ABOUT LOUISE CHERRY
“In a series of elaborate portrait images, using herself as a model, Cherry offers a radically revised version of a personal family history as exemplified in a gallery of formal portraits. Her imaginative approach to the conventions of portraiture and the codes of visual representation allow her room to develop some fascinating critical insights.” Aidan Dunne, The Irish Times, 2004 ref: Members Only Series
Louise Cherry is a multi-disciplinary artist with an extensive art practice that includes painting, photography, film, sculpture, performance and writing. Her current focus, abstract paintings, are an elaborate investigation of painting and deconstruction deliberately aimed to challenge visual representation. Cherry has exhibited nationally and internationally through both conceptual photography and her abstract paintings. She has received funding from local authorities, governmental bodies and galleries to exhibit and produce work and her work has been added to public collections including The Bibliotheque National de France and the Wicklow County Council. Cherry has a first class masters in Visual Arts Practice from The Institute of Art, Design and Technology (2009), and a first class degree in Photography from The Dublin Institute of Technology (2001). Before turning to art, Cherry had a previous career in the pharmaceutical industry and she also holds an honours degree in Business Studies from Kingston University, London (1994).
Louise was a lecturer in photography at Dun Laoighaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) for a number of years before leaving to focus on her art practice.
Artist’s Statement
The aesthetic should always challenge, a painting or any art piece should give so much more than just visual pleasure, the observer needs to be intrigued. Every time you look at an abstract painting, you should see something different, your eye should be led to a colour, texture or detail that you hadn't noticed before.
I feel a sense of excitement and fear everyday as I strive to create that intrigue for my viewer. It is not a simple process of looking and recreating what I see, in fact it is the opposite, to create what cannot be seen is the challenge. I intentionally do not to plan my paintings in advance, working instinctively, I allow the process to guide the development of my canvas, I like to discover a visual by accident, and coming to a point where I can look at the canvas and say, “that’s it, I’m getting there, I’m on to something”. The frustration, excitement, fear and challenge in this process are integral to each composition.
I work with a mixture of materials, a wide range of tools and I combine painting layers and layers of deconstruction on the canvas. It can be a beautiful and sometimes brutal process, the construction of each painting develops using destructive techniques. Often it can be more about what I take off the canvas than what I add and surfaces re assembled layer by layer over a period of months. The process is very physical and my studio is a happy energy filled space. All going well, the emerging process leaves me with a painting rich in colour, thick with layers and texture, full of intrigue and excitement, visually beautiful and full of joy.
Solo Exhibitions
2024 All that’s left of you in me, Signal Arts Centre, July 2024
2008 You, you and me, Temple Bar Galleries, Dublin
2006 Fragilities, Wicklow County Buildings
2006 Fragilities, Temple Bar Galleries, Dublin
2005 Fragilities, Tinahely Arts Centre, Wicklow
2004 Members Only, Listowel Arts Centre, Kerry
2004 Members Only, St Johns Arts Centre, Kerry
2004 Members Only, Droichead Arts Centre, Louth
2004 Members Only, Riverbank Arts Centre, Kildare
Group Exhibitions
2024 1.618 - Order in chaos, An Chead Tine Gallery, Kilkenny August 2024
2024 Conversation with Trees, Curated by Eamon Colman, Artnetdlr, Dun Laoighaire
2023 Summer of Love, The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Co. Clare
2023 Transience, Curated by Carmel Benson, Artnetdlr, Dun Laoighaire
2022 The Winter Gathering, Curated by Louise Cherry, Wicklow Town
2022 Signal Arts Centre group show
2021 Signal Arts Centre group show
2019 Catching light The Venue Gallery, Wicklow
2010-19 The Art Studio, Curated Shows, Wicklow
2008 You, you and me, Temple Bar Galleries, Dublin
2008 Just tell me the truth, Temple Bar Galleries, Dublin
2005 Fragilities, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast, UK
2005 Fragilities, Mermaid Arts Centre, Wicklow
2004 Members Only, The Model Arts Centre, Co.Silgo
2004 Members Only, The Workroom Studio, Dublin
2002 Camden Trade, VIA Group, Dublin
2001 Members Only, National Photography Archive, Dublin
2001 Members Only, Photo Service Gallery, Paris, France
2001 Members Only, International Photo Festival, Arles, France
2000 Dreamscapes, 4th International Photo. Gathering, Aleppo, Syria
Awards
2004. Artists Support Scheme, Wicklow County Council
2001 Culture Ireland Award, International Photo. Festival, Arles, France
2001 Photo Service Award, Galerie D’Essai Exhibition, Arles, France
2000 Culture Ireland Award, 4th International Photo. Gathering, Syria
2000 Alliance Francaise Award, International Photo Gathering, Arles, France
Public Speaking and Publications
2024 Order in chaos, panel discussion, An Chead Tine Gallery, Kilkenny
2024 All that’s left of you in me -In conversation - Coaifhionn Hanlon @ The Signal Art Centre
2005 Perspective Publication, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast, UK
2004 The Exclusion of Others Presentation, Droichead Arts Centre, Co. Louth
2001 Members Only Presentation,, The Gallery of Photography, Dublin
2000 Members Only Presentation, 4th International Photography Festival, Syria
2000 Members Only Presentation, The French Cultural Centre, Damascus, Syria
2001 Limited edition of ‘Members only’ series, private publication
2001 Members Only Publication, Galerie D’Essai - Laureats, Paris, France
Education
2010 MA Hons, First Class, Visual Arts Practice, IADT, Dublin
2001 BA Hons, First Class, Photography, DIT, Dublin
1994 BA Hons Business Studies, Kingston University, London, UK
Experience
2001 - present Independent artist
2020 - present Founder and Director. Louise Cherry Gallery
2009 - present Founder and Director. The Art Studio
2001 - 2010 Lecturer in Photography and Media Studies at IADT
1992 - 1998 Research Executive - Isis Research, London, UK