November: Guest Speaker, Mogs McDonnell

Mogs McDonnell has been a member of the IPS since around 1995. She first began making quilts from a book of patterns and then attended classes with Helen Hardesty, a teacher Mogs admires greatly. Mogs later decided to study for her degree in Art and Design, specialising in Textiles at GMIT. Mogs now teaches a variety of workshops at her lovely stone-built studio "Bolg na Talun", Lisheenageeha, Headford. Mogs is registered with the Crafts Council of Ireland (see www.ccoi.ie for more information)

These two quilts were hand screen-printed from original designs by Mogs based on an old mill in Tuam.

This quilt is entitled 'Lady of the Lake' with an impression of Mogs in the middle.

This quilt is an original design by Mogs and started at a 'Solstice Arts' community day for cultural integration at Campbell's Tavern in Cloughanover (near Headford). Members of the local community, the gospel choir and various ethnic groups living in Galway were invited to create a print of their hand and inscribe it with their own hand-written message. Mogs then created the yin & yang central panel representing earth, wind, fire and water, surrounded by symbols of the sun, moon and stars. The quilt took a couple of years to finish and was launched at a subsequent event at Campbell's where many who had a 'hand' in it returned to see the finished piece. An artist's book was also created to mark the event. Although the quilt later 'disappeared' for a little while from the tavern, a special poster appealing for news of the quilt was successful in reuniting the quilt with its creator! But the quilt will appear again at future community events.