Claire O' Reilly
Visual artist working with textiles and stitch to explore the human body, fragility, and the natural world.
Claire O Reilly (b.1981) is an artist based in Cork, Ireland.
Since 2018, my practice has centred on slow, hand-led processes that explore the relationship between the human body and the natural world. Working as a visual artist with textiles, figurative imagery, and small-scale installation, I examine how anatomical forms and natural patterns mirror one another, and how connection with nature can support physical and mental wellbeing.
My work is informed by research into human anatomy and botanical structures, observing shared rhythms, systems, and modes of growth. Stitch, repetition, and layering function as methods of mark-making and attention, allowing time and touch to shape each piece. Traces of the making process remain visible, foregrounding themes of care, vulnerability, and endurance.
Figurative and anatomical imagery is combined with botanical elements and presented through considered installation, inviting forms, surfaces, and space to interact with the viewer’s presence. The work reflects on embodiment, resilience, and the restorative potential of engaging with natural systems.
While the work to date has focused on stitched and installed pieces, the practice continues to evolve. Future explorations will incorporate soft sculptural forms and assemblage, extending investigations into materiality, three-dimensionality, and spatial experience. Across all media, the work invites close viewing and quiet reflection, encouraging attentiveness to the body’s relationship with nature and to the values of slowness and care in both making and living.
Claire O’Reilly, is an artist based in Newmarket in County Cork, earned her BA Honours in Fine Art from Crawford College of Art and Design Cork in 2015. Since embarking on her professional art career in 2018, Claire’s artwork has been showcased across Ireland. Her creations are a staple in numerous private and public collections within the country. Institutions such as PM Group Cork, Eli Lilly Cork, Cork University Hospital, and Ath Trasna Medical Centre in Cork are proud holders of her pieces. Her art has been selected for exhibit in the 191st and 193rd annual exhibitions of the Royal Hibernian Academy. Additionally, her pieces have been featured in both digital and print media, including the ninth issue of ‘Tales of the Forest’ online magazine and the inaugural issue of ‘Metachrosis’ art and literary journal.