was cold wet and grey , but I felt safe and loved.
3*I love happy clashing colours and cheap trinkety jewels , these are some of mine , and I wear them most days , the only value they have is that they make me happy, they cost very little.
4* Leonora Carrington , the exhibition was superb, in Dublin at I.M.M.A and I was bought the catalogue as a gift , it is so amazing , I cannot bear to even peek inside (yet)
 5*my dear friend Richael , a princess in so many ways.
website / blog
 6* this is actually yesterday , not so you'd know that today ! as here in the West of Ireland we get a lot of fairly dramatic weather.Today it is dramatically cold , dark and wet.........yesterday however was truelly magical.I walked out further than normal over the bog with my 3 dogs , a whippet called Towser, a beddlington terrier Zara and their offspring my delight Maisie.We had such a lovely time , everywhere looked otherworldly in the extreme.
My middle daughter just told me that I could sink very easily in the bog , be swallowed up as there are holes that go on forever.So far I have been okay.
7* my Maisie,that is my favourite shawl,but because she is lying on it , I dont mind.
8*one of my re-made alchemy cardigans , which feature on my dear market stall. These cardigans are such a delight to me, as they make themselves , are very intuitive and people love them !! I get to use up all my scraps and collection of thrifted knitwear and the customer gets something with a sense of love and carefulness sewn into it , a recycled piece of clothing that makes sense in this crazy crazy world we are in.I am at my stall from mid march till Christmas.Contact me via email out of those times.