About Me
Tom is a professional artist with over 30 years experience, in that time he has developed a substantial catalogue of work in Ireland and abroad.
Working within community contexts has profoundly influenced his core principals as an artist – namely that his work is authentic, celebratory and respectful of citizen participation.
Tom’s work has allowed him to learn from the communities he has engaged with, which is continually enriching his practice. For years Tom has been exploring the capacity of translucent materials & illuminated forms as accessible materials to engage with communities to explore existential themes such as built heritage, citizenship, bereavement and memory.
CV
Tom Meskell
www.tommeskell.com
Email ; tommeskell1@eircom.net
Education
2003-04. NUI Galway diploma in community development.-National Diploma
1995-98. University of Ulster, Belfast Art College, Fine and Applied Arts - Sculpture. BA hons degree
1988. Grennan Mill Craft School.-Certificate
Arts and health
2022-ongoing -Associate artist with Helium Arts Ireland
2017-21- Guest Facilitator as part of Age and Opportunity – Creative Communities programme .
2018 - May - Lake Constance Whit Sun Festival one week residency.
2018 - "Hollybrook birds", Lantern installation with Hollybrook Nursing unit Inchicore Dublin
2017- Heart Beet Vermont Artist in residence for conference
2016- Heart Beet Vermont Artist in residence for conference
2016 – Invited to speak as part of a panel for THIS IS NOT MY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE seminar
2015 - Heart and Home – Light installation made with participants from the Rural Training Center
2011- Ongoing .ART ROOM – Arts in Care setting programme, Sacred Heart hospital Castlebar and St Fionnans Achill – weekly workshops
2014- Awarded WHAT documentation award.
2013- Light Catchers – Upstart project
2012- Re-imagined – Upstart Project
2004 -05. Arts and health residency leading to the formation of arts organization Anem Beo
2001- Arts and health conference Tallaght, I brought over GRACE to facilitate a week long event.
1999- Arts and Mental Health programme, Tallaght Dublin
1998- Internship GRACE programme Vermont USA
Residencies
2009 – 2022- artist in residence Sacred Heart Hospital Castlebar ART ROOM
2021-2022 – Wildfires residency with CHI- Blancherstown Children's Unit
2019 - Beaver Run Pennsylvania
2018 - Hollybrook Birds- Hollybrook Nursing Unit Inchicore.
2018 - May - Lake Constance Whit Sun Festival one week residency.
2017-18 -St Fionnans Community Nursing Unit Achill Island Arts Residency.
2017- Heart Beet Vermont Artist in residence for conference
2016- Artist in the community Scheme – Ballinamore Men’s Shed
2016- Heart Beet Vermont Artist in residence for conference
2010 Artist in School Residency with Roscommon Co Council and Corrigeenroe National School.
2008 Artist in Residence Leitrim County Council.
2005 Artist in Residence Offaly Co Council.
2004. Artist in Residence Offaly Co Council.
2001/2002. Arts Residency - development of own work, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo.
2000. Raumer's Artists Exchange, Rauma Finland. 3 month residency culminating in show of studio work.
2000. Glen Centre Manorhamilton. Artist in Residence with Day Care Centre.
1999. Glen Centre Manorhamilton. Installation in Manorhamilton, “Better to Light a candel”.
1999. Virginia House Tallaght, Arts Residency.
1998. G.R.A.C.E. Vermont. Community Arts Residency.
1998. Bally Connell Sculpture Trail, Participating Artist.
1996. BallyConnell Sculpture Trail, Project Director and featuring Artist.
Solo Exhibitions
2015-“puc fada” Turlough House
2014- Ballina Art Centre – “on the Hop”
2013-On the Hop, Ballina Art Centre
2007. Refocus The Museum of Country Life Turlough House Cafe
2006. Refocus The Roscommon Art Centre
2002. "Personal Mythologies". Tallaght Community Arts Centre Dublin 1995. 'Work's on Slate', Festival Gallery, Letterkenny.
2000. 'My House My World', Rauma, Finland.
1995. "Works on Slate", Letterkenny arts festival.
Group Show
2019 - Straight out of Ireland -Philadelphia
2018 - An Criú- associated artists from Macnas - Inis Oirr
2017 - An Criú – associated artists from Macnas Charlestown -Art Centre
2015. Engage Group Show Longford.
2014. The Hermit Collective, Charlestown, Boyle and Manorhamilton.
2009. Leitrim Sculpture Centre, Christmas show
2009. "Mayo Artists ", Linnenhall, Castlebar Co Mayo
2004. “Food for Thought”, Linnenhall, Castlebar Co Mayo
2005. “ Mayo Artists”, LinenHall Castlebar, Co Mayo1999. 'Brittany Art's Exchange' competition exhibition, with sculpture society, winners exhibited in Brittany and Mullingar.
1998. 'Looking for Space', Donegal, Ionad Coislucha.
1998. 'Contradicting Elements', Blackstaff Mill, Belfast.
1996. 'Looking for Space' Belfast, Rosses Court, (Founder member of group 'Looking for Space').
1996. 'Looking for Space', Donegal, The Workhouse, Dunfanaghy.
1996. 'Looking for Space', Donegal, Ionad Coislucha.
1995. Rosses Court Belfast, Queen's St. and Letterkenny Arts Space group show.
Installations
2022- September- Lights in the darkness Philadelphia – a one month residency culminating in a 100 figure installation at City Hall square.
2021-22- Light Brigade – A Faoin Speir project, this was one of the larger projects delivered as part of the Longford Faoin Speir.
2021- Gathering in Cavan – A Faoin Speir project, this was one of the larger projects delivered as part of the Cavan Faoin Speir.
2020-21 – Silent answers –covid 19 response award – this work was filmed as part of A Kila recording at Whelan’s and later displayed as part of the Westival extended pandemic festival, the work was on display for 3 months in Waterford.
2020- Illuminated fish- Well Festival – Waterford
2019- Fox Family-Well Festival – Waterford
2019- Legends -Lantern show – Beaver Run Pennsylvania
2018- Stars – Well Festival - Waterford
2017- Night Flowers – Halloween festival Ballyshannon
2017- Night Flowers – Well Festival - Waterford.
2016- Ardmore Pattern Day Light catchers and lantern domes created with local children in collaboration with Carmel Balfe.
2016 – Coole Park Deer, environmental sculpture project.
2016 Lights in the Darkness – Longford 1916 commemoration
2015.Longford Angels , Engage
2015 – Dingle Deer, environmental sculpture project Dingle.
2013. Light Catchers, Bohola Art Centre Co Mayo
2012.The Dream Garden , Longford Theatre
2012. Beast, Baboro Children’s festival Galway – featured exhibition
2009. "The Dream Garden" Birr Hullabaloo festival Co Offaly.
2009. "The Magicians Garden" Rural Training Centre Castlebar.
2008. The Ant Farm Rural Training Centre Castlebar.
2004. “Powerscourt Angels”, A installation of six angels and 25 stars at Powerscourt Townhouse in Dublin .
2004. “The Fantastic Journey”, SoogroFestival Charlestown Co Mayo.
2004. “Know yourself, know your world” Sonas Festival Louisburg.
2003 . “Out of this World”. Sonas Festival Louisburg Co Mayo.
2003. “Minders of the Menagerie” Linnanhall Castlebar
2002. “Illuminated seascape”. Roosky Co Mayo
2001. “The Angles” Linnanhall Castlebar
1998. 'Breathing Space', Blackstaff Mill, Belfast.
1997. Flax Art Studios Belfast, 'House Tomb of Time'.
1992. Cat's head Dublin, 'Lay By'.
Public Sculpture
2010. Public commission in Aughagower, Co Mayo.
2009. Public Art Panel (community specialist) Mayo County Council.
1993. Short listed for the James Connelly Memorial Liberty Hall Dublin.
1993. Pan-Celtic festival Galway, 'Concrete Totem', Eyre square, Galway.
Parades / Street Theatre / Events
2023- Longford Lights -Artistic Director
2021-Production Manager and designer – Curracha inis oirr anniversary show.
2021-22 –Macnas education programme.
2018-Macnas Parade, member of making team.
2117- Macnas Parade, member of making team.
2016 - Macnas Parade, member of making team. street puppet maker.
2015- Macnas Parade, member of making team. street puppet maker.
2014-Macnas Parade, member of making team. street puppet maker.
2009. Gathering Ground. A environmental Sculpture trail set in the grounds of Turlough Hse Castle bar Co Mayo.
2008. New Ground. A outdoor spectacle on the grounds of the Rural Training Centre Castlebar
2004. Eigse Arts Festival Carlow opening Ceremony and parade event, street puppet maker
2003. Eigse Carlow. Opening ceremony of festival, design, production, street puppet maker
2002. Castlebar Rola Bola Parade. Design, Production, Coordination, street puppet maker
2002. St Patrick’s day Kiltimagh,(“The Herd Of Light”) design, direction and production, street puppet maker
2001. Manorhamilton Samhain Parade, Stage management2001. Castlebar Samhain Parade. Production, ,street puppet maker
2001. Kilkenny Arts Festival Parade. Designer. street puppet maker
2001. Tallaght Arts Festival Parade. Production and Direction. street puppet maker
2000. Samhain Parade Manorhamilton. Production and Direction. street puppet maker
2000. Kilkenny Arts festival Parade. Production. street puppet maker
2000. Fatima Mansions, Regeneration Parade. Production. street puppet maker
2000. T.C.A.C. Festival Parade. Production, street puppet maker
1998. Belfast, St. Patrick's Day Parade Festival. Workshop facillitator, street puppet maker and prop builder.
Work in progress
Associate artist with Helium Arts Ireland. Delivering art workshops at the Mayo University Hosptail with the Diabetic and asthma clinics for children.
I am a collaborator and part of the production team and with Little Gem Puppets.
Developing a Light installation for Ballina 2023.