Cork artist’s work to go on show in US

Artist Martha Cashman, a Youghal native, is exhibiting at the United Irish Cultural Centre (UICC) in Cork’s twin city of San Francisco from June 13- 16.

The ceramicist, who received a grant from Cork City Council to visit San Francisco and show off her wares in the Californian city, is taking part in Trad Fest West at the UICC where there will be music and dance, as well as art in the venue’s exhibition.

Martha, who is based in Cork city, from where she travels to residencies around the world, says she was fascinated to learn “that a third of the population of San Francisco were Irish in the late 1800s”.

This year, San Francisco is celebrating its 40th anniversary as Cork’s twin city.

The UICC is 50 years old this year and is a hub of activity, offering creative people in the city a space in which to work, perform and exhibit.

It celebrates, promotes and preserves the cultural heritage of Ireland. It fosters cultural awareness through education, the arts and social events, chronicling the valued historical contributions of the dedicated Irish in the San Francisco Bay area.

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“Rent is daily becoming an issue in San Francisco for many people, especially artists who are trying to stay true to their practice.”

Martha adds that many people she has spoken to in San Francisco say there is little for artists by way of grants. “But this is a city of philanthropists and, with a lot of time and energy, you can find some and scholarships.”

Martha has been to the city of Petaluma, an hour north of the Bay area, for pit-firing her pottery. “Pit firing was a popular activity on the beaches for many years, but it has been recently restricted due to fires in California. I am lucky to be driving here so I can get to many places I would never see without a car.”

She went to Kickwheel Sonoma, which is dedicated to preserving and sharing ceramics education, teaching hundreds of students of all ages and skill levels in various studio settings.

“The studio is the brainchild of Andrew Kontrabecki, an expert ceramicist who has a great vision for the space and offers alternative firings such as raku and obvara and has plans for wood firings.”

Martha has met a lot of American artists in her new temporary abode. She has American citizenship, having lived in New York and Boston for many years, where she set up a successful decorating business called Irish Ladies in Painting. She received citizenship in 2020. “This allowed me to travel over and back regularly without any concerns.”

This year, Martha says she has been fortunate to pick up some great decorating jobs in San Francisco.

The city, she observes, has much to offer on various fronts. “I was blown away by the diverse selection of art offerings and could see great opportunities to showcase my work here again. Also, there are different nationalities that offer a great selection of food. And there is a wonderful, dry, sunny climate. It’s a colourful city, full of attractive murals. There are wonderful street festivals here and night markets.

“There are First Thursday events with open studios, free access to museums and music events. There are some beautiful theatres, the jazz centre and the San Francisco Ballet. I saw the Nutcracker earlier this year and it was amazing.”

Would Martha like to live in San Francisco all the time?

“For a while, for sure. It has a lot to offer. The landscape is so interesting. You have so many long beaches and incredible hiking on offer.

“I lived in Mill Valley in the mountains. It’s got incredible views of redwood forests, lakes and wetlands. There are great farmers’ markets with such a wide selection of food.”

How does Cork compare to its larger twin city?

“It’s hard to say. Cork has so much to offer; it’s just on a smaller scale. But there is nowhere like Cork and I can’t help telling anyone I meet all about it, encouraging them to visit, which isn’t hard as everyone I’ve met wants to see Ireland.”

Martha will debut her Coastlines exhibition at the UICC, bringing together the two diverse regions of the coastlines of Cork and San Francisco.

In her artist’s statement, she says: “I am interested in the ways we observe the age of time in the world around us. I am constantly thinking about nature and how the work I create can somehow act as a link to connect us with plants, nature and sustenance. With this inspiration, I have focused on sculpture, working in small series to create works which express growth, change, and the accumulation and age of time.

“The finished works appear as relics or artefacts of a time lost in history. Mainly hand building with fine porcelain, I use driftwood, dried seaweed and steel wire in my sculptural pieces which give a weathered effect, and invite exploration and contemplation.”

Having grown up on a farm, her work is influenced by local flora and fauna and the landscape around her.

“My artist vocabulary is nourished by a diverse range of contemporary art and design and also old ceramic vessels and trinkets from my grandparents’ home,” says Martha.

Her eco-awareness project is called More Clay, Less Plastic, reflecting her concern for and activism around the environment.