Jenny Bergin: Creative Crafts

My name is Jenny Bergin and I’m an artist based in Edenderry. I became involved in Creative Places Edenderry over 2 years ago. I met  with Seonaid for a coffee and the plans described for Creative Places, Edenderry were exactly what I wanted to be involved in, as I was becoming very aware of the vast amount of artists and crafters in Edenderry, having only set up my own business ‘Creative Crafts’ early in 2022. On a personal note, being involved with Creative Places, Edenderry gave me confidence and belief in myself as an artist and gave me opportunities to push myself from my comfort zone and undertake projects that I’d never have taken part in!!!

From the very first public workshop in the library, I was a bag of nerves, taking down nearly everything bar the kitchen sink!! Now I can sail through my list of essentials and have the confidence to facilitate a workshop with up to 30 people. Adults or children. Moving on, with that same confidence, I applied for a Creative Grant. This was scary and new to me too!! (The fear of applying for a grant when I still hadn’t labelled myself as an artist was real!!) Filling out an application form, calculating costs, times, and working with a group with different abilities. I was delighted to have received it.

I facilitated a 4 week workshop for 15 people with air-dry clay. My biggest joy is teaching the many crafts I do and seeing the pure joy and pride in an individual who claimed ” I wouldn’t be able to do that”!!! As a facilitator, I think it’s the greatest achievement. Watching a class of 15 adults walk out with their finished piece of art, everybody happy and proud. A job well done.

From here, as my own business began to grow, and I became braver to push myself further. I tried new techniques and art forms and had the confidence to do exhibitions in our local library and in Tullamore. I learned a lot about myself from countless hours of solitude in my workshop and my mind became a hive of ideas, with projects half finished as I moved onto the next. With Creative Places Edenderry, I supported many events with workshops and demonstrations. Too numerous to mention; Festival in a Van, Pride, St Patrick’s Day, Community Social, Artist Collective Days and many more..Workshops in the Acorn Project and St Patrick’s National School.

I was then overjoyed to be awarded an Artist Commission in 2023. Being aware of how the residents in our local nursing home were marginalised from being able to attend workshops, exhibitions and craft fairs, I took it into them. From numerous  meetings and discussions with the Matron, staff and residents, I created 130 individual pieces of art, using old artifacts, texture and colour, based on stories and ideas from the residents.  

These pieces of art are interactive and interchangeable between 4 units in the nursing home. They’re safe and durable. The feedback of the joy it brings to all who see, staff, residents and families is priceless. It is the piece of art I am most proud of. The project took over 5 months to complete.

Part of this commission was a set amount of workshops in the nursing home, but I continued to volunteer for over a year because of the difference a simple craft workshop was to these lovely older people.

With the support of Creative Places Edenderry, the ActiviTEA group started up in January 2024. I am the Community Lead Volunteer at this group every Tuesday morning. ActiviTEA is a women’s group where we meet for a cuppa and a chat, and then partake in a different activity every week that are arts/craft based. It is a safe, positive and welcoming environment for women of all ages and abilities. The group is growing from strength to strength with new faces every week. There is a lovely relaxing atmosphere, where everybody helps out from making tea to cleaning up afterwards. The facilitators are wonderful, full of patience and care, and again, those who state ‘” I wouldn’t be able to do that” are the ones with the biggest smiles as they leave with their treasured piece. It is wonderful to give back, to volunteer, to be able to give someone this safe space, some encouragement, hand them a warm cuppa, and run a group that everybody feels part of, regardless of their ability.

I took part in the Aethereal Material project funded by The British Science Association. It was based on the ‘Speech to song auditory illusion’ and included voices from Edenderry and Belfast. Seonaid interviewed me and asked me some questions about Creativity and what it means to me. There were then a series of workshops with The Black Box in Belfast in which original compositions were created, based on and including the interview clips – you can hear my voice on this track, Creativity – composed by Dr. Trevor Agus, Sound Researcher at the Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queen’s University, Belfast:

Here is some feedback from taking part in the recording process for the Aethereal Material project:

Thank you so much for the LP, I have never before seen my son laugh so much at the track I’m on. He keeps playing it over and over. I’ll need a new needle!!! It’s so well put together and interesting and different. The sound quality is perfect. Well done to all involved.

In 2024, I completed a project on the harbour wall of the Grand Canal. This was part of the Biodiversity project which included a mural at the Cabin and an installation of wooden fish on the Grand Canal Wall. Co. Down based Artist, Sharon Regan worked with the community and the Blundell Wood Residents Association to create these pieces of public Art. On completion of the project, the community requested more fish!

I worked on the remainder of the project carrying on from Sharon Regan’s original idea – a shoal of 130 wooden fish were hand painted at numerous public workshops. All age groups, men, women and children. From a baby’s handprint to a 93 year old lady. A mass of colour and amazingness!!!!

I had previously drilled, sanded and undercoated each one and when they were complete, I meticulously sealed them numerous times on both sides against the elements (this is a project I will continue to care for and be proud of). The fish were then attached to a freshly painted wall with a hand painted mural. The finished piece is outstanding, if I may say so myself!!

It brightens the harbour on a dreary day and the community feedback and gratitude for this project in Edenderry is outstanding.

As we roll into 2025 – ActiviTEA is back after the holidays, with new faces, new ideas, and a group of women, where this is the only social-interaction some of them have. Their gratitude to be able to attend and the smooth operation of this group that’s only running for a year is wonderful, all thanks to Creative Places Edenderry.

I was Artist Liaison for the Hullabaloo Children’s Festival in November. It ran over four days in the local library, I welcomed families and helped out at workshops. I was delighted to be trusted with the job. 

Creative Places, Edenderry are so easy to work with. The coordinator is so understanding of the needs and abilities of all the groups running in town. Community Forum meetings and sitting in on other meetings, being included in decision making and feeling that your opinion matters is so important. The inclusion of so many facilitators in every workshop and festival and project is outstanding and the coordinator is always just a call away with support and direction. 

Two years in and I really feel part of Creative Places Edenderry where my opinion is listened to, and where I feel I am making a difference in my community. I have met so many new people, artists, crafters, musicians, writers…. and we in turn have created networks and support systems and became aware of exactly what our little town has to offer in all areas of the arts.

I am so grateful to be involved with this organisation and I am delighted it came to Edenderry as it has opened so many doors for so many people, where we support and encourage each other to make our town a better place. 

Thank you Creative Places Edenderry for everything. 

Jenny