Born from what the Ocean doesn’t want. Exhibition by Loretta Fitzgerald

We are delighted to present the first exhibition of work by Loretta Fitzgerald called, Born from what the ocean doesn’t want.

The show opens on Friday4th April at 5.00pm with an opening by Finola Finlay of Roaringwater Journal along with some words about the state of our oceans by Mark McCarthy.

The work consists of woven basketry pieces, made from what Loretta finds on the beaches around West Cork.

Loretta says: My work as an artist began less than three years ago when I went with a friend and her dog to a little beach close to my home. The small patch of shore was covered by a tangled mess of ropes, tin cans, seaweed and pieces of plastic in various stages of degradation – just like beaches all over the world. That manky mess seemed like it could be a resource, so we dragged as much of it as we could back to my home. The seaweed went to my garden and the rest had a good scrub, and required a lot of disentangling, but what emerged was clearly perfect for ‘making things’. There was rope enough for coiling and plenty of fine plastic threads for joining.
So the baskets and bowls began to emerge.
More visits to various beaches and a collection of bits and pieces of all sizes began, and no rubbish has ever looked the same to me. Did you know there is a Baler Twine Lovers Society??? And that people create beautiful crochet with tea bag strings??

After being persuaded by a good friend to enter a piece in a Members’ Exhibition in Skibbereen, it was with some trepidation that I did so. The response was encouraging and I have spent many hours since, creating pieces that are both useful and that reflect the beauty of the ocean from whence their components came.

Since I began this venture, many others who regularly and generously clean up the beaches of West Cork have donated their findings to me. Thank you to all the people who leave treasures in my front garden while I am sleeping.
Process:
I use whatever skills I have acquired during a lifetime of fascination with creating from already used materials, but little time to do so. These include twisting, twining, braiding, coiling, knitting, sewing, crochet, tying and whatever else comes to me at the time.
Materials:
It is important to me to use ONLY materials that have come from the ocean so each piece is 100% ocean waste. I have occasionally used driftwood for those pieces that need something to hang from, but not shells, for example, because they belong in the ocean and on the shoreline.
Welcome to my very first exhibition. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
Loretta

Insta: driftrope_art