Next month sees the launch of West Cork Inspires, a new book from West Cork green wood chair maker Alison Ospina. West Cork Inspires tells the story of the creative craft community in West Cork and profiles twenty-two of its most outstanding protagonists. The book is being launched on March 1 with an exhibition in London. David Puttnam will open the exhibition, which presents work that offers insight into how and when the craft movement got started in West Cork and the impact it had locally and on the rest of Ireland. The work selected for the exhibition will show pieces from each artist’s early work through to the work they are producing today and will demonstrate how their individual oeuvre has developed. The artists influenced each other and clearly a consensus philosophy grew up as to what was beautiful. The West Cork aesthetic that emerged was evocative of the landscape, its materials, colours and textures and reflected the wide skill – base that existed amongst the members of the disparate creative community.
West Cork Development Partnership has supported both the new publication and the exhibition under the Rural Development Programme. Craft and creativity are part of our story and a visual representation of what it means to live and make a living in West Cork. This story is part of the core of a regional identity that sets West Cork out as a place apart and underpins our appeal to visitors. This year, 2011, has been declared European Year of Craft and will feature a number of high profile events to raise awareness of the outstanding quality and beauty of craft. The calendar of events will reach its peak in August, which is now established as Cork Craft Month.
