Paperwork | In Conversation with Tom Doig and Benjamin Stafford

Public Event
Thursday 30th April
5pm
Studio 12

Join us at Studio 12 for this special event where Tom Doig and Benjamin Stafford discuss the exhibition.

Tom Doig is a Visual Artist living in Cork City, Ireland where he is a member of Backwater Artist’s, Cork Printmakers and Outlaw Studios. His work centres around a unique personal archive of found paper imagery, filed and categorised according to a range of contemporary interests, that are used to examine evolving scientific and cultural explanations of the universe. Exhibitions include Feedback, Studio 12 (2024); Associative Relations, Studio 12 Gallery (2023) Travels in Hyper-Reality, Crane Visual (2023) and Terra Incognita, Skibbereen Arts Festival (2018). Tom was a recipient of the Cork City Arts Individual Artist Bursary in 2019 and the Irish Arts Council Agility Award in 2021.

Benjamin Stafford is a curator and writer based in Ireland, where he works closely with artists to realise exhibitions, performances and publications. Benjamin has worked as a curator and director in public and private institutions, including Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, the Arts Council of Ireland, and the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
Since 2021 he is Visual Arts Curator at VISUAL, Ireland’s largest purpose-built gallery space where he directs the visual arts programme. Recent projects include solo exhibitions by Dominique White (2025), Amie Siegel, Ulla von Brandenburg (both 2024), Elizabeth Cope (2022), and a major retrospective and publication on Derek Jarman (2019/2020).

Transience is a BA Hons Photography with New Media Year 2 Group Exhibition, showcasing the students’ recent photographic works. The exhibition was facilitated by our studio member and lecture Paul Gaffney.

Artists exhibiting in our current exhibition NATURA will join curator Brian Mac Domhnaill in a panel discussion, providing insights into their individual art practices and the artworks featured in the exhibition.

Life Drawing Class
Orla O’Byrne

Public Event

Lavit Gallery
Saturday 16th May
11 am – 1 pm

In celebration of National Drawing Day on Saturday May 16th, Backwater Artists Group will run a free life-drawing class at 11am – 1pm in The Lavit Gallery.
This class is suitable for anyone who doesn’t have enough life-drawing in their life, from beginners to those who might be a little rusty but would love to get back into it! Materials will be provided. Please arrive 15 minutes before the class to get set up.

During this two-hour class, Backwater artist, Orla O’Byrne will guide you through a series of exercises looking at gesture, movement and the longer pose.
12 places max.

Booking:

Eventbrite

Drawing from Nature
Róisín O’Sullivan 

Public Event

Studio 12
Saturday 16th May
1.15 – 2.15 pm

We are delighted to partner with Crawford Supported Studios on free Drawing from Nature: Observing Natural Forms workshop from 1.15 – 2.15pm in our Studio 12 Exhibition Space.

This one-hour workshop facilitated by Backwater member Róisín O’Sullivan will explore the beauty of natural forms. Using a variety of organic objects such as leaves, branches, berries, and stones, participants will be guided to slow down, observe closely, and translate what they see onto paper. A selection of natural materials will be provided, and you’re welcome to bring your own found objects to draw from. Participants will also have the opportunity to experiment with a range of drawing materials and techniques.

Suitable for all skill levels, this session encourages curiosity, creativity, and a deeper connection to the natural world.
8 places max.

Booking:

Eventbrite