About Bernice Cooke

I’m a visual artist based in County Galway, Ireland, working in graphite, charcoal, ink, and watercolour. My practice explores memory, place, and the presence of overlooked people in Irish history. I’m especially drawn to quiet subjects — abandoned buildings, ancestral homes, forgotten faces — and I aim to create still, emotive images that hold space for reflection.

I’ve been a self-taught artist for over sixteen years, with work exhibited throughout Ireland and recognition including longlisting for the 2025 VAA International Art Prize. My process is rooted in curiosity, intuition, and a deep respect for the stories behind each subject.

Artist Bio

Bernice Cooke is a visual artist whose work bridges history, identity, and storytelling through both architectural and figurative subjects. Working in graphite, charcoal, watercolor, and ink, she explores the cultural echoes of place and the emotional residue of time. Her recent series highlights overlooked Irish figures such as Violet Gibson, Lilian Bland, and Tom Crean, merging historical research with expressive realism.

A self-taught artist based in County Galway, Cooke has exhibited in venues including Portumna Castle, Galway City Civic Offices, and the Market Gallery in Cork. Her work has been featured in Create Magazine, on Midlands Radio, and at Visual Artists Ireland events.

“Artist Statement”

My work moves fluidly between architectural subjects and portraiture, exploring the emotional traces that people and places leave behind. Whether it's the geometry of a crumbling façade or the quiet presence of a forgotten figure, I’m searching for a way to connect the present with the past.

I use charcoal, graphite, watercolor, and ink — materials chosen instinctively based on mood and light. I draw inspiration from historical photography, memory, and stories that linger just outside the margins.

My aim is not only to preserve what has been forgotten, but to create space for reflection — a moment of stillness between then and now.

“Exhibitions & Recognition”

Selected Exhibitions

2024 – Solo: Portumna Castle OPW, Galway
2024 – Solo: Galway City Civic Building
2025 – Group: “In Person,” Market Gallery Cork

Recognition

Longlisted – VAA International Art Prize 2025
Invited Speaker – VAI Get Together, Esker Arts (2023)
Featured – Create Magazine, Midlands Radio, Connacht Tribune

Full Artist CV — Bernice Cooke

Selected Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

2024 – Portumna Castle, OPW Galway
2024 – Galway City Civic Building, Galway
2024 – Adare Heritage Centre, Limerick
2023 – Mullingar Civic Building, Westmeath
2023 – Athlone Civic Building, Westmeath
2023 – Art in Session, Mullingar
2022 – Portumna Castle, OPW Galway

Group Exhibitions

2025 – In Person, Market Gallery, Cork
2023 – On Our Doorstep, Ballinasloe Library

🏆 Awards & Recognition

Longlisted – VAA International Art Prize, 2025
Invited Speaker – Visual Artists Ireland Get Together, Esker Arts Centre (2023)
Featured – Create! Magazine (2023)
Interview – Midlands Radio Art Show (2023)
Two-page Feature – Connacht Tribune (2022)

🧠 Artistic Training & Development

CPD Atelier Training – Portraiture, Schoolhouse for Art (2024)
Certificate in Creative Writing – Advanced (2020–2022)
Certificate in Fashion Design & Garment Creation (2019–2020)
Business for Creatives – Craft & Design Enterprise Programme (2016)
Bramble Art Studio – Drawing, Oil & Acrylic (2013–2014)
Certificate in Equine Science, University of Limerick (2003–2006)

🎯 Professional Experience

Full-Time Artist (2021–Present)

Focus on charcoal, pencil, and watercolour portraiture
Exhibiting artist across Ireland
Commissioned portrait work

Canvas to Candle (2012–2021)

Self-employed artisan creating heritage-based Irish candles