Growing up in Sean Macdermott Tower in Ballymun, Dublin, I experienced firsthand the intersection of socio-economic challenges and personal adversity. It wasn't until later in life that I discovered I am dyslexic, a realization that brought both clarity and complexity to my educational journey. To help manage my dyslexia, I take spiritual walks on Grafton Street. These walks have become a transformative practice, providing a space for me to visualize and confront my stressors. Color and concrete defined my childhood. We found solace only in the cold, unyielding embrace of concrete. Yet, concrete absorbed our lives, reflecting and illuminating our poverty. Colors were a conduit for our lived energies, the hues humming with vibrancy, echoing our experiences. Through academic achievement and opportunity, my self-perception underwent a transformation. I now reclaim dignity by incorporating "poverty materials" like concrete, steel, and canvas into my artwork. The vividness of these hues reverberates with the intricate processes and resonances of our lived realities. I am a Dublin-based artist concerned with dyslexic learning and how a childhood in Ballymun shapes my practice.
