About the Artist
Surroundings
Bernadette Tuite is a ceramic artist based in Cork, Ireland. Her sculptural vessels are rooted in a deep engagement with the Irish coastline, drawing on her background as a former boat captain and her lifelong affinity with the sea. Traveling by boat to remote, often inaccessible coves along the Co. Cork shore, Bernadette gathers both inspiration and material directly from the littoral landscape.
Her practice is defined by a sensitivity to place, geological time, and the dynamic forces that shape our environment. She incorporates found coastal materials—clays, sediments, and mineral traces—into her ceramics, creating works that reflect the textures, tones, and natural energy of the sites they emerge from. The resulting vessels are contemplative, tactile forms that invite reflection on our relationship with nature and the impermanence of the world around us.
Bernadette studied ceramics and glass at Crawford College of Art and Design and Kiln Cast Glass in Shanghai University, and she is a graduate of the Pottery Skills and Design Course in Kilkenny.
She exhibits her work nationally and internationally and is currently a studio member at Backwater Artists’ Studios in Cork. In addition to her studio practice, she lectures in ceramics at Crawford College of Art and Design..
“Through my explorations by sea into places accessible only by kayak I venture into hidden, undervalued and undeniably beautiful places.
My explorations have led me to question our relationship with the landscape and our role in responsible stewardship of our coastal surroundings.
Although the coastline appears rugged, an impervious protective bulwark against the Atlantic and the elements, it is vulnerable to human impact. This vulnerability is expressed in the use of stressed clay in my work and by balancing the ceramic sculptures on small bases.”
“I carefully manipulate found coastal materials, sand etc. into the individual pieces. Drift wood and other found items become integrated into the work by using them to mark make, impress and score the clay. This creates a visible narrative from these inaccessible coastal places to the gallery viewing public, an opportunity to reconnect with nature.
My form of storytelling gives a tangible sculptural expression to the creative and erosive dialog of these Littoral zones, articulating the relationship between humanity and our vulnerable landscape.”
EDUCATION
B.A (Hons) CONTEMPORARY APPLIED ART Ceramics, Glass & Textiles • Crawford College of Art & Design, Cork • 09/2014 - 06 / 2018
FINE ART GLASS DEPARTMENT • Shanghai Fine Art University, Shanghai, China · 03 - 05 / 2017
B.A. POTTERY SKILLS AND DESIGN · Design & Crafts Council of Ireland & NUI Maynooth, Thomastown Co. Kilkenny, ·09 / 2012 - 07/ 2014
CERAMICS, CERAMIC SCULPTURE, DESIGN, ART HISTORY - City College of San Francisco, Fort Mason Campus, San Francisco, California, U.S.A - 2000 / 2011
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Casual Lecturer · Crawford College of Art & Design, Cork, Ireland, Ceramics Department · 09/23 to present
Ceramic Artist · Backwater Artist Studios, Wandsford Quay,Cork · 04/2019 to present
Chapel Hill School of Art · Art School Programme Coordinator & Event Manager · 03/ 2021 to 03/2023
Friends of Crawford Art Gallery · Crawford Art Gallery, Emmet Place, Cork · Administrator · 03/2020 to 03/2021
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2025
Land Sea Soul · Solo Show · Working Artists Studios, Ballydehob, Co. Cork · October /2025
Feast ·West Cork Creates · Cnoc Buì, Union Hall, Co. Cork · August 2025
Meitheal ·Cork Potters Society · Members Exhibition · Cnoc Buì, Union Hall, Co. Cork · June 2025
Blue Space Geographies · MTU Library · North Campus, Tralee, Co. Kerry· April / 2025
Commitment · CCAD Technical Staff Group Exhibition · MTU Library · North Campus, Tralee, Co. Kerry · March 2025
2024
South Tipperary Arts Centre · Christmas Exhibition · 11-12/ 2024
Surveyor · Solstice Art Centre · Navan Co. Meath · 11- 12/2024
Irish Wings · Museum of Modern Ceramics · Athens, Greece · 10 – 17/11/2024
Commitment · The Gallery 46 Grand Parade · Cork, Ireland · 09/10 – 11/10
Irish Wings · Laggos, Paxos, Greece · 07/24 – 08/24
Past Present Future Perfect · National Craft Gallery · Castle Yard, Kilkenny, Ireland · 10/09 - 22/10
Summer Show · Lavit Gallery · Wandesford Quay, Cork Ireland·11/07- 22/08
Fired Up · The Courthouse Arts Centre · Tinahealy, Co. Wicklow 11/08 – 31/08
Fired Up · St. Carthage’s Cathedral · Lismore Co. Waterford ·05/24 – 06/ 24
Claytography · Solo Show · Working Artists Studios, Ballydehob, Co. Cork · 02/24 – 03/24
2023
Surveyor · Solstice Art Centre · Navan Co. Meath · 12/23 - 06/23
Winter Salon · Backwater Artist Group · 11/23 – 12/23
Cork Potters Society · Members Exhibition · Gallery Asna, Clonakility Arts Centre, Co. Cork · 05/ 2023
2022
Folk · West Cork Creates · Skibbereen Co. Cork · 08/22
Clayworks at the Printworks · Ceramics Ireland Members Exhibition · Dublin Castle · 08/2022
Showcase · Cork Craft & Design · Co. Cork · 08/2022
Backwater Artists · Group Exhibition · Fota House, Fota, Co. Cork · 09/2021
Statio Bene · Cork Harbor Festival · MTU Gallery, Grand Parade, Cork · 06/ 2022
Cork Potters Society · Members Exhibition · Gallery Asna, Clonakility Arts Centre, Co. Cork · 05/ 2022
2021
Clayworks at the Printworks · Ceramics Ireland Members Exhibition · Dublin Castle · 08/2021
Showcase · A Bhaile · Cork Craft & Design · Working Artist Studios · Ballydehob Co. Cork · 08/21
Home ground · West Cork Creates · Skibbereen Co. Cork ·08/21
Backwater Artists · Group Exhibition · Bluehouse Gallery Schull Co. Cork 09/2021
Cork Potters Society · Members Exhibition · Lavit Gallery Cork · 08/ 2021
Kanturk Arts Festival · Festival Showcase Virtual Exhibition ·-3/ 2021
2020
Surveyor · Solstice Art Centre · Navan Co. Meath · 11 – 12 / 2020
Unlocked · Northern Ireland Craft Gallery · Belfast N.I. · 08 - 10/2020
The Sky Is Blue · Artworks 2020· VISUAL Carlow · 07-10/2020
Clayworks at the Printworks · Ceramics Ireland Members Exhibition · Dublin Castle · 08/2020
Cork Potters Society · Members Exhibition · Lavit Gallery Cork · 08/ 2020
Showcase · Cork Craft & Design · Working Artists Studios, Ballydehob, Co. Cork · 08/2020
Hinterland Festival · Virtual Exhibition, Kells Literary Festival · 07/20
Land of Some Order · Lavit Gallery Cork · 03 - 07/2020
2019
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Going Solo solo show · Toradh 2 Gallery· Kells Co. Meath · 09 -11/ 2019
Following Contours solo show · Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards, Co. Down · 06 – 07/ 2019
2019 GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Unsettle All things · Crawford College of Art & Design Graduate Residents Exhibition · 46 Grand Parade, Cork ·
Awards
Cork Leader Partnership - Enterprise Award 2023
Thomas Dammann Junior Memorial Trust - Research Award 2021
Meath County Council Arts Office - Going Solo Award 2019
Design & Crafts Council of Ireland - Future Makers Award 2019
Crawford College of Art & Design - Graduate Residency Award Ceramics 2018 - 19
D.B.I. - Purchase Prize 2018
Cork Craft & Design - Emerge Award 2018
Residencies
Cill Raillaig Art Centre, Ballinskellligs Co. Kerry - February 2025
Crawford College of Art & Design, Cork, Ireland - Ceramics Residency - Sept 2018 - June 2019
Shanghai University of Fine Art, Shanghai China - Kiln Cast Glass Study Exchange - March 2017 - May 2017
Master Class
2014 - Master Class Lisa Hammond · Workshop - Demonstration -Lecture D.C.C.I. · Thomastown, Ireland
2013 - Master Class Walter Keeler · Workshop - Demonstration-Lecture D.C.C.I. · Thomastown, Ireland
2012 - Master Class Ken Eastman · Workshop · Lecture · University Limerick, Ireland
2012 - Master Class David Frith · Workshop · D.C.C.I. Thomastown, Ireland
2012 - Ceramics Ireland Raku Workshop · Workshop · D.C.C.I. Thomastown, Ireland
U.S.A.
2004 - Molly Prior · Pit Fire Workshop · Workshop · Dillion Beach, Tomales, California, U.S.A.
2002 - Master Class Josh De Weese · Workshop · C.C.S.F. Fort Mason Campus, San Francisco California, U.S.A.