
Growth is a continuum, a flow, a movement of body, mind, and soul. It sways, ripples and moves through us instilling a power to be healed. In the works for this exhibition, Hutchinson explores the concept of growth, through techniques such as embossing, casting, suturing, and embroidery and by using ephemeral materials such as cotton fabrics and thread. Inspired by her family and her own journey of growth Hutchinson’s large-scale tapestries envelop the audience and are fabricated from abstract line drawings of trees drawn by her grandmother. In these drawings Hutchinson creates processes that mimic the placement and sequencing of lines in her own work. Another inspiration was her grandfather a healer; here she is interested in how we can heal and how we heal as individuals; as a result, her subtle use of color and delicate materials calls for the audience to closely scrutinize her work and reflect on the healing properties of its evolving forms.
Image Credit: Francesca Hutchinson, Ephemera, (detail), medical grade lightbox with latex formed embossing’s placed on top, approximately 80 reliefs, 2022
Francesca Hutchinson (1999) is an Offaly based multidisciplinary artist. She has recently graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design where she specialised in Fine Art, Painting. Her most recent work ‘Ephemera’ (2022) consists of a large-scale installation, which creates a space for peace and hope, through reconciliation and reflection of oneself. By examining how religion and illness can intertwine, Hutchinson employs ritual, repetition and movement as a form of healing and therapy. Her work is ever evolving and stems from a variety of inspirations; intuitively her practice is motivated by her family, and her family’s heritage coming from the Travelling community. Francesca is continuing her journey through education by pursuing a Professional Master of Education in Art and Design. Her dream is to continue to pursue her career as an artist and as a teacher, by enriching the lives of young people through the joy and freedom creativity brings.