Theresa McKenna
Photo 1: 1930 & 1933- hand made books
Photo 2: 1933, hand made book, material - abbaca fibre paper
Bio
I was born in Dublin in 1952. I now live in Dublin City in the house where Austin Clarke (poet) was born.
I began my art education at the age of 21 years in The National College of Art and Design (NCAD). I studied Sculpture there from 1973 to 1977. I loved the traditional Sculptural materials and methods but wanted something different. I began evening classes in Stained Glass, Tapestry and Printed Textiles to find materials that I could really respond to. I learned the basics in Tapestry from Evelyn Lynsey and with her encouragement and help I immediately began to plan and make large woven sculptural pieces. There was a lot of controvercy when it came to my Diploma show but in the end my work stood up to scrutiny even if it was not traditional Sculpture.
Photo 3: Accociations - Tapestry in 3 parts. 1m x 2.3m
Photo 4: Construction - dimensions: 2.75m x 2.75m. Sisal tapestry woven shapes streched in bamboo frame
I graduated from NCAD in 1977 and was accepted into Edinburgh College of Art, ECA, Tapestry Department, where I studied for two years from 1977 to 1979 for my Postgraduate Diploma in Tapestry in the Design Faculty. I made some Tapestry and learned a hugh amount about Tapestry, my work was always a mixture of materials and processes and tapestry weaving became one of those processes.
Photo 5: Loughcrew tapestry, 1.6m x 2.4m, sisal and raffia
Photo 6: Detail of Loughcrew tapestry
I worked for the Arts Council of Scotland at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh for one year after graduating from ECA. In 1980 I took up a position as Lecturer at NCAD in Dublin. I moved back to Dublin and joined the Visual Arts Centre Cooperative Studios where I remained for twelve years as a director.
Photo 8: Newgrange tapestry in 6 parts, 2.5m x 2.13m, sisal
Photo 9: Detail of Newgrange tapestry in 6 parts
My love of teaching grew strong and surprised me, I remained in NCAD as a Lecturer until 2010 when I took the position of Head of Department of First Year Art and Design Studies at NCAD.
Photo 11: Haystack Tapestry, sisal and cane,1.9m x 1.8m
In 1997 I was accepted on an MA programme at Goldsmiths College of Art in Fine Art Textiles, a very intense programme. I graduated with a distinction in 1998. The MA programme at Goldsmiths allowed me the research and development time to explore papermaking as both a material and process to make my work.I returned to Dublin in 1998 to resume my teaching and my Art practice. In 2005 I was accepted on to a Masters programme in Third Level Learning and Teaching at DIT, graduating in 2007. My love of teaching has always been as important to me as my Artistic practice.
Photo 12: Tribute 3 - cotton, paper, tissue, graphite and wax; constructed drawing 2m x 3m
Since my retirement from NCAD in 2016 I am on a new journey, my research is now for my own work and not wrapped up in education, I am still ajusting, but I am enjoying the freedom.
Photo 13: View of constructed paper works
Photo 14: Wax tablet on cotton
