Assistant Professor in Art Education, since 2010 in the school of Arts Education and Movement (AEM), on St Patrick's Campus, Drumcondra, DCU. My teaching includes Visual art Education with Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Programmes on Bachelor of Education and Post Graduate Masters of Education (Primary).

I have worked in the field of Art and Design Education since 2001.Part of my role as an educator is derived from my practice as an artist. Current interests encompass the use of practice led research,  which is the central focus of my current PHD Studies- Investigating a process led sustainable approach to teaching art in Initial Teacher Education (ITE).Thinking through making, and reflection on context , environment and how these affect  and sustain human interaction, expression and wellbeing.

As part of the School of AEM I have developed a module for major specialism -Process Art and the Natural Environment which focuses on the use of natural materials and the outdoors. Recent work involved Collaborative Art Based methodologies to engage with staff communities called Finding Common Ground. This project has become the focus of two research papers in 2018 and INSEA World Congress presentation paper “Finding Common Ground; An Arts Based approach to research which studies the effects of outdoor arts project on, building relationships, a sense of place and well-being of educators in ITE 2019.

Current art  projects include a focus on sustainability and the use of plastic's as a resource. We promote sustainability awareness through our curriculum and I am an active member of Sustainability Practice Across Curriculum Education ( SPACE). Student Poster Project 2018 was developed to draw awareness through the reuse and recycling of plastic waste to create wearable art. These images are used to promote a general awareness for choices we make.

I am committed to making meaningful contributions to education through, presentations and conference contribution and the development of Art Major Specialism modules for Primary Education Students and through engagement with schools and communities.

I am a member of the Steering Committee with CRAFTed programme with the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI). 


Most recent projects include Finding Common Ground and shared research study(Arts based social engagement project), Macalla Echo 'Permission to Play' (Exhibition, and Art workshops with Primary, Secondary and Education Staff) supported by Teaching and Learning, St Patrick's College 2016.

Other research interests include -Light and sound and materials: Investigation of potential for curriculum integration module  ( Macalla, April 2016) .The Collaborative nature of arts based methodologies and its effect on building communities ( Finding Common Ground 2016, current project).

Process Art and pedagogy  is an emerging area of interest,and recent presentation at the 2018 ICEP conference- Approaches to Teaching and Learning in Art Education for Primary Teachers, using Art Journals as part of the Learning Process.

Environmental sculpture and outdoor learning- possibilities for integration (DCCOI partnership programme 2015-present). Digital drawing on touch screen devices and children’s development in art. ( 2013- present long term project).  Capturing and recording children’s art in the digital age. Development of a digital visual resource library of children’s art works.