Anne-Marie’s creative side is a cut above the rest

WELL-KNOWN barber in Carlow town Ann-Marie Lawler has another creative side to her that she has kept hidden for far too long.

Her love of painting, second only to her hairdressing, was reawakened last year after several decades: her work now hangs proudly in the ArtBank Gallery in Bunclody as part of an extensive art exhibition on show until Saturday 4 October.

It was only last year when her daughter entered Junior Cert year in secondary school that Ann-Marie, who paints under the surname Roche, felt ready to go back to art.

Ann-Marie explained: “I’m only back painting for the past year-and-a-half from my kitchen table, of all places, but I was gradually moved to other places at home by my husband. Now I use the back room, which is lovely and quiet. Painting is a great escape for me after work in the barber’s.

“I know I’m so privileged to have been able to achieve and be part of the two areas of life I love – hairdressing and painting.” 

Ann-Marie first realised she wanted to be a hairdresser when she was just five years’ old and two years later her love of art was awakened by her national school principal Myles Kavanagh in Ballinabranna.

“Mr Kavanagh brought us to an art exhibition and I was just blown away by what I saw. I knew then I would work hard at being able to draw and paint and I studied the subject for my Leaving Cert.” 

However, after leaving her studies behind her at the age of 18, life and its business took over and the world of hairdressing absorbed her.

“I always said that when my daughter entered Junior Cert year in school that I might go back to painting, and I’m really so glad I did,” continued Ann-Marie.

Soon after, she was introduced to John Renwick, who runs the ArtBank gallery in Bunclody.

“John really encouraged me with my painting and last March he contacted me and told me that he wanted 13 paintings for an exhibition opening on Saturday 13 September,” recounted Ann-Marie.

“So I had only a few months to get the work done, but it focused my mind which meant I had to have a topic to detail my paintings around. Being honest, my head was fried trying to think of ideas.

“But I had been at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York the previous month and works by Pablo Picasso captured my imagination, especially his work ‘Girl before a mirror’. That’s when I realised that I should paint what I have titled my exhibition, Reflections – images of me and make-believe hairdressing clients reflected through mirrors, sitting in thought, detailing their emotions.” 

After busy days cutting and styling hair, Ann-Marie went home each night and spent up to five hours creating her detailed and uplifting paintings. The self-taught artist revealed that “to see people looking at my pieces when the exhibition opened was both nerve-wracking and a feeling of privilege”.

She continued: “What I realise is that you have to believe in yourself, in what you do, and that you make a lot of your own luck in life. I’m on cloud nine over having my artwork on display and to have my pieces surrounded by the paintings of other great artists”.

It’s a feeling Ann-Marie will cherish.

Ann-Marie Roche’s acrylic art will be on display and sale at the ArtBank Gallery in Bunclody, Co Wexford until Saturday 4 October.