Pages from a Notebook
Introduction:
Pages From a Notebook at Jerpoint Glass Studios offers a fascinating first look at sketches, studies, notes and drawings from the archive of the late Kilkenny artist Helen Comerford.
Born in Thomastown in 1945, Comerford studied fine art sculpture at NCAD and later in Belfast and the Netherlands. Across an almost 50-year career, her work embraced a range of media from papier mâché, slate, inks and print, graphite, wax and metals to encaustic painting and is represented in all the major national collections.
This exhibition sheds light on the philosophical underpinnings of her work, as well as the processes and skills on which she placed so much emphasis. Helen Comerford’s last solo exhibition, The Nineteen, was a highlight of the Festival in 2021.
The exhibition runs as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival until August 30th from 10am till 5pm daily.
collection 1
self portraits
These seven portraits are from a collection of over 80 self portraits carried out almost daily in 2004 reflecting her mood on each day and drawn with as little thought as possible and no reference to a mirror or another image.
collection 2
the last work
a work in progress
As left in Comerford’s studio
collection 3
geometry and numbers
On wall: Drawing towards the planetary series
This is a crucial part of Comerford’s work
Sacred geometry
Notebook: One of her last entries in her notebook
collection 4
marks, colour and composition
These three drawings demonstrate rapid premeditated gesture
It is interesting to note that some of these sketches took only seconds to make.
Crows and Angels
collection 5
towards Pisces
In this collection of three encaustic drawings on paper, Comerford is working towards composition in the loaves and fishes series
Finished painting from the loaves and fishes series
collection 6
consolidating the square
Collection of four encaustic sketches on paper.
Unlike landscape and portrait formats, the Square radiates equally from its centre to Infinity.
collection 7
crows and angels
In this delicate work, encaustic on brown paper, from The Crow Series to Dormant Structures
collection 8
towards Indigo
Four drawings from and mapping the Indigo series
Finished artwork in the Indigo series (not exhibited currently)
collection 9
Earth Air Fire Water
Three drawings in oil pastel towards the Earth, Fire, Air and Water series
Finished Earth painting (not currently exhibited)
collection 10
oak gall ink
Two drawings and three notebooks
Comerford had a commitment to natural raw materials pigments from the earth
Oak gall ink being an ancient medium of the monks
collection 11
from the centre
Two drawings in watercolour on paper
collection 12
other notebooks
In this exhibition there are nine notebooks on display, none of which fully analysed as yet. It’s worth visiting the main website to explore finished works from these from these notebooks such as The 19
Thanks
Exhibition curation: Richard Coghlan
Gallery Technician and Archives: Mary Gallagher Cooke
Many thanks to Kathleen, Rory, Eoghan and everyone at Jerpoint Glass Studios for all their support
To Olga Barry and everyone at Kilkenny Arts Festival.
To Catherine Marshall and all of Na Cailleacha
To Aideen, Julie, Donal and all of our family and friends who have rallied around this first exhibition since Helen’s passing.
with deep gratitude,
David and Medb