Discover the Maker
Where imagination meets craftsmanship
As a multi-disciplined artist and workshop practitoner,I use a variety of techniques and experimentation honed over the last twenty five years of learning, making and collaborating.
Working with others enriches my perspective and motivates me to engage in projects that are reflective and impactful.
My studio is home to my electric Kiln 'Betty' and Gunning printing press 'Gilda'. All my materials are etically sourced and I recycle my porcelain clay and sterling silver so there is no waste.
Currently I have four ongoing projects Seed - Plant - Share is my research into harvesting natural dye pigments from plants. (Thank you to Keep Scotland Beautiful, Scotland's Climate Festival Seed Funds grant to start me off on my dye garden journey.
From Fleece to Felt is my exploration into using local raw fleece from sheep farmed in Glen Massan, Dunoon, with local natural dyes to create interior & wearable adornments and Salt Water Lumens is my exploration into alternative photography with natural saltwater fixer funded by The Richard and Siobhán Coward Foundation Award for Analogue photography. Wood Lithography also known as Mokolitho, a lithography technique using a wood matirix that encompasses my love of mark making and print, funded by Creative Scotland.
Arts Practice
Using my handmade paper from recycled waste, I form three-dimensional figurative sculptures coloured and textured with natural dyes and embellishments.Each sculpture conveys a visual narrative.
I draw using a variety of techniques and materials including charcoal, graphite and ink. My aim is to capture the essence and movement of a subject with quick, expressive lines.
Textiles encompass a range of natural materials and experimental techniques alongside traditional methods, pushing boundaries to create 2D and 3D artworks that explore the transient characteristics of site specific places.
I use Porcelain clay for its strength, durability, and delicate, translucent appearance. It’s fine, smooth texture allows for intricate detailing, making it ideal for form-making in both my non-functional sculptures and jewellery designs.
My Artists' books explore different mediums and interdisciplinary approaches. They incorporate elements of painting, printmaking, photography, collage, ceramic, and textiles, pushing the boundaries of what constitutes a book. They are often site specific and draw on insights into the place of their origin.
Using natural pigments from coastal rock and my dye garden involves harvesting and processing these organic materials to create unique, sustainable colours. Coastal rocks are round into fine powders, and plants are gently heated and modified to extract their colour These natural pigments offer a rich, earthy palette and a direct connection to my environment,
C V
Education:
Fine Art Degree (First Hons) Sculpture (stone ,ceramic, textiles & paper making ) at Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork, Ireland.
Masters in Youth and Community University College Cork, Ireland.Incorporating arts practice with community engagement.
Exhibitions & Collaborative Projects 2024
1.Professional Art Tutor /Project Development :Project Ability ,Third Floor 103 Trongate, Glasgow.Lead tutor project engagement & delivery of visual art workshops in printmaking, ceramics & mixed media with adults and young people with learning disability & autism.
Aspire Programme https://www.project-ability.co.uk/workshops/aspire/
Create Programme https://www.project-ability.co.uk/workshops/create/
Art Matters workshops https://www.project-ability.co.uk/workshops/create/art-matters/
Monday Studio Project https://www.project-ability.co.uk/monday-studio-project/
2.One Ren Library Art workshops for a Greener World Programme February - March 2024.
Designed and delivered four wild seed growing workshops at four libraries in East Renfrewshire.
3.Artist Talk -Alexandria Library . Invited to share my Pigments and Place artist talk and demonstration - exploring the growing, foraging, extraction and use of natural pigments in my work. 14th March 2024.
4.World Book Night Collaboration 2024 In Praise of Birds. Exhibition of Art work Bower Ashton Library UWE, Bristol 17th April - 30th June . Hong Kong Design Institute ,1st September -31st October 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNTcTmT7KOk https://cfpr.uwe.ac.uk/world-book-night-2024-in-praise-of-birds-2/
5.Treasures /Ulaidhean Exhibition, selected work by SSA - Gairloch Museum 6th July -28th September 2024. https://www.gairlochmuseum.org/treasures
6.Threads Exhibition - selected work by SSA at Old Gala House ,Galashiels.20th July - 30th September. https://www.s-s-a.org/threads-ssa-at-old-gala-house/
7.From Seed to Blue,Indigo and Woad growing and extraction ,six month project led by Elisabeth Viguie- Culshaw. March - September 2024
https://thelansdownehouseofstencils.com/2021/03/22/about-elisabeth-and-the-lansdowne-house/
Selected Exhibitions & Collaborative Projects 2023
Professional Art Tutor/Project Development: Project Ability, Third Floor 103,Trongate, Glasgow. 2004 – Present. Lead Tutor facilitating, developing and delivery of Visual art workshops in Printmaking, Ceramics and Mixed Media with adults and young people with learning disabilities and autism. https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/projects/our-100-portraits https://artetal.org/collections/mentorship02 https://www.project-ability.co.uk/blog/project-ability-was-in-prague-for-the-conquering-public-spaces-international-conference/
Professional Art Tutor, Living Well at the Library Arts Programme, Renfrewshire Libraries, OneRen. September 2022- December 2023 https://www.oneren.org/news/posts/ferguslie-residents-craft-new-ways-to-beat-isolation-in-their-local-library/
Benmore Botanic Garden, Argyll. Artist talk and community workshop on foraging, growing and extracting dye pigment from plants. March 2023
https://www.facebook.com/benmorebotanicgarden/posts/art-in-the-gardenmany-thanks-to-local-artist-valerie-oregan-birdhouse-studio-arg/3013090635384715/ https://www.the-soc.org.uk/content/about-us/exhibition-archives
World Book Collaboration Project, University West of England, We remember inspired by writers Georges Perec and Joe Brainard. March 2023. https://youtu.be/cURx1fDHxTM Artist book exhibition Friday 21st April – Friday 30th June 2023 at Bower Ashton Library, UWE Bristol and in the Hong Kong Design Institute 30th July – 30th Sept 2023.
No Vacancy Gallery Melbourne, Australia - Compass Exhibition An exploration of place, space and belonging.3rd September 2023- 22 August .
https://www.no-vacancy.com.au/
Southbank Printmakers,London, MiniPrint Exhibition - 3rd October -3rd December 2023
https://www.southbankprintmakers.com/miniprint-s-r
Anxiety of Interdisciplinary 0.2 Art @ ARB 25th September 2023 - 25th September - 17th November 2023 https://www.anxietyofinterdisciplinarity.com/
https://arbart.crassh.cam.ac.uk/The%20anxiety%20of%20interdisciplinarity%202.0/
UpRight Gallery Edinburgh - Making Waves - Artist Book Exhibition - 2nd -23rd December 2023 https://www.uprightgallery.com/
SSA Society of Scottish artists 30x30 online exhibition of small works 18th November - 14th January 24
https://ssa.viewingrooms.com/viewing-room/20-30-x-30-online-edition-2023/
Exhibitions & Projects - 2022
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield . Selected Group exhibition, The Environment 24th March -16th April 2022.
Marchmont House Borders Art Fair 30x30 exhibition, SSA Spotlight Area at this year’s Borders Art Fair (25 – 27 March 2022)
Bower Ashton Library , Bristol,13th April - 29th June at Bower Ashton Library. http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/wbn2022
Keep Scotland Beautiful -Scotland's Climate Festival -project to grow a dye garden to explore natural dyes and pigments to use in my practice and community workshops, harvest and share seeds. https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/scotlands-climate-festival/
LiTE-HAUS Galerie + Projektraum Exhibition, Berlin September 8th - 24th 2022 https://www.lite-haus.net/
The Garden of Loss and Triumph Commelinstraat 308 1093 VD, Amsterdam The Netherlands 1st -18th September 2022.
HKDI Hong Kong Design Institute Library, China 20th June - 19th September 2022 Exhibition of collaborative Book art project Ghost in the Machine.
IMPACT 12: The Printmakers' Voice (21-25 September 2022) Selected Exhibition at Island Venue, Bridewell St, Bristol BS1 2QD https://www.anxietyofinterdisciplinarity.com/impact-12
Southbank Printmakers Mini Print Selected Exhibition 4th October 2- 4 December 2022, Southbank Printmakers ,London.
Upright Gallery,Pattern Book Art Exhibition,Edinburgh. 26th November - 23rd December 2022. https://www.uprightgallery.com/now.html
SSA 130 Years.Selected Members Exhibition, The RSA, Edinburgh 17th December - 10th January 2022 https://www.s-s-a.org/annualexhibition2022
Exhibitions 2020/2022
Upright Gallery, Edinburgh. Selected Exhibition Nature Works 3rd December – 24th December 21 https://www.uprightgallery.com/nature-works.html
Lillie Gallery 6th -22nd December 21 https://artuk.org/visit/venues/lillie-art-gallery-6985
Auld Kirk Museum, East Dunbartonshire Exhibition 30th October -22nd December 21 https://artuk.org/visit/venues/auld-kirk-museum-6983
No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, Australia. The Garden of Loss and Triumph Exhibition 8th-14th November 21 https://www.artaviso.com/the-garden-landing-page/
The RSA, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh,30x30 Exhibition 1st November -23rd November 21 https://www.s-s-a.org/annualexhibition2021/
The Hall of Awa Japanese Handmade Paper (141 Kawahigashi, Yamakawa, Yoshinogawa City, Tokushima) Awagami Mini Print Exhibition 9th October -7th November 21 http://miniprint.awagami.jp/ENGLISH/exhibitions/index2021.html
Donald Watson Gallery, Waterston House, Edinburgh Selected exhibition Song lines 29th July – August 1st 21. https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/art-gallery
The Viewing Rooms, Online selected Exhibition, Society Scottish Artists 1-31st July 21 https://ssa.viewingrooms.com/viewing-room/10-instant/
Recycl-Age -Art Selected Exhibition, Granton Hub, Edinburgh 9-11th July 21 https://grantonhub.org/recycl-age-art-exhibition-9-11-july-2021/
Donald Watson Gallery, Edinburgh. 4th - 28th 2021 Song Lines, Exhibition of prints at Scottish Ornithological Club.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKMR6yTqjt5/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Lillie Gallery & Auld Kirk Museum - December 2020: https://artuk.org/visit/venues/auld-kirk-museum-6983
Society of Scottish Artists SSA open call 30x30 Online Edition Exhibition 2020 - January 2021:. https://www.s-s-a.org/ssa-open-call-30-x-30-online-edition/
Seacourt International MiniPrint Biennial. 2020: Exhibition of original prints on paper 20x20cm. https://seacourt-ni.org.uk/international-mini-print-online-exhibition/
Art Aviso. 2020: Door to Door Project,A) International online exhibition. https://www.artaviso.com/
Court Yard Gallery, 2019 – June 2019 – 'Exchange' A curated group exhibition inspired by Lichen specimens. Benmore Botanic Garden. www.britishlichensociety.org.uk
Selected Projects & Residencies 2019-22.
The Cowshed Gallery, Farmleigh, Dublin, Ireland. 15cm x 15cm artworks Pluid Project August 27th -5th September 21 https://visualartists.ie/events/pluid-the-national-comfort-blanket-the-cowshed-gallery-farmleigh-estate-2/
Tea by post exchange of seed sharing and alternative practice, with Artists uk and Ireland. https://www.instagram.com/teabypost/
12o Collective, Collaboration and Exhibition with 12o Collective, 30 works in 30 days .
Artist in Residence with the National Library of Scotland. 2019- March 2020 – . https://www.nls.uk/ Making work in response to archive recordings from the Scottish Ornithological Club. Developing and facilitating a series of community workshops responding to key audio recordings. Curating the exhibition of work ‘Song Lines’ at the Court Yard Gallery, Benmore Botanic Garden. https://kelvinhall.org.uk/national-library-of-scotland https://www.the-soc.org.uk/
Lichenology at Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, Science building. 31st – March 2020 ‘Small is Beautiful’ A curated group exhibition of Art work inspired by Lichenology at Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, Science building. https://www.rbge.org.uk/visit/royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh/
Benmore Botanic Garden-Public Talk and workshop . A talk and workshop on my recent residency experience at Benmore Botanic Garden and my research into the Cyanotype process. 2019
Benmore Botanic Garden residency . 2018 -2019 – Self-directed residency at Benmore Botanic Garden. Researching Lichen and the Cyanotype https://www.rbge.org.uk/visit/benmore-botanic-garden/
Awards
The Southbank Printmakers Prize ,Southbank Printmakers Mini print Exhibition ,Gabriel's Wharf,London. December 2022,
Creative Scotland Award Individual Fund to research Wood Lithography June - 23
The Richard and Siobhán Coward Foundation Award for Analogue photography July 2022.
VACMA Award 2022 Visual Artist and Craft Maker Bursary. To research natural pigments site specific to Cowal, develop ink for printmaking and create a series of artists books. https://www.creativescotland.com/ https://www.chartsargyllandisles.org/
KEEP SCOTLAND BEAUTIFUL – Scotland's Climate Seed Funds- February 2022 Funding towards starting a dye garden for the research into natural dyeing, pigment extraction and seed sharing.
VAMCA Award Visual Art Creative Scotland & CHARTS Argyll & Isles 2021 Bursary Award. To explore and experiment with using solar etching plates using intaglio and relief printmaking techniques. Creative Scotland and Argyll & Isles. https://www.chartsargyllandisles.org/
VAMCA Award: Visual Artist and Craft Maker Award 2020 Bursary Award. To explore and develop alternative photographic process with traditional printmaking skills and towards purchase of a Print press. https://www.creativescotland.com/
Hope Scott Trust Award July 2020 A grant to finance the purchase of an Intaglio Print Press
The Scottish Arts Council - Creative and Professional Development grant 2005
The Scottish Arts council - Creative and professional development grant 2004
Cork City Arts and Culture Grant 2003
Memberships
SAU Scottish Artists Union Membership. https://www.artistsunion.scot/about
SSA Society of Scottish Artists https://www.s-s-a.org/ - Elected Professional member 2024.
Art Aviso https://www.artaviso.com/
Charts Argyll and the Isles https://www.chartsargyllandisles.org/
Stockists
*Juno Design Gallery 142 Argyll Street Dunoon PA23 7NA Scotland
*Auld Kirk Museum Cowgate Kirkintilloch, Glasgow G66 1HN Scotland
*Lillie Gallery Station Rd Milngavie, Glasgow G62 8BZ Scotland
*Dunoon Burgh Hall Gallery shop 195 Argyll street, Dunoon PA23 7DD Scotland
*Bigger Museum shop Biggar & Upper Clyde 156 High Street ,ML12 6DH Scotland
Publications/Extracts /Videos
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykGaactFzyo SongLines Exhibition
- https://www.the-soc.org.uk/files/docs/about-us/publications/scottish-birds/sb-vol39-no04.pdf Artist residency with Scottish Ornithological Club.