Seanie Barron

For decades, Seanie Barron has been carving and shaping wood in a workshop at the back of his house in Plunkett Road, Askeaton. Initially, his work might be labeled as folk art, yet on further inspection it becomes apparent that his work is instead borne out of an understanding of nature and often-humorous interpretations of the environment around him. He roams around Askeaton, looking for the right branch left in a field or underneath a bush, to then shape into a walking stick. These often take on surreal forms referencing seahorses, weasels, fists, foxes or swimmers. Many double as whistles, or incorporate found objects such as coins, bullets or animal bones. By channeling all from the overlooked to the exotic, Barron has spent years working on a form of art that, though may come from an untrained hand, is as relevant as any didactical form of creativity.

The publication has an essay by Christa-Maria Lerm Hayes, Professor of Art History at the University of Amsterdam, and an in-depth interview with Seanie Barron by exhibition curator Michele Horrigan.