Rena is an artist/ photographer specialising mostly in watercolour based in Ennis, Co Clare.
My art career began in 1994 when having been a teacher for twenty years I started having chronic voice problems and had to give up teaching.
I started painting on silk, then tried all other media but the one I love the most is watercolour.
My first watercolours were very dramatic, with bold colours reflecting drama that was going on inside me at losing my voice.
Then with acceptance of my new stage in life my paintings became much calmer or perhaps painting acted as a therapy to deal with my emotions. My paintings have been described as fluid energetic yet calming. While creating, I focus on the interrelation of colours and shades, as the most important instrument of expression; I often simplify forms down, heading in the direction of impressionism so the colours show more, and have a bigger impact on the viewer.
My techniques in watercolour are wet on wet, on recycled watercolour paper, letting the colours run and then working on what images start forming. . My themes are wide and varied including the innocence of childhood, precious family moments, dramatic seascapes and landscapes,vibrant flowers and moody figure studies.
Past Group Exhibitions
• City Gallery, City Hall, Gallery 75, Hunt Museum. Limerick.
• DeValera Library, Clare Museum, Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare.
• Kenny Gallery, Lahinch, Co. Clare.
• Kenny Gallery, Galway.
Solo Exhibitions
• Cavan County Museum, Cavan.
• Adare Heritage Center, Adare, Co. Limerick.
I have studied at the Burren College of Art Ballyvaughan; Gallery 75, Limerick; Raheen Art Studio, Limerick; and Limerick College of Further Education.
I’m a member of the Inis Artists, Society for All Artists (SAA), and the Portrait Society of America.