Stamps issued to celebrate Irish crafts

FIVE 55 cent stamps with images of Irish ceramic, wood, glass, metal and textile work have been issued by An Post to celebrate the Year of Craft.

This year has been designated as Year of Craft by the Crafts Council of Ireland and Craft Northern Ireland. The stamps have been designed to recognise the traditional and contemporary elements in Irish craft heritage.

The stamps, designed by Ger Garland, showcase the work of five leading Irish craft artists: Róisín de Buitléar, Liam Flynn, Inga Reed, Helen McAllister and Deirdre McLoughlin.

De Buitléar has been making blown and cut glass for almost 30 years. Her work can be seen in public and private buildings throughout Ireland, including the Blasket Island Centre, Dún Chaoin, Co Kerry, the National Botanical Gardens in Dublin, W5 in Belfast and the Castle Espie Wetland Centre at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.

Flynn, who has been making wood vessels in his studio at Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, for the past 25 years, won the inaugural Crafts Council of Ireland Irish Craft Bursary in 2005. His work is featured in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; the Woodturning Centre, Philadelphia and the Department of Foreign Affairs collection, Dublin.

Reed has been making jewellery since the late 1970s and uses classic goldsmithing techniques, combining precious metals and precious and semi-precious stones. Her work is featured in many private and public collections including the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.

McAllister has an MA in embroidered textiles and is head of fashion and design at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin.

She was the winner of the inaugural Golden Fleece award in 2002. Her work has moved from 2D image based hangings to 3D form making.