Inspired by landscapes

Inspired by breathtaking landscapes across the North, Andrea Hayes is a textile artist from Cookstown who uses a unique combination of textiles, painting and metallic elements in her work.

Working from her home studio, the 41-year-old local lady has won numerous textile art awards and exhibited much of her work throughout Ireland.

Each piece that Andrea produces is a unique collage created in her distinctive style, hand painted, layered with hand dyed fabrics, metallic flakes, threads and delicately finished with embroidery.

Speaking of what inspires her as an artist, Andrea explained, “I love all sorts of arts and crafts, particularly ceramic work.

“When I was doing artist research in college, I was drawn towards different styles and mixed media effects rather than any individual artists. I seen a lot and was shown a lot in college.

“I produced a whole volume of research on artists and practitioners and was exposed to many types of artists.”

Andrea graduated from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin with a first class honours degree in 2004.

Throughout her time at college, her work was exhibited as part of the National Crafts Competition in the RDS in Dublin, where she won the Contemporary Embroidery Prize before going on to represent Ireland in the International Crafts Exhibition in Belgium.

“Three people from Ireland took part in the Exhibition in Belgium,” she continued.

“My tutor from college put me forward for it and it was a wonderful experience.”

In 2006, Andrea set up her arts practice creating and selling artworks and was placed in the prestigious Craft NI business start up programme ‘Making It’.

Her artworks have included a range of small scale framed and mounted textile pieces which are all individually made by hand, while the variety of mediums present in her art have become a recognisable feature.

Andrea has also produced larger scale mixed media pieces over the years in which she uses her textile and painting skills with an aluminium base to create unique, one-off pieces of work that feature regularly in her exhibitions.

She works to commission and has produced work for both private and public spaces and is also a part time arts and crafts community lecturer who facilitates art workshops for local organisations and a range of community groups, both in specialist textile art crafts and general arts and crafts.

Describing her latest work, Andrea said, “My current work has been inspired by the landscapes on the North.

“Living right beside the Sperrin Mountains is a great source of inspiration.

“I have produced a lot of pieces inspired by the north coast and local mountain scenes.

“I also love working with moody, atmospheric skies.”

Andrea’s next exhibition is set to take place on June 15 in Klover Haus, Moira.

To view or purchase her work locally, it is regularly displayed in Gallery One in Cookstown.