Father and daughter showcase artistic talents in city exhibition

Artist Clodagh Wade describes her 81-year-old father William (Willie), as “a man who can turn his hands to anything”.

And looking at the work he has created for their joint art exhibition at Anton’s Café in Galway City’s Fr Griffin Road, she isn’t wrong.

Willie, an electrician who set up Wade Electrical in Barna over 50 years ago, was a keen photographer all his life and took many courses in the craft. In retirement, he turned his hand to art and his talent in that area is equally strong.

Clodagh, meanwhile, after secondary school in Salerno, Salthill, did an Arts degree in UCG, emigrating shortly afterwards and spending several years abroad with her husband whom she’d met in college.

She’d always wanted to do a post-grad and that was her intention when they returned to live in Galway. But with small children and her husband’s job requiring him to travel a lot, that was difficult.

So, Clodagh decided to return to her first love, art. She’d been drawing and painting since childhood and had loved all things creative, getting involved with the Arts Festival as a volunteer from an early age.

Clodagh did a Fine Arts Degree at GMIT, graduating five years ago. She loved the course but laughs as she describes how difficult it was at times with two small children. Still, she persevered and now in their teens, the girls have a love and critical appreciation of art.

Clodagh’s work from the students’ final-year show was selected for the RDS arts awards that year, while Galway Arts Festival asked her to take part in a group exhibition in the City Museum.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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