Mary McGrath
MARY McGRATH
Statement
Since beginning to create my own art I have concentrated on my personal interest in biodiversity: the variety and variability of life on Earth, especially the richness of our native animals and birds which have survived despite intensive farming, habitat destruction and the demands of industry for greater financial rewards. I love the countryside and I paint what I see and know. Spending time on my smallholding reminds me of what has disappeared. No hares or skylarks. The curlew has long since gone. But still there is hope. My artwork invites you to be aware of your surroundings. To five Nature a chance to recover. To appreciate the survivors in our ecosystems and to realise that we can all make a difference.
My work has evolved from straightforward figurative images to creating more complex three-dimensional immersive Infinity Boxes and Rooms. These invite visitor participation and provide an unforgettable experience while celebrating nature. Other work involves the use of Light and Mirrors and Ultraviolet Light. This project is a work in progress.
About the Artist
Mary McGrath trained originally as an Art Conservator at the Courtauld Institute, London University and at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University. She has worked in England, France, Italy and the United States. In Ireland she has worked for the Irish Museum of Modern Art, The Hugh Lane Gallery and the National Gallery of Ireland, the National Museum and for many other institutional and private clients.
Mary worked for two summers as Visiting Consultant on a gilding project at the Getty Museum in Malibu. For many years she lectured Art History students in Trinity College Dublin on the History of Materials and Techniques of Painting. She was the Project Manager for the Francis Bacon Studio move from London to the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin.
In 2017 she joined the Leinster Print Studio and since then has exhibited prints at venues throughout Ireland and in Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Canada and England. She paints and draws portraits, animals and landscapes, and takes commissions for both in oils, charcoal and watercolours.
In 2020 Mary was a founding member of SULT Artists, an exciting group of multidisciplinary Kildare artists who came together in a collective manner to promote and market their work. In 2025 Mary spent a month living and working in the Clare Island Studio.
Please contact the artist directly for all sales queries
Email: mary@marymcgrath.ie
Instagram: @marymcgrathartist
Facebook: Mary McGrath Artist
Mobile: 087 9680303
Website: www.marymcgrath.com