Profile
Mette Sofie Roche b.1948
CV
2010/11: National College of Art and Design, Diploma in Art & Design
2009/10: National College of Art and Design , Certificate in Drawing and Visual Investigation
2009/10: Dunboyne College of Further Education, FETAC level 6 Art and Art Business
2008: Dunboyne College of Further Education. FETAC level 5, Art Portfolio course
2008: Solstice Art Student of the year Award
2008: Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, “Painting to the exhibitions” weekly workshop
2008: IMMA, Studio 10 weekly workshop
2008: Rossnarea Art School, Co Meath: Life drawing classes
2000–04: Evening Painting and drawing classes
1992: Burren collage of Art, weekend course in Art Therapy
1991: Burren Collage of Art, 2 weekend courses with Pauline Bewick
1990: Burren Collage of Art, 2 weekend courses with Pauline Bewick
1978: Weaving workshops
1977: Dunlaoghaire School of Art – Evening courses in Ceramics and sculpture
1976: Dunlaoghaire School of Art – Evening courses in Ceramics and sculpture
1976: Sterling University, Scotland, Professional Qualification in Social Work
PROFILE
Mette Sofie Roche, originally from North-Norway, has been living in Ireland for the past 30+ years, currently in a restored barn in Co. Meath, where she also has her studio. A restored schoolhouse in the North of Norway serves as a second studio during the summer.
She brought strong traditions of weaving and textile art from Norway but started watercolour painting when her first son was born in 1979.and continued with this medium as well as working with textiles until she retired from full time employment in 2008.
After she retired she has embarked on more formal art studies as well as enjoying a full time art practice.
She has been a member of the Old Schoolhouse Art Group in Dunboyne since its foundation in 2001. and of the Meath Arts Group since 2007, and has exhibited extensively with them in and around Co. Meath.
Her paintings and art work are in many private collections in Norway, England, Holland and Ireland and one commissioned painting is in a government office in Navan
Artistic Statement
Her art is inspired by her early years in the North of Norway; the natural phenomena of changing light and climates as well as the human figure, moods and relationships. Her working environment as a social worker was also a source of inspiration.
Her involvement with art has been a journey and process of discovery, continually evolving and changing.
She works in a variety of media ; watercolour, Indian ink, soft pastel, oils and acrylic as well as textile and combined materials. By using strong colours she tries to create something which will delight the viewer and depict the strength and optimism of life.
Her art work is sometimes realistic or representational depictions of scenes or objects but she also works from intuition and attempts to make visible that which is not immediately obvious.
Being involved in a creative process is as important to her as sleep and her recent participation in art education has increased her confidence and enhanced her creativity.
Exhibitions to date:
Group exhibition – Maynooth Flower and Art Festival, Geraldine Castle Gallery, Maynooth, June 2011
Group exhibition – Solstice Arts Festival ,Art Trail, Navan, June 2011
Group exhibition – Solstice Art Centre ,”Flow”, Navan, Feb./March 2011
Group exhibition – Solstice Art Centre ,, Navan, Jan 2011
Group exhibition – Trim Library, September 2010
Group exhibition – Cabra Library, Dublin May 2010
Group exhibition – In between, Solstice Art Centre, Navan Jan. 2010
Group exhibition – Tohrad Gallery, Ashbourne Dec. 2009
Group exhibition – Castletown House, Celbridge June 2009
Group exhibition – RHA Unselected show , Dublin May 2009
Group exhibition – Spirit of Dunboyne Festival – , Oct. 2009
Group exhibition – Spirit of Dunboyne Festival Sept 2008,
Group exhibition – Public space, Trim May 2008
Group exhibition – Fusion Exhibition/Toradh Art Centre May 2008
Group exhibition – Bru Na Boina/Solstice Art Centre Nov/Dec 2008
Group exhibition – Public space, Leixlip July 2007
Group exhibition – Public space, Trim – May 2006
Group exhibition – Independent artists Network, Dalkey Nov 2006
Group exhibition – ——“——-, Lucan April 2005
Group exhibition – Peoples’ Art, Lucan Nov 2004
Group exhibition – ——“———, Trim April 2004
Group exhibition – ——“———, Trim April 2004
Group exhibition – ——“———, Lucan July 2003
Group exhibition – ——“———, Dunshaughlin June 2002
Group exhibition – Public space, Blanchardstown April 2002
Dunboyne artists Christmas Exhibition annually 2001 – 2009
Planned Exhibitions:
Group exhibition – Sculpture in Context, Botanics Gardens, Dublin, Sept 2011
Group exhibition – Christmas Art & Craft Exhibition, Dunboyne, December 2011