Artlink stitches up an inspiring new artistic residency at Fort Dunree
An artist whose work challenges conventional ideas about waste
Artlink at Fort Dunree has welcomed contemporary artist Helen O’Shea as its latest Artist in Residence, bringing an artist with a strong focus on waste, sustainability and creative reuse to Inishowen.
Cork-based Helen first trained as a chef before studying at Grennan Mill Craft School in Kilkenny. She subsequently spent two decades working in youth and community arts before returning to education, completing a First Class BA (Hons) in Contemporary Applied Art and an MA by Research exploring new narratives for waste plastics.
Her artistic practice was influenced by a residency in Iceland and by the plastic waste washing up on Ireland’s shores. She transforms discarded materials into contemporary artworks, encouraging audiences to look at waste not simply as something to be thrown away, but as a valuable creative resource.
O’Shea’s work has been exhibited internationally, including in Switzerland and China, and has also featured in Crafts Magazine in the UK and Irish Arts Review.
During her time at Artlink, she will have the opportunity to further develop her artistic practice while sharing elements of her work with the Artlink community in Inishowen and beyond.
As part of the residency, Helen is also hosting a Sewing Machine Revival, although the event is now fully booked.
The initiative aims to help participants rediscover the confidence to use their own sewing machines and reconnect with sewing skills that were once commonplace in many households.
The project reflects the wider themes running through O’Shea’s work, encouraging people to repair and reuse textiles rather than automatically replacing them.
It is also Helen’s first visit to Donegal, with Artlink describing the residency as something of an adventure and teasing that “who knows what else” might emerge during her time at Fort Dunree.
Her residency provides an opportunity for Artlink’s community to engage with an artist whose work challenges conventional ideas about waste while demonstrating how discarded materials can be given a new lease of life.