Cara Rose

Ailbhe and Michelle, 2024

Coloured pencil on paper, mounted on canvas

"This is a portrait of my older sister Ailbhe (left) and her partner Michelle. They sit in the back doorway of the house they lived in before leaving Ireland to travel and work abroad. By their feet on the right is a shrew, in homage to the topic of Michelle’s dissertation for the doctorate she was studying for at the time. In the kitchen behind the figures, posters of bird and vegetable varieties are  on the wall. With her animal-print leggings and a shirt pattern reminiscent of microscopic formations, Michelle’s clothes hint at her interest in veterinary science. Ailbhe is portrayed through strong block colours and patterns, as well as the surreally oversized popcorn and small yellow chick." - Cara Rose

Dublin-born Cara Rose has been working as an artist since graduating from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, in 2016. Portraiture has been a constant focus of her work, with themes of feminism and the climate crisis at the forefront  of her current practice. Having worked previously in acrylic and oil paints, she has recently focused solely on works in coloured pencil. Cara Rose was shortlisted for the National Gallery’s Portrait Prize in 2018 and received a highly commended award at the same exhibition in 2022. Living and working in Dublin, she also runs a design business called Cara Luna Designs.

Go back to the shortlisted works