Brigid Mulligan (Limerick Printmakers) was awarded the inaugural PNI Ballina Arts Centre Residency which took place in August 2026.
“Residencies like this one do not come around very often and I am extremely grateful to have received this opportunity. The timing of the residency was perfect after completing a big body of work and installing it in Cavan town hall theatre I was ready to experiment and play with materials with no fixed outcome. I limited my materials to cyanotype. I challenged myself to create nine oval cyanotype prints each day never repeating the pattern. I used the dying flowers that were given to me at my exhibition opening, along with my Mother and Aunts jewellery that I have inherited.
When I became restless with the scale I went outside and collected grass, nettles and dockens and using what glass I had I created large scale prints. Limited to the size of the wash area I chopped these up and created an installation with them. Once again I grew restless I decided I needed to create outside in the elements and so I developed a large cyanotype in the sea at Eniscrone beach. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DceF6AEtaFn/?igsi=bHpiZXVkcDFkbnBx
As I reflect on my time in residence I realise what I need and what works for me. Structure, movement and action but always freedom to sidestep. The residency has had a positive impact on my creative process. I have worked through certain ideas and realise what I am interested in pursuing and what I have come to an end with. I felt really at home in the large studio space where I could hear and see the river. I completely filled the studio by the fifth day. I had the space to examine older work and the motivation to create new work.
I hosted an open studio that morphed into a mini workshop that seven people attended and created their own cyanotype print.
My outcomes include new connections with Paul, Monika, Ciara and Mayo based artists who attended the workshop. I have worked through certain processes and coming out the other side I realise that I am really interested in creating immersive installation art and teaching.
Monika from Ballina arts Centre did a video interview about my practice that was created fast and to a high quality. link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db6LIm7ox-4/?igsi=ODNlNnd6aXFsbHIy
This online content reached new audiences and is a lasting outcome from my residency. The opportunity to have a large studio space for six days including accommodation allowed for a stress free experience where the work was the only thing that I had to focus on. Another important factor from the PNI application process it was succinct straight forward and artists heard back in a timely manner, this was such great encouragement
When I question what is important for an artist to keep their practice going? The answer is space, time and financial support. That alongside the promotional support made this residency an integral part of my year.“
