Mette Sofie Roche b. 1948
Mette Sofie Roche, originally from North-Norway, but 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 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. Since she retired from a full time career as a social worker some years ago she has been involved in more formal art education as well as having a full time art practise.
She is a member of VAI, Feltmakers Ireland and an associate member of Craft Council of Ireland
Her paintings and sculptures are in many private collections in Norway, England, Holland and Ireland. A commissioned painting is in a government office in Navan and she features in ’Profiles in Felt” a publication by Feltmakers Ireland.
Artistic Statement
Mette Sofie Roche is a prosess oriented and multidiscipline artist who uses a wide spectrum of both materials and methods in her art practise. Everything she produces is the outcome of a process. Existential themes like inner strength and identity are the foundations for the work. The process is both experimental and physical, a physicality which has as it aim to satisfy her strong need for contact with the materials and to manipulate them to try out new ways of expression. The art work have references to traditional craft techniques as well as experiences and memories of growing up in North Norway, her birth country and family connections to the Samé people. Memories of cultural traditions, of extreme colours, light and seasonal rhythms left strong impressions and is an important influence on her artistic expression. The work which she creates draws from what is stored in her memory. She attempts to visually define what is otherwise hidden. It is taken from the past and sent into the future. By using strong colours she tries to convey meaning by association; colour taking on the function of metaphor, underlying the mood of a memory, or representing a cultural symbol.
CV
2011: NCAD, Dublin: Diploma in Art and Design
2010: NCAD, Dublin: Certificate in Drawing and Visual Investigation
2009: Dunboyne College of Further Education, FETAC level 6 “Art and Art
Business”
2008: Solstice Art Student of the year Award
2008: Dunboyne College of Further Education. FETAC level 5, Art
Portfolio course
2008: Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, “Painting to the exhibitions” weekly
workshop
2008: Studio 10, IMMA, Dublin, weekly workshop with Beth O’Halloran
2008: Rossnarea Art School, Co Meath: Life drawing classes
2000–04: Painting and drawing classes with Marysia Harasimowicz
1992: Burren collage of Art, course in Art Therapy
1991: Burren Collage of Art, watercolour course with Pauline Bewick
1990: Burren Collage of Art, watercolour course with Pauline Bewick
1978: Weaving workshop with Judy Toner (Irish weaver)
1977: Dunlaoghaire School of Art, Ireland - courses in Ceramics and
sculpture
1976: Dunlaoghaire School of Art, Ireland - courses in Ceramics and
sculpture