Exhibition Opening Friday 12 Dec 3-4pm

The Drawing Collective brings together five artists shaped by the drawing programs of Crawford College of Art: 

Elaine Barry, Brendan Tobin, Aoife Morris, James Bourke, and Killian Morel. 

Working across paint, charcoal, and pen, the group moves fluidly between life drawing and landscape, exploring the rhythms, gestures, and atmospheres that emerge from both studio and field. 

The result is a body of work that feels grounded, attentive, and quietly adventurous, always circling back to the simple act of looking with intent.

About Artists:

James Bourke 

Originally from Dublin, James Bourke has lived and worked in East Cork since 1997. After completing a foundation year in Fine Art in NCAD Dublin he has pursued a blended career in art and conservation architecture since that time. He has recently completed a two-year period as a part-time Fine Art student in MTU Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork focusing on drawing practice, achieving First Class Honours.

He holds a master’s degree in digital morphology (exploring rule-based virtual evolution of 3D forms) from the University of East London.

He has been an invited artist participating in a group exhibition in Cloyne Cathedral as part of Midleton Arts Week in 2024 and 2025,  had a solo exhibition/installation ‘Exquisite Beach’ in the narthex of Cloyne Cathedral in May 2025 and has exhibited current work in CCAD in April 2025.

He is an Associate Member of Visual Artists Ireland and a Member of the Mór Artists Collective.

Killian Morel 

Killian Morel has been studying life drawing for the last 3 years in evening classes conducted by artists Orla O'Byrne and Andrew Carroll.

He finds humans a uniquely fascinating subject to depict. His aim is to capture a melancholic mood of fleeting moments rather than being overly concerned with precision and formal measurements.

Brendan Tobin

Brendan Tobin is an artist based in Cork City. He is a graduate of Fine Arts, Dublin Institute of Technology and in recent years has been part of the life drawing programs at Crawford College of Art. His work explores what is still possible in life drawing and traditional materials as a way to examine representation.

brendantobinart@gmail.com

Aoife Morris

Born in Wexford in 1992, it has always been an ambition of Aoife's to enter the art world. She has been practicing in Cork for the past 10 years, working primarily pastel and drawing inspiration from the landscapes and coasts of the county. Recently, she has been more focused on life drawing with a particular interest in capturing gesture through layer and line. Her current body of work returns to her roots, being shaped by time spent on her family's equestrian farm. The work explores the movement of horses, juxtaposing their usual graceful forms with inelegant, twisted and unnatural body positions. 

artistaoifem@gmail.com
 

Elaine de Barra 

Elaine de Barra is an Irish visual artist whose practice focuses on drawing and the expressive possibilities of the human form. A graduate of the Crawford College of Art and Design, she has recently returned to her art practice reconnecting with gesture, observation, and the exploratory nature of drawing.

Her work combines strong foundational skills with a willingness to experiment, using distortion, line, and tone to consider how the body can convey emotion and presence. She has exhibited work in Ireland, the UK, and the United States, and continues to build a thoughtful, process driven drawing practice.

elainedebarra@gmail.com