Crafts at the show

One of the many highlights of this year’s RDS crafts competition, which goes on display at next week’s Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show, is Nuala O’Donovan’s extraordinary sculptural ceramic made in handbuilt porcelain and based on the teasel plant. “The more you look into plant forms like broccoli or coral, the more you see,” she says. It took her two months to complete the piece, costing €1,350.

Another outstanding piece, similarly inspired by nature, that won the Duff Tisdall Furniture Award, first prize in furniture, the RDS New Entrant prize and the RDS Award of Excellence, is a study desk made by Diarmuid Murphy of New Ross. Prizewinning work in all categories goes on exhibition at the RDS (August 5th-13th); Birr Arts Centre (Sept 14th-26th); Letterkenny (Oct 5th-26th); Cork (Nov 2nd-23rd) and the National Crafts Fair at the RDS (Dec 2nd-6th).