ABOUT

Nature, wild plants and the built heritage of Ireland are the main sources of inspiration for our screenprints. We are interested in layering prints of people, buildings and plants to highlight the delicate beauty and essentialness of Ireland’s native plant biodiversity. Plants are placed in  juxtapositions to see the ‘weeds’ and question if the common, usually overlooked species are recognizable to the viewer. In the fields of botany and ecology there is a growing concern that we are all suffering from a collective ‘plant blindness’ where we simply do not see plants or value their universal importance.

Ireland’s built heritage conjures similar feelings. We are drawn to forgotton, ancient and unloved buildings that are slowly being taken back by nature or being erased by development from rural towns and villages.

We are a husband and wife team, Peter Lang and Jenny McElwain. ‘Bird Cherry Studio’ was established in our garden shed in 2020 in Newcastle County Wicklow. Bird cherry is the common name for Prunus padus, an unusual native Irish cherry which produces heavily scented white flowers and dark bitter fruits.

THE SCREEN PRINTING PROCESS

Short video showing the creation of the Wire Ropes Series #1 prints, from October 2021