Rachel Maher
'Leave it in the Past'
Kennelsfort Road Lower, Chapelizod bypass, Palmerstown, Dublin 22
2018
South Dublin County Council
This design is again based on mental health and taking care of yourself. It’s about leaving your cares, worries and upset in the past while moving forward to the present/future. Again it’s very bright and bold, very eye-catching, I have a real passion for leaf patterns. The changing of the seasons can sometimes affect people’s mood, and I wanted to design something that would mean there would always be bright and colourful leaves, even in the middle of winter!
I have lived in Palmerstown almost 21 years. I have been commissioned over the years to do artwork and murals and I have a good following in Palmerstown and am well known for my artistic abilities. I was artistic from a very young age, but it became apparent that I was colour-blind as a young child. Which I never allowed to get in the way of my creative ability. I have a proton deficiency, which means I have trouble distinguishing red and green and some other colours. But I have learnt to deal with this disability and I think it makes my art all the more special because I don’t see things how everyone else does! I use art as a form of meditation/therapy and I also love to share my art with others who I feel may need cheering up or are suffering from their mental health. Art is a window into the soul and it can change the mood of a person. So I enjoy creating really vibrant, loud, colourful and intricate designs, instilling joy and happiness in others. I am certainly not shy about the use of using bright colours, creating bold compositions. I create dazzling designs that would contrast with the grey Dublin sky and brighten the streets of Palmerstown.
