ABOUT
Jean Maskell is a multi-disciplinary artist and writer inspired by contemporary and historic social issues, and the natural world.
She explores a specific idea with interpretations using clay, words, photography and painting. Capturing brief moments; the strength of the human spirit; memories, and hope, are key elements in her work. She focusses on four main themes - women’s strength and the ongoing struggle for social and political equality; Irish history; folk-lore and culture; maritime heritage; and the natural world.
Highlights in recent years include:
Poetry read at the closing event for the year of “Remembering Eleanor Rathbone” in the Speaker’s Room at the House of Commons.
A collaboration with animator Rachel McMahon leading to a highly commended Celtic Animation Film Festival Award, followed in 2020 by the First Audience Award of the Festival.
The 2016 Wirral Poetry Prize.
Musician Pete Goss’ short films and OHM Studio collaboration, based on Jean’s poetry.
Exhibiting in the UK and Ireland including Ceramics Ireland at Dublin Castle.
Poetry and photography included in the Embassy of Ireland/ Liverpool Irish Festival initiative celebrating St Bridget’s Day 2021.
Appearing in Ryan Gary’s 2016 documentary The Creative Process which explored artists’ motivation and inspiration.
Jean’s prose and poetry has been published in a number of journals and online media, including Orbis International Literary Journal. Her journalistic writing has appeared in a variety of publications including The Times Education Supplement.
In 2023 Jean published The Space Between, a collection of poems and short stories, to support wexford charities.
Looking ahead, Jean is working on two further books of related poems and short stories, one on women’s strength and transformation, and one on working people in the context of industrial heritage. She will be creating new ceramic sculptural work which extends her previous explorations of these themes.
EXHIBITIONS
2013
Rathbone Studio (Painting, ceramics)
Williamson Art Gallery Open (Ceramics)
2014
Rathbone Studio: Time For Reflection (Painting, ceramics, poetry)
Williamson Art Gallery Open (Ceramics, photography)
Williamson Art Gallery Pop Up (Ceramics)
Gallery Hoylake: Wirral Festival of Firsts (Ceramics, poetry)
2015
Rathbone Studio: Personal Exhibition - Salute The Shipbuilders (Ceramics, painting, photography, poetry)
Rathbone Studio: Journey Exhibition (Poetry, painting, photography)
Williamson Art Gallery Open (Photography, ceramics)
Gallery Hoylake: Wirral Festival of Firsts (Ceramics, painting, poetry)
Funky Aardvark, Chester (Painting)
Wirral Open Studios (Ceramic, painting, photography, poetry)
2016
Rathbone Studio: Behind The Scenes Exhibition (Ceramic, painting, photography, poetry)
Rathbone Studio: Eleanor, An Inspirational Woman exhibition (Ceramics, painting, photography, poetry)
Williamson Art Gallery Open (Photography)
Ness Botanic Gardens Photography Exhibition (Toured to Liverpool World Museum and Liverpool University)
Royden Park Summer Exhibition (Painting, poetry)
Wirral Open Studios (Ceramics, painting, photography, poetry)
Liverpool Central Library: Remembering Eleanor Rathbone event (Painting, poetry)
Liverpool Cathedral: Who is My Neighbour? (Poetry)
House of Commons: Remembering Eleanor Rathbone event (Poetry)
Wirral Festival of Firsts (Poetry - awarded Wirral Prize)
2017
Rathbone Studio: Discover Clay Exhibition (Ceramics)
WilliamsonArt Gallery Open (Painting, photography)
Enniscorthy Open, Wexford, Ireland (Painting)
Liverpool Central Library: Any Frontier:Any Hemisphere; Exhibition continued at St Bride’s Liverpool. (Multi-media painting, poem, flash fiction)
Wirral Open Studios (Ceramic, painting, photography, poetry)
Celtic Animation Festival (Highly commended - collaborative poetry animation with Rachel McMahon)
Royden Park Summer Exhibition ( Art, poetry, short stories)
Warrington Contemporary Open (Photography)
Rathbone Studio: Looking At It Now (Painting)
2018
Rathbone Studio: Totem (Ceramics)
Williamson Open (Photography and pastel)
Global Health and Development Conference Exhibition, Sussex (Multi-media)
Tall Ships Regatta, Liverpool (Short poetry animation collaboration with Rachel McMahon)
Wirral Open Studios, and continuing personal exhibition (Ceramics, painting, photography, poetry)
Liverpool: Festival 31 Exhibition (Painting and writing)
Rathbone Studio: They watched The Dawn (Ceramics and poetry)
Rathbone Studio: Together (Ceramics)
Liverpool Gin Poetry Competition Shortlisted
Pendle War Poetry Anthology UK and Ireland (Poetry)
Anthony Cronin International Poetry Prize shortlist
2019
Williamson Gallery Open (Ceramics and photography)
Wirral Open Studio, and exhibition, on the theme The Space Between.
Wexford Hub, Ireland: “Work” Exhibition (Ceramics, photography, painting, poetry)
Presentation Centre, Enniscorthy, Ireland: Text Redefined (Painting)
Wirral Borough of Culture 2019: Made of Iron (Creative writing and poetry)
Dublin Castle, Ireland: Ceramics Ireland Members Exhibition (Ceramics)
Wexford Fringe Festival: Ireland (Prints)
2020
Presentation Centre Enniscorthy, Ireland (Pastel)
Online: Lockdown collaborative people’s poem on Covid 19
Open Eye, Liverpool: Photo Story on life in lockdown
Wexford Bohemian Literary Journal, August and October 2020 (Creative writing, poetry)
Online; New Writing North, Murmuration (Poetry)
Liverpool Irish Festival, Best of Celtic Animation Film Festival screen and audience award for poetry animation collaboration with Rachel McMahon.
2021
Online: Embassy of Ireland/Liverpool Irish Festival, St Bridget’s Festival (Poetry and photography)
Online: World In Lockdown Peoples Poem Collaborative and Capsule of Culture (Poetry)
Online: Climate Change/Green Anthology, Heart of Grass (Poetry)
Dublin Castle, Ireland: Ceramics Ireland Members Exhibition (Ceramics)
The Lost Poppy, photograph presented to Bebington British Legion.
Orbis International Literary Journal: (Creative writing and poetry)
Joint winner of Liverpool Writes, Irish Festival poetry Competition
2022
Presentation Centre, Enniscorthy Open(Painting)
Williamson Art Gallery Open (Ceramics)
Poets For Peace Online Anthology
Dublin, Ceramics Ireland: Clay/Works (Ceramics)
2023
Presentation Centre Enniscorthy, Ireland (Letterpress poem)
Launch of The Space Between, a collection of poems and short stories
Rathbone Studio: Wirral Open Studio and exhibition based on The Space Between