Laura McCafferty’s practice is interdisciplinary combining large-scale textiles in brightly-coloured, boldly-patterned cotton, including construction, drawing and performance. Sitting on the edge of narrative, she wants her work to subtly mess with our expectations.
Often employing highly repetitive processes, for McCafferty the act of making itself assumes great importance. Whilst freely admitting the absurdity of her tasks she remains unashamed by the sheer joy invested in her labour: pleasure in repetition.
Starting with the observation of an object - a lemon-yellow and white-striped shopping bag, for example – or an obsession with a pale lilac, she allows the original impetus to seed and take root, and then to evolve and permutate into something equivalent but different. Cutting and sticking, chopping and piecing together, one thing leading to another, she describes her making process as both purposeful and futile.
Originally from Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Laura moved to Nottingham in 2000 to study for a Decorative Arts degree at Nottingham Trent University. She graduated in 2003 and established a studio-based practice making textile artworks using appliqué, screen-print and hand embroidery. She exhibited nationally and internationally gaining widespread recognition and her works were purchased for public and private collections.
In 2012, Laura relocated her practice and embarked on a four year part-time MFA course in Fine Art at Goldsmiths University, London. She graduated with a distinction in 2016. Laura has been an Associate Lecturer at NTU, teaching Fine Art, Design, Culture and Context, and Decorative Arts. Moving to Donegal, Ireland in 2020, to set up her studio and take up the position of Public Programmes Curator at CCA Derry-Londonderry.
Often employing highly repetitive processes, for McCafferty the act of making itself assumes great importance. Whilst freely admitting the absurdity of her tasks she remains unashamed by the sheer joy invested in her labour: pleasure in repetition.
Starting with the observation of an object - a lemon-yellow and white-striped shopping bag, for example – or an obsession with a pale lilac, she allows the original impetus to seed and take root, and then to evolve and permutate into something equivalent but different. Cutting and sticking, chopping and piecing together, one thing leading to another, she describes her making process as both purposeful and futile.
Originally from Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Laura moved to Nottingham in 2000 to study for a Decorative Arts degree at Nottingham Trent University. She graduated in 2003 and established a studio-based practice making textile artworks using appliqué, screen-print and hand embroidery. She exhibited nationally and internationally gaining widespread recognition and her works were purchased for public and private collections.
In 2012, Laura relocated her practice and embarked on a four year part-time MFA course in Fine Art at Goldsmiths University, London. She graduated with a distinction in 2016. Laura has been an Associate Lecturer at NTU, teaching Fine Art, Design, Culture and Context, and Decorative Arts. Moving to Donegal, Ireland in 2020, to set up her studio and take up the position of Public Programmes Curator at CCA Derry-Londonderry.
Recent info
2024, Awarded Donegal County Council Artist Bursary
2022, Awarded Donegal County Council Artist Bursary
2022 Swallowing Geography, exhibition at Regional Cultural Centre and Glebe House Gallery, Curated by Rachel Botha. Showing newly commissioned work.
2022 Awarded Agility Award, Arts Council Ireland
2022 Artist Residency and Exhibition Shape of the Place at Art Arcadia, Derry
2021-2022 Facilitating Peer Critique Sessions VAI
2021 VAN article Shape of the Place
2020-Ongoing Public Programmes Curator CCA Derry - Londonderry
2020 Donegal Artist Bursary
2024, Awarded Donegal County Council Artist Bursary
2022, Awarded Donegal County Council Artist Bursary
2022 Swallowing Geography, exhibition at Regional Cultural Centre and Glebe House Gallery, Curated by Rachel Botha. Showing newly commissioned work.
2022 Awarded Agility Award, Arts Council Ireland
2022 Artist Residency and Exhibition Shape of the Place at Art Arcadia, Derry
2021-2022 Facilitating Peer Critique Sessions VAI
2021 VAN article Shape of the Place
2020-Ongoing Public Programmes Curator CCA Derry - Londonderry
2020 Donegal Artist Bursary
You can view or download a full Curriculum Vitae here.