Donegal Designer Makers Prepare for “Summertime” - Major Design Showcase

A new design organisation is holding a major showcase of Donegal design and craft work from the 8th to 22nd July.  Donegal Designer Makers, a group formed in late 2009, is holding a two-week “Summertime” exhibition in Ardara.  Sponsored by the Crafts Council of Ireland, the exhibition will showcase the work of the county’s leading designers and artisan craft workers.  The work of more than 10 artists, designers and craftspeople will be on display in a vacant retail space in the centre of the west Donegal town, including works in ceramics, jewellery, textiles, woodwork, knitwear and furniture.  The exhibition will be officially launched at a wine reception at 7pm on Thursday 8th July by Emer Ferran, Enterprise Development Manager with the Crafts Council of Ireland.

Donegal Designer Makers was established in 2009 by members of the Donegal Crafts Guild with the objective of promoting the work of local designers and crafts workers across the county.  Chaired by jewellery maker Hannah McGuinness, the group has grown rapidly and now has over 20 members, with some of the best-known names in crafts and design joining in the past six months.  The “Summertime” exhibition is one in a series of events being held by the group to generate greater awareness of the depth of talent in the county and the quality of innovative work being produced.

The idea for the exhibition came to one of the members of the group when driving through Ardara earlier this year. They noticed how vibrant the town was and in particular the number of arts and crafts businesses working in the area.  The group agreed that Ardara would be a great location for the next design showcase and approached local hotelier Jim White, who was very supportive and provided the Donegal Designer Makers access to a vacant retail space in the town for the exhibition.

This summer’s exhibition includes work from Brian McGee, one of the ceramics artists who will be displaying his work.  Brian has recently been in the headlines because his new Bloody Sunday memorial was vandalised shortly after the publication of the Saville report.  Exhibitor Marina Hamilton is a sculptor and painter best known for her equestrian sculpture, and whose work is owned by Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary and film director Jim Sheridan among others.  Shane Houston, owner of Chic-Hens, will be exhibiting his range of colourful wooden hen houses, two of which were purchased recently for the ‘Family Farm’ at Dublin Zoo.  

Other exhibitors include Koko designs, Hannah McGuinnness Jewellery, artist Fiona Higgins, ceramic artist Emer O’Sullivan, Rathlin Knitwear, contemporary Irish furniture designer Michael Parkinson of Made with Wood, hand-woven tweed by Eddie Doherty and furniture design from Noel Cronin of WORC studio.

“The exhibitors reflect the huge range of design and craft work available across the county”, says Hannah McGuinness. “We have everything from designer hen-houses through to handwoven tweed.  All of it is of superb quality, and all of it is produced in Donegal.”

Donegal Designer Makers are planning to take part in the upcoming Origin craft and design fair in London in September 2011, and there are also plans for an Autumn show in Belfast.  Designers and crafts people throughout the county are encouraged to apply for membership of the group, which has ambitious plans for the promotion of creative and artistic design work in the North West.

To attend the Official Opening of “Summertime” or for further information about the exhibiton or membership of Donegal Designer Makers, please contact Hannah McGuinness on 087 2971455 or Annmarie Doherty on 086 6041910.

For further press information please phone Annmarie Doherty at DohertyWhite on +353 86 6041910 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .