From Ashes is a collection of new works by north Westmeath artist Aishling Muller which will open in County Buildings, Mullingar on July 31.
It features a mesh of media works exposing the process of development and exploration experienced by Aishling while the works were being created.
From the start this process has been an interactive one as the work was shared online during its development through social media sites. Aishling threw herself into deep waters with media she had until now explored only on the surface. The exhibition documents and showcases the steps she has taken on her journey, from the creation of a narrative oil painting to the process of developing a 20 minute performance piece, right through to discovering her own unique style with water colours. And by doing so Aishling opens up and invites the audience deep into the mind of the artist to the internal process which is so often hidden from the view of an arts audience. The concept of the work arrived as a result of being advised to return to her practice after an extended intermission to pursue other interests training as a holistic therapist last year.
Her artistic process has taken a huge turn in the last years changing from representing the outside world using lens-based media to turning within. Inspiration for the work came this time not from the outside but from the inside as she now began to examine what was happening in her internal world.
Aishling shied away from the little questions and jumped straight to the big ones. She began by asking herself some really huge questions, what is creativity, what is her process all about, and how does her creativity work in tandem with who she is. And what she has discovered is yet another huge question mark. Is creativity yet another tool allowing us to access, understand, and ultimately remove our emotional blocks? From Ashes is her personal exploration of these questions.
From Ashes will open in the atrium of Mullingar County Buildings on July 31 at 6.15pm. It’s an opening not to be missed as the artist extends a special invite to the audience to participate in the making of an art work on the opening night.
This work will feature for the duration of the show, and acts as a special thank you to all those who have engaged and fed the development of her creative practice to date.
