Clare Art School moves to St Flannan’s

ENNIS Art School is relocating for 2025, with classes moving to the Art Department at St Flannan’s College due to growing demand.
Led by celebrated local artist Carmel Doherty, Ennis Art School has for 15 years educated up-and-coming artists who have gone on to follow their passion in their careers. “Teaching art has always been a passion of mine, so 15 years ago I set up Ennis Art School with an emphasis on developing creativity to young minds in Clare,” Carmel tells The Clare Echo.
As well as teaching all aspects of drawing and painting, Carmel teaches clay modelling as part of her programme, which “teaches the students how to work both sides of the brain together, as the students use both hands to model. It also teaches the students form.”
Many students have graduated from the Limerick School of Art, National College of Art and Crawford College of Art, to name a few. However Ennis Art School can also take credit for its many students who have gone down other routes.
Carmel explains, “These students have graduated with First Class Honours in Fine Art, Animation, Set Design, Graphic Design, Architecture, Medicine and Science. As creativity runs throughout every avenue; industrial, scientific and artistic, this is why I believe that an education in the arts is paramount in developing creativity in all areas.”
Ennis Art School has been hugely successful throughout the years with students winning all National Awards. Each year, Ennis Art School students receive First, Second and Third in the Texaco Children’s Art Competition, a testimonial to how successful Carmel’s art teaching programme is. Portfolio application is also an area that Carmel supervises, with some students receiving the full 600 points in their portfolio submission.
“Ennis Art School is not all about awards, I believe that it is very important that art is used as a way of teaching students to observe the world through colour and form, to see beauty in all aspects of nature,” reflects Carmel.
Carmel is nurturing young talent by collaborating with local businesses to sponsor students. Carmel adds, “I am looking for companies to sponsor students to attend art classes. The term lasts for 6 weeks and costs €120, it offers a really good opportunity for companies to help budding artists. If you are interested in supporting young artists, please let me know.”
The following companies have already sponsored a student for 2025: Alan Flynn – Old Ground Hotel; Tadhg Collins – Collins Jewellers; Gwen Culligan – County Boutique; Rosie Heaslip – Heaslips Shop, O Connell St; Sinead Pyne – Cornucopia; Ciara Lynch – Brass; and Shane at the Art Shop, Merchants Quay, Ennis.
Carmel, who qualified from the University of Dundee with an M.Phil in Public Art & Design has been instrumental in bringing public art to the foreground in County Clare, creating two public art trails including the Ennis Riverwalk Sculpture Trail and the Ennis Seated Sculpture Trail, which won national accreditation.
As well as making sculpture Carmelwas also very involved in Gallery exhibitioning, with her paintings being purchased and exhibited both on public and private display all over the world.
Carmel is inviting all students, existing and new, to join her for the January 2025 term which will commence at St Flannan’s College from January 8th, 2025.