It would be an absolute thrill to be selected for The Dover Prize Fund. As an emerging artist who is seeking to really push the boundaries of their sculpture practice, access to this type of financial support would allow me to focus more intently on my creative process, leading to the production of higher quality and more innovative work. Over the two year, I would use this substantial award to enrol in courses that focus on constructed textiles & pattern making, life & portrait sculpture as well as a continued exploration of ceramics. Although my background is in mould/casting, textiles, & some metal work, I began to introduce these processes into my practice in 2020 and have developed a love for traditional craftsmanship with modern interpretations. Since the completion of my degree, my textiles and ceramics have been gaining recognition, however, without access to the proper training, the right facilities and tools I have struggled to keep up with the demand for my work. Being granted this opportunity to develop a strong foundation in these crafts would contribute to more ambitious work as well as artistic independence, as I will gain the knowledge and skillset to eventually work on my own. In conjunction with the courses, I intend to use this bursary to assist me in renting a studio space so that I am able to further push the boundaries of my work. Acquiring a studio would place me amidst a vibrant community of talented and diverse industry professionals. This environment would significantly enhance my visual language and artistic identity. For an emerging artist like myself, this exposure is crucial for artistic development as it would expand my perspective, provide invaluable networking opportunities, and foster collaborations that will shape the future of my work. In parallel to my personal development, I have a broader vision of building a cooperative or membership-based art space specifically for individuals who identify with the LGBTQIA+ community. This space would provide a safe and non-judgmental environment for people to learn and develop skills in metalwork, woodworking, casting, and mould-making.
I am quite fascinated by the rich history of Darlington’s Covered Market. It seems to me that long before the railways connected the country and the textile industry put Darlington on the map, the market itself was a lifeline for most Durham County and North Yorkshire and for any weary travellers in between. I love the way in which the food market has evolved for over a hundred years to meet the needs of the community and is still continuing to this day. With this prize I plan to explore Darlington’s relationship to this historic market and the cultural relationship between food, femininity and desire. In Western art history certain foods have always been used to symbolise tradition and luxury. Mirroring a lifestyle associated with heteronormative, nuclear ideals that are often not extended to marginalised and working class communities. Drawing inspiration from the Byron quote, “Since Eve ate the apple, much depends on dinner” and the Victorian poem entitled Goblin Market, I hope to enhance the creative arts in the area by combining textiles, ceramics and kinetic sculptures to subvert and explore concepts of identity and longing.
I am a multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist whose practice takes form through textiles, ceramics and traditional mould-making techniques. My research predominantly centres around the monstrous feminine and the structured tropes of women & queerness in modern day media. Taking cues from the horror genre, dark humour, Dutch still-life paintings, and vintage advertisements I create cutesy, nightmarish worlds that explore conceptions of queerness, femininity, and desire.
At the core of my artistic practice lies a profound fascination with the interplay between the macabre and the theatricality of camp. Through experimental manipulations of form and traditional craftsmanship, I have cultivated a diverse body of work that showcases these blurred boundaries between attraction and repulsion. Tables filled with extravagant ceramic cakes and slick wet oysters crawling with monstrous creatures. Glistening stuffed red lips and inflatable pierced tongues slip against each other, while glossy PVC hands with claw-like talons grip weapons. All of which sits amongst a nostalgic backdrop that carries a legacy of idealised femininity and desire. I have even begun to introduce a kinetic element to my practice by having my sculptures illuminate, ooze, and writhe. By dissecting and subverting these traditional narratives I invite viewers to engage with the delicate and the grotesque in equal measure.
Throughout my emerging career I have regularly participated in group exhibitions all across the U.K. and the U.S. This includes Deptford X, the Saatchi Gallery and the Manchester Queer Contemporary Showcase. Most recently I was commissioned to create a piece for the art collective, Bad Art Presents, for their exhibition Let Them Eat Fake and I was selected as a finalist for The Ingram Art Prize.
I received my Bachelors of Fine Art degree from Arcadia University located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. My concentration was on Sculpture and painting. I received my Masters of Fine Art from Goldsmiths University in London, U.K. in 2020.
I was fortunate enough to be granted the Developing Your Creative Practice Grant from the Arts Council in 2022. I was also awarded the Queer Creative Art Fund from Polyester Zine in collaboration with Monki, where my work was featured in their magazine and I received funding for a proposed project in 2021.
My work has been showcased throughout multiple, international publications. This includes Polyester Zine, an art journal, where my piece was featured and I was interviewed for the magazine. You can see my work in View Magazine, Womanly Magazine, and Fiber Art Now Magazine for their “Emerging Artist Showcase” segment. Most recently my work was published and I was interviewed in BBC Culture, for their article entitled: “Demons, Monsters, Witches: The Surprising Power of Horror Stories” written by Emily Steer, a notable art writer.
In 2022 I was selected for the Sarabande Foundation Studio Residency, the charity foundation started by Alexander McQueen. This offered me subsidised studio space for one year as well as networking and exhibition opportunities. Through this residency I was commissioned to create seven bespoke ceramic pieces for Dom Perignon.
Email: toreilly18@gmail.com
Address: Flat 13 Castell House, Deptford Church Street, London, SE8 4SD, GB
Local Authority: Lewisham
