Bog Oak Sculptures

Published: April 15, 2018, 1:25 p.m.

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Kieran Tuohy was born in Galway in 1953. When he was a child his family moved to England where he was educated. At a young age, his passion for creativity was evident, he began painting and sculpting at 15. With the family\\u2019s heart firmly on Irish soil, they moved home in the early seventies where Kieran began work as a carpenter.\\xa0In the early nineties, Kieran began carving, using mahogany as his medium and \\u201cThe Book of Kells\\u201d as his inspiration. Following on from this he decided to challenge himself to the often difficult and intricate medium of bog oak where his passion for sculpture began to flare.Abandoning the normal bogwood sculpturing techniques of bringing out the natural forms in the wood into apparent objects, Kieran unearths his own images from the wood. With most of his subjects involving Irish history, it is quite poignant that he works in a medium so attached and symbolic to our nation, for which both will now be eternally immortalized. He is unique in that he creates his own shapes and uses many subtly different textures to achieve the finish he wants, using the natural flaws in the wood to great effect.Kieran continues to be inspired by Irish history, mythology, stories and books. In his studio in Kilcolgan, Co Galway he works quietly, carving, polishing and perfecting his pieces, looking to the future, to his next exhibition.http://kierantuohy.com/

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