Artist inspired by son’s battle with autism

SOUTHSIDE artist Fiona de Lacy, whose work has been influenced by
her son’s battle with autism, will showcase her first solo exhibition in the
coming weeks.

Fiona is launching

‘A Touch of Sense’, which she describes as an

“electrifyingly vibrant

? exhibition of more than 50 of her paintings.

The works, completed over the last few years, have
been created using a variety of different mediums, including metals and mixed
media.

A graduate of Dun Laoghaire College of Art &
Design, Fiona is also a mother of four boys, two of whom are autistic. Her
eldest son, Ryan, has hypersensitive senses and various fabrics, smells, and
noises caused him tremendous distress in the past.

Fiona said her experiences with Ryan, who has since
learned to overcome these fears, had greatly influenced her work.

She also said that as her own senses and awareness had
become heightened over the years, she felt it fundamental to incorporate it
into her work.

“Ryan is now 10 but during the first few years of his
life he had problems with his vision,

? Fiona explained.

“He attended the Irish
Council for the Blind every Wednesday while going to mainstream school.

“During that time he had this horrendous fears of
texture, including water, clay, sand and even grass. So we couldn’t bring him
to the beach or outside, and we had terrible difficulties giving him a bath.

“That meant that I always had a huge interest in the
things he disliked. I would have been very aware of them. Through my paintings
I would always have had a tremendous interest in different textures.

“As a result my work is heavily textured. There is
sand in it and staples, and parts of studs from furniture. Sometimes, I look to
my son, who loves touching things now, for approval.

?

Fiona’s solo exhibition will take place at the Village
Framing & Gallery in Rathfarnham from April 2 until May 4.

Her work will also feature in a group exhibition at
the Hermione Art Exhibition, in Alexandra College, Milltown from March 20 to
March 26.

A preview evening is also being hosted in Taylor’s
Three Rock, Rathfarnham on Friday, March 30 at 7pm.

To learn more Fiona and her work log onto
www.fdelacydesigns.com or www.facebook.com/ fdelacydesigns