Ephemera

Clodagh has devoted a lifetime to making the invisible tangible- capturing transient, impermanent design concepts and making them physical.
“EPHEMERA is an exploration of capturing these elements- the transient moments of life- and the way the nostalgia of memory informs my reality,” says the artist. “Both design and art are universal languages… they need no translation.”
The Irish-born, New York City-based designer’s award-winning interior architectural and landscape projects are the physical manifestations of a groundbreaking toolbox of modalities- biophilia, radiesthesia, chromatherapy wabi sabi and feng shui- and the unique way in which she captures these ephemeral ideas to manifest them into interior architectural designs that address holistic wellness (mind, body, spirit) for those who inhabit her spaces.
It was during Clodagh’s 2007 travels to Tibet that the conscious decision to document her experiences with a professional camera and realize her fascination with capturing transient moments via photographic form was born. “Graffiti, water and sky are so appealing to me because they change constantly and have no boundaries. Both attributes appeal to me and my libra soul,” says the artist. “A building can take four years, but photography gives me instant gratification.”
“I’m also fascinated by wabi sabi- the effect of time on the material world and the graceful aging of elements like wood and stone,” says Clodagh- a philosophy reflected in her photographs that explore palimpsest and pentimento.
Traveling to over 100 countries, Clodagh’s ‘inner video’ of travel experiences is inextricably linked to her design process, as is her philosophy of ‘lighting with shadow’ and the importance she places on negative space (what isn’t seen or designed; what is consciously omitted). A cornerstone of Clodagh’s philosophy is that of the importance of the five Chinese elements being represented in all aspects of life- metal, wood, water, fire and earth, and the sixth, the spirit.
“There is a personal vocabulary of marks and organic shapes but, if I get out of the way, they seem to form themselves, separate to my contriving them. There is a freedom in awakening something new, engaging me emotionally as I care for its life.”