Former carpenter Paul Burke was invited to join Cork Craft and Design’s 2022 EMERGE exhibition after his woodcarvings attracted public attention online.
The exhibition at MTU Gallery was designed to introduce recent graduates and new makers to a professional audience.
Carving after the loss of work and housing
Burke had worked as a carpenter for nearly 30 years before seizures forced him to leave the profession. Financial hardship later led to the loss of his home.
His mother encouraged him to begin drawing when he was struggling. Burke then used his existing carpentry tools to transfer those designs into wood.
Many of the carvings drew on Celtic knots and related cultural imagery. He also worked with slate and accepted commissions for memorial pieces.
An invitation created through public visibility
Curator Ava Hayes learned about Burke’s work through a local article and invited him to exhibit beside the main EMERGE show. His pieces were displayed near the gallery’s front windows and offered for sale alongside work by other emerging makers.
The opportunity gave Burke access to a professional setting at a moment when his ability to expand the practice remained limited by a small workspace and insecure housing.
Social media and community noticeboards had already helped him find an audience. The exhibition moved that recognition into a formal gallery context.
Burke’s story was inseparable from the work, but the invitation did not treat the carvings merely as evidence of personal adversity. It recognised an emerging practice built from drawing, craft knowledge and a sustained interest in cultural symbols.