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Raphaela McCormack

Abaca Fiber Vessels and Ceremonial Urns

Raphaela McCormack
Studio address: #8 Public Market, Rochester, NY 14609
Mailing Address: #8 Public Market, Rochester, NY 14609
(585) 261-5659
rmccormack@rochester.rr.com

Education Exhibitions Awards Work Experience Work in private collections

Artist Statement

I was born in the West of Ireland and I lived there until my late twenties. This land is always in me and my work is inspired by it.

The vast ocean, the barren land with it’s bent trees, the wind, sending clouds racing across the big skies, the brown bogs, stretching as far as the eye can see, gray stone walls surrounding a field, a landscape in a gap between two stones, the ancient mountains, cloaked in sweet smelling gorse, live in my bones.

Initially, my soul is touched by a moment in my current life. As I reflect on this, Ireland’s textures, colours, materials and forms provide the language to capture the meaning of this experience. I then create my vessels in accordance with this root language. I use pulp, fibre, rope, cord, driftwood, stones, seed pods and other detritus. I create colours of lichen, the sky and the earth.

Vessels are my major form. I am compelled by the meaning I observe in the relationships of the world. The vessel provides an ideal vehicle to explore these relationships, particularly between the inner and the outer worlds. This choice allows me to embark on a journey with each idea. For me, this is a dance between creator and created. When the vessel transcends my initial idea, my journey is complete and the vessel is ready to continue it’s journey beyond me.

VITA


Education:

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2006 - 2008 Certified in "Dan Ming" Qi Gong at "The Elixir of Light" School of Qi Gong under Master Peng, Lily Dale NY
2005 Certified Qi Gong therapist
2001-2003 Studied Qi Gong Therapy at the Qi Gong Institute of Rochester
2001 Attended a two day workshop on book binding techniques at the Visual Studies Workshop
1978-1980 National College Of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland.
Completed a series of courses in the fields of design and weaving. Studies focused on drawing, surface decoration, fabric printing, fashion design, the history of art and textile weaving.
1976 Vocational Tech. College Ballinasloe Co. Galway, completed a course in carpentry.
1971-1973 College of Art, Dun-Laoire Co Dublin, Completed a series of courses in metal work, using brass and copper making 2d.and 3d. sculptures.
1971-1973 College of Design Dublin, Diploma in Interior Design. Course involved, architectural drawings, plans, elevations, perspective drawings, building construction drawings, colour and floor plans for private houses, commercial buildings and hotels, stage design, graphic design, history of furniture, furniture design and drawing, colour study and business studies.


Exhibitions:

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2018 "Where Two Woman and Nature Converge" View Arts Center, Old Forge NY
2016 "Where Two Woman and Nature Converge" St. John Fisher College, Rochester NY
2015 Exhibition at CCSU Art Galleries New Britain CT
2014 Fine Craft Show Memorial Art gallery, Rochester NY
2013 Fine Craft Show Memorial Art gallery, Rochester NY
2013 Paradise City Northampton
2013 Ann Arbor Fine Art Fair The original
2012 Ann Arbor Fine Art Fair The Original
2012 Fine Craft Show, Memorial Art Gallery Rochester N.Y.
2011 Crafts America, Washington DC
2011 Philadelphia Museum of Art, Craft Show
2011 One person Exhibit. The Colocano Gallery, Nazareth College Rochester N.Y.
2011 Four pieces on exhibit at the Whimsical Art Trail at the Strong Museum of Play
2010 Fine Craft Show Memorial Art gallery Rochester N.Y.
2009 One person exhibition at Mansfield University, Pennsylvania
2009 Exhibition with Julie Bero Emerson, at The Arts and Cultural Council for Greater Rochester
2009 Finger Lakes Exhibition Memorial Art Gallery Rochester N.Y.
2008 Crafts America Westchester NY
2008 Crafts America Washington DC
2007 Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art, Craft Show
2007 American Crafts Council, Wholesale Retail Craft Show, Baltimore MA.
2006 "Connections" Exhibition with my sister and cousin, in a Fine Art Gallery, in Clonmel Co Tipperary Ireland
2005 The Paper Sculpture Show, at the Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester
2004 Fine Crafts Exhibit. Memorial Art Gallery.
2004 “Made in New York” exhibition Schweinfurth Museum Auburn NY
2003 One person exhibition at the Dyer Arts Center at N.T.I.D. Rochester
2003 “Salon De Refuse” Visual Studies Work shop, Rochester
2003 “Made in New York” exhibit Schweinfurth, Aurburn NY
2003 Large body of work at Gallery at the Point, Sodus Point NY
2003 One person exhibit, at the Wayne Arts Center, Newark NY
2003 Group exhibit at Gallery 15, Prince Street Rochester NY
2003 One person exhibit at the Rochester Yacht Club, NY
2002 “Food for the Soul” Group exhibit at the Valley Manor, East Avenue Rochester, NY
2002 “Boats and The Psyche of Man” Best of show, Newark Wayne Arts Center.
2002 “Made in New York exhibit at Schweinfurth Museum Auburn NY
2001 Large body of work at the Elizabeth Collection Gallery, Rochester
2001 “Made in New York exhibit Schweinfurth Museum Auburn NY
2001 “Finger Lake Exhibition” Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester NY
2000 “Boyle Festival” Art Exhibition, Ireland, Three pieces in a group exhibition, in the West of Ireland.
2000 Large body of work in an exhibition in the Schweinfurth Museum, Auburn
1999 Work shown at Craft Company No.6 Rochester
1998 Work shown at Veni Vedi Gallery, in Rochester
1998 “Woman’s Art Works” exhibit. At Bausch & Lomb Headquarters, Rochester.
1997 Group Exhibition at The Pyramid Art Center in Rochester


Awards:

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2009 Best of Show for 2009, 100 American Craftsmen, Lockport,N.Y.
2008 Collectors Award of Excellence, Crafts America, White Plains Westchester
2008 Best New Exhibitor, 100 American Craftsmen Kenan Center Lockport NY
2008 Award of Merit, Arts in the Garden Craft Show, Sonnenberg Canandaigua NY
2007 Award of Merit, Arts in the Garden Craft Show, Sonnenberg Canandaigua NY
2006 Award of Merit, Arts in the Garden Craft Show, Sonnenberg Canandaigua NY
2002 Best of Show; Boats and The Psyche of Man
2002 Award Merit for Paper Sculpture at the Clothesline Craft Show
1986 Award of Merit for weaving at the Clothesline Craft Show
1986 First Prize at the North Eastern Awning Convention for Interior Awning Design for the Shearton Hotel in Batavia NY
1984 Award of Merit for weaving at the Clothesline Craft Show
1983 Award of Merit for weaving at the Clothesline Craft Show
1983 First Prize at the North Eastern Awning Convention for Interior Awning Design.
1981 One-year scholarship awarded by the Irish Government to study weaving and textiles in Finland.


Work Experience:

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Present: Sculpting paper into one of a kind vessels, combining the paper with found objects and textiles. Teaching Qi Gong and T’ai Chi in the Rochester area, also giving Qi Gong treatments at an acupuncture clinic in the Rochester area. Freelance Interior Design consultant.

1982-1987 Textile weaving for craft fairs and exhibitions in the United States. Freelance design work for W.C. Forster Corp. Work involved awning designs and colour selections; interior work for the Holiday Inn at Rochester Airport, the Shearton Newark and Rochester Marine Inc. Additional work involved canvas applications in various two-and-three dimensional forms to camouflage ceiling duct work in swimming pool areas and banquet areas.

1977-1982 Working full time as a weaver, designing clothing for various craft shops in Ireland.

1976-1982 Freelance design work in Ireland. Work involved interiors and exteriors of private houses, reception areas in commercial buildings, layout planning and colour selection, furniture designs.

1975 Worked with architect and interior architect in Finland. Work involved restoration of mansion houses to their original state; restoration of railway stations houses across Finland; Cafes for Oil Stations, interiors for banks private houses and offices, designs for carpets for carpet manufactures based on the seasons, furniture design projects.


Work in private collections:

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Present day Private collectors: in Ireland, United States, Finland and Germany.
Present day Two large pieces of paper sculpture on permanent exhibit, at the High Falls Gallery.
Present day Sculpture in the Permanent Collection at Mansfield University, Pennsylvania.

Raphaela may be reached at 585-261-5659
or through e-mail at
rmccormack@rochester.rr.com
Copyright 2000-2005 - Raphaela McCormack .  All contents are copyrighted.  All rights reserved.