I began my career studying at GMIT (now ATU) in Galway and finished up in 2000 with a degree in Fine Art Painting. I then moved to Vietnam to work as the art and music Project Coordinator for The Christina Noble Children’s Foundation for six years. By the time I arrived back home to Ireland, the recession was in full swing, and I had to find a way to make art while earning a living. I worked in galleries and studios but found myself wanting to make my own art. I started doing small illustrations and patterns, printing images to work with on jewellery. I found myself cutting shapes from thick card and making designs that were almost shrine-like and celebrated iconic people of our time. I’ve now spent the past 13 years working on my designs and have managed to carve a unique creative voice in Dublin. My work features bright colours, highlighting patterns and themes of nature.
I work from a small studio at the back of my home where I spend time cutting and preparing various shapes for my designs. I create my own unique and recognisable shapes and like to try out new patterns, I never make two pieces the same. Sometimes I will work with a specific design in mind or certain colours that a client requests, but most of the time I will work on a design and then find the image to suit each design. I work on commission pieces quite a lot, and have made pieces of people’s family members who have passed (I prefer using old images for this). I sometimes do pets as well, and have even made someone’s beloved dog so they could wear him down the aisle! But most of my commissions are of well-known people, modern icons or people who inspire. I’ve gotten everyone from Isabella Blow to Margaret Atwood, George Michael to Mary Robison, David Attenborough to Eric Cantona and so many of Dolly Parton, Sinéad O’Connor, Bowie and Grace Jones.
My process is meticulous, and I work small. I cut with a Stanley knife after I have decided what shape I will use. I then paint the background in acrylic, after which I draw and paint my design. I then add the image, paint the back and finish with the lacquer. I chain each piece and photograph them for my website. Over the years I have been in many shops, including the National Gallery’s gift shop. My work is quite slow and meticulous, and often by the time I add the shop commission the prices are too high, so I prefer to sell on my website. I have gathered a great following over the years, which continues to expand. A lot of work and self-promotion goes into this, but thankfully I have gorgeous friends who love to dress up and model for me. It’s a lot of work for a very basic income, but I adore what I do. I treat every piece like a small canvas and the joy people get from their pieces gives me a great buzz.
My work is often political in nature and celebrates strong and inspiring humans. I am motivated by the good of humanity and aim to elevate others in my work, to celebrate those who have achieved great goals in their lives.
I have worked a lot with Síle na Gig images, celebrating the female anatomy and the vulva, and other images that celebrate women and the feminine. These themes have become more popular over the years, amid a surge of celebrating Irishness, and it’s been nice to have had my finger on the pulse of these issues. I found myself channelling the inspiration in the ether into my art, in a way that allows people to wear their values and celebrate their political and personal ideologies, as well as their passions through my jewellery.
Recently, I have done a lot of work around Palestine. For my whole life, I have been aware of the history of Palestine and the ongoing atrocities; a lot of my work has become a comment on Palestine. I’ve made pieces with images of Palestinian themes from olive branches to the Palestinian flag or of people of Palestine, usually vintage images. I’ve managed to fundraise around €13,000 over the past few years through selling my work, jewellery and clothing at events and markets. I believe in joy as a form of resistance, and that giving over your joy to those who seek to oppress is a way to lose our humanity and ability to love. Those who are shut down from their joy are those who can cause such horrors in humanity. So right now, that is at the forefront of my work.
Over the years, my practice has expanded from mainly jewellery design to include illustration. My sister Sorcha and I started a project two and a half years ago working on the idea of celebrating notable Irish women. We recently illustrated a self-published book of poems, titled Womná, honouring an array of well-known women who changed the face of Ireland. Their stories are told through often funny and thought-provoking poems with impactful iconic illustrations that celebrate their power.
Many people know me for my political passion almost as much as for my art. This works for me, as I believe art and politics should go hand in hand, even if the messages are subliminal or abstract. I will continue to make my jewellery and make pieces that inspire me and celebrate people who make an impact. I enjoy coming up with different shapes and designs, and I look forward to seeing where my work takes me. I believe there is a movement of soul-driven, humanitarians who care about our future and who wear my jewellery. I hope to continue the message in my art going forward; to be more bright, expressive and free in fashion, to celebrate the good people of this world, to celebrate boldness and to continue to ‘Make Art Not War.’
Kiki Na Art is the artist name for Dublin-born jewellery designer and artist Ciarna Pham. Ciarna works from her home studio in Dublin, where she makes small bespoke and one-of-a-kind art pieces that are worn as jewellery.
