May 2025 Featured Artist
Deirdre’s Inspiration:
Introduction:
My name is Deirdre Bannon. I am from Derry city in Northern Ireland, a place where there has been civil unrest and sectarian divide. I was invited to join the Anawim Arts Steering group after I retired from my art therapy work in Omagh four years ago.
- DOES WHERE YOU ARE FROM AFFECT YOUR ART?
I now live in Portstewart, Co. Derry. It is a seaside town with a little harbour and loads of coffee shops. We have a large beach so there is much swimming all year round. We are surrounded by golf courses. On the other side of the sea is Donegal, where I spent a lot of my holidays as a child and as an adult. The beauty of the landscape here affects me and my art deeply. I walk in the beautiful surroundings where I live and cannot but be grateful.
- WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCERS?
My father was an artist. He painted beautiful watercolour pictures of ships on the River Foyle when American ships were docked there during the war. Later when he retired to Portstewart he took up oil painting of Irish landscapes. I like the art of my teachers, T P Flanaghan and other Irish artists eg Paul Henry. Louis Le Broquy, Jack B Yeats , John Lavery. I also like the work of Monet and Marc Chagall. In sculpture I like the work of Barbara Hepworth.
- WHAT DREW YOU TO YOUR FAVORITE MEDIUM?
I discovered clay when I studied art in my teacher training. I love working with clay. I like its tactile quality and I love the many coloured glazes that can decorate the clay and make it very beautiful.
I also love calligraphy as a medium that can express words through the beauty of writing. My inspiration for calligraphy has been sayings of Mary Ward, foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose writings touched me deeply when I started reading them in the Noviciate nearly 60 years ago.
- HOW DOES YOUR WORK AFFECT SOCIETAL ISSUES?
Many years ago I came across a child in my class who didn’t speak. I took the child after school and let her paint for an hour. An art therapist supervised this work. I became aware that other children could benefit from a space to express themselves through art. I trained as an art therapist and have experienced the help of this process to those who find this medium a way of communicating inner thoughts and feelings in a safe environment very helpful.
- HOW DO YOU COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS?
I meet to paint once a week with a group who want to paint. I also meet with art therapy colleagues for workshops or art therapy training. During Covid, I met online with art therapy colleagues to paint and share.