Rachel-Marie Cleary's pop-art collection to go on display in Atrium

Artist and writer Rachel-Marie Cleary launches her pop-art collection, Offbeat Orbit, at the Atrium in the Westmeath County Council buildings this month.

Offbeat Orbit will be opened by fellow Mullingar creative Patricia Gibney on May 2 at 5.30pm and remain on display until May 12, during the council building business hours.

Rachel-Marie’s work featured in the Luan Gallery for the Westmeath Artist Award Exhibition, and in publications across the US, UK, Germany as well as in Ireland.

Her theme for the exhibition ‘embracing your femininity’ and she used the mediums of acrylic, collage work and drawings, in a contemporary pop-art style focusing on the female body, self-image and the Irish woman.

She credits Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat as her main inspirations along with the imagery of singer Halsey for her art and Kurt Cobain for her writing.

The exhibit features two pieces that re-examine Irish mythology from the female gaze. It will also feature original poems from by Rachel-Marie.

Originally a media graduate, Rachel-Marie has steadily been making a name for herself in both the world of creative fiction and art. Two self-published collections of short stories, poetry and artwork sold in book shops across Ireland and she has a number of other projects lined up for 2023.

Snippets of her work are on Instagram (@spicytrauma) and her interview with Brooklyn based publication ‘Papers Publishing’ detailing her art style and inspirations is on their website.