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About Gra by Miriam Sweeney

“Gra” is inspired by Irish ogham stones. These stones, some monolithic in size, and some only knee high, are found mostly in the southern Irish countryside. They feature lines and notches carved along its edges, representing the ogham alphabet. Ogham is the earliest form of writing in ancient Ireland. The ogham alphabet consists of a series of lines or dashes across a central seam. Each letter is represented by a vertical line with one or more horizontal lines.  It is read vertically, from the bottom of the line to the top.  The ogham alphabet is considered as the first intellectual creation of the Irish-speaking people. Although the ogham alphabet is no longer used today, it remains an enduring part of the Irish culture and heritage.

The four pillars on this piece each has the ogham alphabet that reads “gra”, or “love”. It can be hung four different ways, with each stone spelling out “gra” or “love”.

Each pillar also has crushed stone from the Irish countryside mixed into the acrylic paint used for this piece. I like the texture it adds to the painting, especially because it reminds me of the rugged Irish landscape. The stones were found from County Kerry, Clare, Cork and then Inishmore Island.

For me, encountering these ancient monoliths while driving the Irish countryside was a transcendental experience in a land and culture that drips with mysticism and intrigue.

From Miriam to Noah:

What is emotion? Quite bluntly, emotion is one of those terms that stubbornly defends against attempts at definition. In the English language, when experiencing an emotion, say sadness, we might identify the experience as “I am sad”. At both the conscious and subconscious levels we are telling ourselves that we are the emotion,  “I am a sad person”. The Irish language has a different perspective on what emotion is. They are transitory entities that are not intrinsically linked with the essence of being, and so emotion is a fleeting nature in the Irish language. Instead of “I am sad” in English, “sadness is on me”, in Irish. It is a reminder that emotions do not define us, and we are more than what we feel.  We can acknowledge the emotion, but it does not become us. We are still who we are.And often, what we feel is more than just sadness or happiness. Our emotions are layered. For example, even when sadness or joy is the dominant emotion, the underlying could be fear and or love. I made this piece and chose  “gra”, to remind myself Love is always on me.

Artist Statement by Miriam Sweeney - 2025-04-19:

Drawing inspiration from city aerial views, my work explores the urban landscape that sits somewhere between order and chaos, structure and collapse, expression and control. Seen from above, its pieces emerged like a puzzle, each with its own personality. I paint playful, textured, curvilinear shapes to capture the city streets, its landmarks, the droning sounds of traffic, the chitter chatter of its cast of characters. I hope to evoke the feeling one gets when flying into a new place for the first time. When we try to take everything in, or reflect on the lasting impressions of authentic connections, special places, and their unique stories.