James Tohill Doyle

My work sits at the intersection of socially engaged art and education, grounded in the belief that art can critically reflect the environments and systems we live within. Drawing on my background in Fine Art Print and my current practice as an art educator in a DEIS school in Crumlin, Dublin, I explore how memory, place, and social issues can be mapped, sculpted, and reimagined through collaborative processes.

This body of work evolved alongside my PME thesis, which examines how the integration of Visual Studies and practical art-making can foster social consciousness among marginalised students. This dual focus on practice and pedagogy informs my use of experimental printmaking, image transfer, and cement casting to symbolise local concerns—such as housing, gentrification, and historical land use. These tactile processes echo the layered histories and personal narratives that shape community identity.

Through teaching, I witness how art can open space for young people to process their realities. My students’ contributions often find their way into my work, either conceptually or materially, reinforcing my approach as dialogic and process-led. From cracked pavements to archival lines, each mark speaks to the lived experience of place.

As an artist-teacher, I remain committed to questioning who art is for, where it belongs, and how it can serve. My practice continues to shift between solo making and collaborative education, each informing the other in pursuit of shared meaning and grounded expression.