Earth artist Thomasina Earley opens solo exhibition

As a Westmeath artist who does not use paint, Thomasina Earley captures the essence of the Irish landscape through its own palette. At her studio close to the Hill of Uisneach, she creates art using local soils, clays from the surrounding areas, peats from the midland bogs and sands from the Irish coast.

She is drawn to the use of copper, gold and silverleaf, which can frequently be seen in her work.

The launch of Thomasina’s exhibition, Earth Awake, took place on Tuesday May 30 in the Atrium at Áras an Chontae, Mullingar where it continues until Friday June 9.

A background in industrial design, interior design and illustration took Thomasina on projects in Ireland and abroad. She captured visuals of different terrains, from the red of the Australian outback to the dripping wet jungles of Asia – habitats in which life expands, renews and decays.

She found that her time in the forests of Quebec opened up opportunities in her creative expression, and on her return to Ireland, she was drawn by what lies beneath the wetlands, layers of forgotten stories buried deep within a drenched bed of black soil.

"The land we walk, our native boglands," stirred a curiosity within she said.

Thomasina describes being on the Irish bog as freedom to the soul. It is a connection to our ancestors, she says, a frequency only the soul understands.

"Walking on an Irish bog ignites the bloodline. Who has come, walked these parts, and left an imprint, a thought, a song, a poem? What has travelled, on foot or winged? What was created, birthed, reared here? What took its first steps, first flight, last breath here? What memories were made or secrets stored?"

Thomasina’s talent can be seen in her adaptation of materials from the natural world and its Earth pigments.

Her work has been described as: profound, epic, evocative, atmospheric, and the singer Imelda May recently shared images of it on social media and sent a personal message saying, "I Love your Work! Beautiful!"