Kathryn Mary Crowley Writer & Visual artist, Ireland.
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kathryning.bsky.social
Kathryn Mary Crowley Writer & Visual artist, Ireland.
@kathryning.bsky.social
230 followers 40 following 92 posts
https://kathrynmcrowley.com/
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kathryning.bsky.social
At Imbolc, I created an Eskimo curlew with pencil, pen, teabag splatters, and paint on paper. It is fascinating to read about this bird. I draw slowly, and savour art-making. #humanartists #curlew #birds #visualart #handmade
My painting of a curlew. Text reads 'www. Kathryn M Crowley .com'
February 4, 2026 at 10:18 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
A brilliant opportunity for artists in the Netherlands / the Caribbean. I love that research time is valued, and the artists will get decent pay: standplaatsvlieland.nl/en/open-call... #Netherlands #Caribbean #paidartsopportunity #visualartists #opencall I applaud you @mondriaanfonds.bsky.social
Standplaats Vlieland
Standplaats Vlieland is an artist-in-residence programme that invites artists to work in a site-specific manner in the unique context of the Wadden Sea region, with Vlieland as their base.
standplaatsvlieland.nl
February 4, 2026 at 9:03 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
There's a curlew here...

#curlew #mixedmediaartwork #paintonpaper #artprocess #artinprogress #Ireland #visualartist
Marks on paper. Blotches of multicoloured paints. Text reads www. Kathryn M Crowley.com
February 2, 2026 at 2:42 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Still figuring out ways to use netting as an art material. The texture creeps me out.These nets are made from plastic. Supermarket chains are still using netting to sell fruit and vegetables. I wonder who'll be the first food seller / retailer in Ireland to ban this stuff? #microplastics #art
Lengths of yarn made from plastic netting hang on a door. A chart of whales and dolphins is on the door. Green nets and white plastic netting. Text reads www. Kathryn M Crowley. com
January 30, 2026 at 6:44 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Publishing with Lulu is a slimy soup. My book arrived. Flimsy, see-through pages. Dyslexia on acid. Impossible to read. The text on page 3 shows through as you are on page 1. ☘️ Keen to avoid Amazon, I'll print in Ireland. A few readers are waiting patiently, and I appreciate that. #books #writing
A bowl of tomato soup, and plate of crackers. Text reads www. Kathryn M Crowley. com
January 30, 2026 at 4:11 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Open call

You're welcome to share writing before February 12th, 2026.
700 words maximum. Read more about Windows and Wells here: kathrynmcrowley.com/2026/01/22/w... #poetry #poems #prose #opencall #flashfiction #writing #wells #water #windows #culture #heritage
My two photos of a priory ruin window and water with leaves and moss. Text reads 'Windows and Wells open call'.
January 29, 2026 at 3:17 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Youth workers and parents, you might like to check out this open call for writing and art. It is open to young people in all countries. I checked with the editor: wordsbyedward.com/Creatures_Te... #youthempowerment #youtharts #teenagers #arts #opencall
Creatures and Teachers
wordsbyedward.com
January 29, 2026 at 3:06 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Creativity news. Read my latest update here: kathrynmcrowley.com/2026/01/27/b... #opencallsforwriting #writing #prose #poetry #flashfiction
Book fun, open calls for writing (stories, poems, and flash fiction) January-March 2026, and a workshop.
Hello everyone, This update includes (1) What I’ve been reading. (2) Open calls for writing. (3) Human Hues: a new service for lovers of music, writers, theatre fans, and visual artists. (4) …
kathrynmcrowley.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:22 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
What funny books have you read? I've finished three novels by Graeme Simsion. My son gave them to me for Christmas.
The series explores autism, love, friendship, and family dynamics. I laughed at loud at each chapter!
What to read next? Please share the book(s) that give you a giggle. #reading #fun
Photo shows two books by Graeme Simsion. One has a photo of a green apple on the front, the other shows a lobster.
January 27, 2026 at 6:04 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
'Windows and Wells' is open to writers in any country. Read about the project at www . Kathryn M Crowley . com and send an email if you have any questions. People who are new to writing, and those with experience, are welcome to take part. #opencall #writing #prose #memoir #poems #flashfiction
Graphic design shows a wishing well and a window. Text reads "Open call for writing."
January 22, 2026 at 12:56 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Coming across this made me laugh. Glad I took a photo. It's inspiring some new writing. ✨Caption it if you like!

#foundobjects #beachart #dollstory #creativity #poetry
A Barbie doll in the sand, one leg sticking up. The sea. A woman walking in the background.
January 15, 2026 at 1:09 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Write. Paws. Edit. Pause. Repeat!

For writing / art news, writing open calls, workshops and projects, check out my website: kathrynmcrowley.com

Photo shows Mini as a kitten, relaxing in a sunny spot, sprawled out on some notebooks. This is one of my favourite photos (2022). #writing ✍️ #poetry
Photo shows Mini, who is a kitten. She is relaxing in a sunny spot, sprawled out on some notebooks. One paw is extended out in front, resting on a lilac covered notebook with a pen on top.
January 7, 2026 at 8:22 AM
kathryning.bsky.social
All are welcome to join me in Newcastle West library on January 24th. Listen to poems, or bring one to share. Read more: kathrynmcrowley.com/2025/12/17/s... Presented in association with Poetry Ireland.
#poetry #peoplepoetry #hiphoplyrics #WestLimerick #January2026
@poetryireland.bsky.social
A poster for poetry in West Limerick. See website for details.
December 21, 2025 at 10:25 AM
kathryning.bsky.social
A green sea turtle washed up on Ireland’s Emerald Isle shoreline 3,000 km from home, and survived thanks to a rescue effort. This is my favourite story of 2025: kathrynmcrowley.com/2022/05/30/g... #poetry #art #greenseaturtlerescue #environment #oceanlife #marinebiology #Ireland #recovery #visualart
Green Sea Turtle Rescue on Ireland’s Emerald Isle (3,000 km from home)
A turtle’s prayer I am meandering and ancient reptilian and patient with wisdom that twinkles just like the milky way. May stars and currents guide me through silky, cool, clean uisce* and ma…
kathrynmcrowley.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:02 AM
kathryning.bsky.social
What has dipping a stick in ink and roses got to do with colonial oppression? Art-making led to a haiku, then my mind wanted to explore some history: kathrynmcrowley.com/2025/02/24/r... #poetry #poems #colonialism #Ireland #roses #creativeprocesss #selfexpression #musichistory #socialhistory
Petals, poetry, and Irish history
Colonialism, roses, and Irish history.
kathrynmcrowley.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:49 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
I've been looking back at my poetry from 2023-2025. Here are two for Palestine: kathrynmcrowley.com/2025/09/09/p...
#Poetry #Palestine #Gaza #poems
Two poems for Palestine
Poetry for hurting hearts.
kathrynmcrowley.com
December 15, 2025 at 6:33 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
For writers living in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, or England, this may be of interest: flightofthedragonfly.com/flight-of-th... #NorthernIreland #Scotland #Wales #England #opencall #Brighton #writing #creativewriting
Submissions
Destinations – an anthology in collaboration with the Process of Publishing Module of the MA in Creative Writing at the University of Brighton  Submissions are open until Midnight on 8th February 2…
flightofthedragonfly.com
December 15, 2025 at 6:04 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
A Green sea #turtle ended up in Ireland, thousands of kilometres from home and shivering her tail off, last Winter. Here's her story, my new art, and a #poem that I wrote from the perspective of a turtle back in 2022: kathrynmcrowley.com/2025/11/24/t... #art #ocean #sea #Ireland #Canaryislands 🌊🐢🎨
Underwater scene featuring a green sea turtle. Painted in watercolour, mixed media, and pen on thick, 500gsm card. My original art 24cm X 23cm.
November 24, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Kathryn Mary Crowley Writer & Visual artist, Ireland.
britpoptarts.bsky.social
"In the 1940s, while most women of her social class were hosting tea parties and serving on charity boards, Frances Glessner Lee was hunched over a workbench with tweezers, constructing perfect miniature murder scenes."
"She built dollhouses to catch killers—and her tiny crime scenes revolutionized how police solve murders. In the 1940s, while most women of her social class were hosting tea parties and serving on charity boards, Frances Glessner Lee was hunched over a workbench with tweezers, constructing perfect miniature murder scenes. Born into one of Chicago's wealthiest families in 1878, Frances had everything society said she should want—money, status, a "proper" marriage. But what she actually wanted, she couldn't have: her family refused to let her attend college. Women of her class, they believed, didn't need education. So Frances got married, raised children, and lived the life expected of her. But she never stopped learning. She read medical journals. She studied forensic science. And she waited. When her husband died and she inherited a fortune, Frances was finally free. She was 52 years old. Most people that age are thinking about slowing down. Frances was just getting started. She had become fascinated with a problem plaguing American law enforcement: crime scenes were being botched. Evidence was contaminated. Clues were missed. Detectives would walk into a scene with a theory already in mind and see only what confirmed their assumptions. Innocent people went to prison. Guilty people walked free. The cause? Poor training and sloppy observation. Frances decided to fix it—with dollhouses. But these weren't children's toys." "The "Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death" were meticulously crafted dioramas of actual crime scenes, built at a scale of one inch to one foot. Each took months to construct, and every single detail mattered. A two-room apartment where a woman lies dead. The tiny calendar on the wall shows the correct date. The miniature clock is stopped at the exact time of death. There's a crease in the bedspread where someone sat. A window is open—but only by half an inch. There's a broom leaning against the kitchen wall. The bathroom door is ajar. Blood spatters, smaller than pinheads, mark specific surfaces. Nothing was accidental. Every object was a potential clue. Another scene: a man hanged in a barn. The rope fibers are authentic. The knot is tied in a specific way. His body position tells a story—but is it suicide or murder? Look closer. Check the height of the beam. Measure the distance from the stool. Could he have reached that knot himself?" "Frances hired carpenters, but she did much of the work herself—sewing tiny curtains, knitting miniature blankets, mixing paint to create realistic blood spatters. She studied actual cases, visited real crime scenes, and consulted with medical examiners to ensure accuracy. She created twenty of these dioramas, each one a puzzle, each one based on real deaths. Then she did something extraordinary: she convinced the New Hampshire State Police to make her an honorary captain in 1943, becoming one of the first women to hold such a position. She used this authority to create seminars where detectives would study her miniatures, learning to observe without prejudice, to preserve evidence, to think scientifically. "Convict the guilty, clear the innocent, and find the truth in a nutshell," she would say. The seminars became legendary. Detectives would spend hours examining each scene, debating theories, discovering clues they'd initially missed. A cigarette ash in the wrong location. A door that couldn't have been locked from the inside. A bullet trajectory that didn't match the suicide story." "Frances was teaching them to see. Her work helped transform forensic science from guesswork into a rigorous discipline. She endowed Harvard's Department of Legal Medicine. She pushed for professional standards in death investigation. She proved that careful observation could mean the difference between justice and tragedy. When Frances Glessner Lee died in 1962 at age 83, she left behind a legacy that continues today. Her Nutshell Studies are still used to train detectives at the Maryland Medical Examiner's Office. Modern CSI techniques—photographing everything, preserving the scene, looking for inconsistencies—stem partly from the principles she championed. The woman who wasn't allowed to go to college became a pioneer in forensic science. The heiress who was supposed to arrange flowers instead arranged tiny crime scenes that saved lives. Eighteen of her original twenty dioramas survive, and they're still as powerful as ever. These aren't dusty museum pieces—they're working tools. Detectives still gather around them, still debate what happened, still learn to look past the obvious and search for truth in the smallest details. Because Frances Glessner Lee understood something fundamental: the truth is in the details. Not the dramatic ones. The tiny ones. The overlooked ones. The clue everyone walks past because they're too busy looking where they expect the answer to be. She proved that miniatures can solve murders. That dollhouses can teach justice. That a woman in her fifties with determination and resources can change an entire field. And she proved that it's never too late to start the work you were meant to do—even if the world spent decades telling you it wasn't yours to do."
October 24, 2025 at 5:36 AM
kathryning.bsky.social
'Uisce', instigated by @erikahanna.bsky.social, was a great triad! I enjoyed a talk on the historical impact of rain in #Ireland and much more besides today (Erika Hanna), foklore and history snippets (Tom Dillon) and a biodiversity walk by the river Feale (Barry O'Donoghue). #history #biodiversity
A group of adults are looking towards a hedgerow as a man gives a talk about ecology. He is pointing at long Montbretia leaves.
October 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Love colour? I post prints of my nature art to buyers worldwide, plus small, personalised gifts and mixed media paintings. Prices range from €30-€600. I'll be adding more to my website in the coming days: kathrynmcrowley.com/shop/ #art #landart #paintings 🎨☘️🍁♻️🖌️✏️📚
Mandala Autumn leaves
October 16, 2025 at 1:13 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
Creativity and craic at the weekend. Thanks to Liam McCarthy @limetreetheatre.bsky.social for inviting me to a fun, hybrid event in Limerick. Here's a blog post about the arty shenanigans: kathrynmcrowley.com/2025/10/13/s... #theatre #art #culture #Limerick #Ireland 🎭 🎨 ✍️
Saturday theatre and laughter in a Limerick art gallery
On Saturday (October 11th, 2025) a sculpture of a girl’s face, carved from wood, caught my eye in Limerick City Art Gallery. Marks along the sides added texture to the piece, and remind me of…
kathrynmcrowley.com
October 13, 2025 at 3:38 PM
kathryning.bsky.social
The gift of water. Photos and thoughts after my trip to Ireland’s sunny South-East: kathrynmcrowley.com/2025/10/06/i... #water #Ireland #conservation #pollution #waterways
The gift of water. A trip to Ireland’s sunny South-East
The beauty of Ireland’s waterways.
kathrynmcrowley.com
October 6, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by Kathryn Mary Crowley Writer & Visual artist, Ireland.
101waves.bsky.social
A seedling, blown to this location by a zephyr & accompanied by a little bit of water (from the sky), plus an abundance of sunshine produced this.

So yeah, I believe in magic/miracles. Botany, biology, & science too. I’m weird like that.🙂

#photography
#PhonePhoto
#wildflower🌻
#bloomscrolling
September 27, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Kathryn Mary Crowley Writer & Visual artist, Ireland.
naomiohreally.bsky.social
I just asked the European Commission whether they would ask for the €50,000 back in this case, as it has clearly been used to develop a military product now contracted to be supplied to the IDF, in breach of Horizon rules.

No comment on the specific case "have to look into it", spokesman says.
naomiohreally.bsky.social Naomi O'Leary @naomiohreally.bsky.social · Aug 30
Israel’s defence ministry just announced a contract to buy drones from Xtend. Its SKYLORD drone system was developed with €50,000 in EU Horizon money, which is not supposed to fund military applications. The EU grant page links to the current Xtend website, advertising its “military grade” drones
September 1, 2025 at 10:50 AM