THE diary is filling up for the continuation of a wonderful series of exhibitions at Working Artist Studios (WAS), with November dedicated to displaying the creative work of service users from Co- Action in Skibbereen.

By Aisling Meath

WAS lies in the very heart of the village of Ballydehob, serving as an epicentre for artistic expression in West Cork and beyond.

Run by a local family - mixed media artist Marie Cullen, along with writer, printmaker musician and podcaster Paul O Colmáin, and their son, sculptor Dubhaltach - it is a constant hub of creative output.

The diversity of artistic expression to be found there leaves any visitor to the studios in no doubt whatsoever that the reputation which West Cork has garnered over the years for being a mecca for the arts is one hundred per cent accurate.

The family all work in situ at the studios on their own creative projects in tandem with  mounting exhibitions, holding gigs and book readings by authors.

These take place either in the gallery or in the very attractive Tailors Hall at the back of the premises, where you can also view the incredible sculptures by Dubhaltach which he constructs from recycled materials.

They also do outreach work with local schools as well as contributing to the many festivals which are hosted by the Ballydehob community.

“We really love working with the local kids. It’s great seeing them being inspired and learning through art and play,” said Marie.

The colourful building which houses WAS studios is run by artists for artists where local creatives, as well as those from all over the world, take up short term residencies.

This enables them to concentrate solely on their projects without the distractions of busy lifestyles, a recent example being a sculptor from New Zealand who based herself there to work.

These residencies in turn all contribute to promoting the local area and encouraging cultural collaborations and exchange.

Working Artist Studios has always been dedicated to the support of both emerging and established artists, and providing a space to just simply create is an enormous asset to the community.

“We welcome visitors to pop in and see us at work,” said Marie, “the door is always open and we are always happy to show people around and tell them about our current projects and our exhibitions. We love to share our process.”

This opportunity to see artists actually at work in their studios is rare enough and the West Cork community are lucky to be the recipients of such hospitality.

There is soon to be activity starting up outside the building too, as artist Coílín Murray begins painting their front door in what they are hoping will be the start of turning Ballydehob into the ‘Village of Painted Doors’ like the Italian village of Valloria in Liguria.

Since WAS relocated to Ballydehob in 2019 from Skibbereen when the building they formally occupied on North Street was sold, they have further enriched the already vibrant local arts and culture scene.

“It’s always been our mission to promote art and creativity as a viable way of life by providing a bright dynamic space for art to grow naturally, and it’s really important to us that our local community connects with it,” explained Marie.

Paul offers classes in printmaking in the dedicated print room there, and he also provides regular classes in Irish language. Along with Dubhaltach, and his other son Murchadh, father and sons play music and host regular gigs at WAS with their band An Rud Sín.

Paul also hosts a podcast called Into The Mythic with writer Leanne O’Donnell which examines ancient Irish stories, myths and legends.

The family have always lived a life dedicated to their love of art and of the natural world. Paul and Marie met in Dublin when they were both art students, and then lived for an adventurous ten years on the Blasket island as caretakers in the days before mobile phones were in everybody’s pockets.

“We first moved in 1985 and stayed for two whole years without coming off. We ran the hostel and a guesthouse, and for the next eight years we stayed from around March until October,” recalled Marie.

Living on an uninhabited island in itself would be challenging to most, but considering the couple also had their baby Dubhaltach in tow at the time, looking back on it now it seems extraordinary.

But this is one family who have always been inspiring in their dedication to the call of their creativity and adventure, in both art and in life.

For classes and events check: Facebook: Working Artist Studios or workingartiststudios.com