Hugh Cummins

Hugh Cummins' s works have clean, flowing lines involving his own innovative construction processes that consistently challenge the range of possibilities of his materials.
Using hardwoods and fine wood veneers, Hugh Cummins creates a wide range of objects including finely finished boxes, stylish uplighters, delicate platters and sculptural vessels and forms.

Hugh Cummins was born in Dun Laoghaire and after a number of years working and studying in London lives again in Dun Laoghaire. 

He progressed with his acquired traditional fine cabinet making skills to creating purely decorative objects. His designs have clean, flowing lines involving his own innovative construction processes that consistently challenge the range of possibilities of his materials. Woods that Hugh works with, such as Beech and Walnut, allow him to push the boundaries within which traditional wood working techniques were previously contained.

Hugh selects very carefully thin slices of wood, knife cut from a prepared log, and uses a sequence of these leaves in layers. Different species of wood conform in similar but very specific contours and Hugh’s creative process comes close to the limits of influence. The layering allows the artist to shape the wood using the inherent tensions in the grain and size of the cut sheets. The sequenced leaves can be compressed with formers made by Hugh and/or carefully shaped by hand while a glue vein sets creating one-off unique forms.
Art Education   
   
1971
B.A. Philosophy and Logic, UCD 
1976
Diploma in Social Science, University of Westminster
1978
Inner London Adult Education course in Chelsea
1979
Wood Turning course with Gordon Stokes
1980-1987
Evening courses at the Chelsea College of Art workshops in Hammersmith with Ernest Rodker 
1984
Summer School at John Makepeace’s School in Parnham
1987-1989
London College of Furniture Cabinet Making course
1989-1991
London Education Authority teaching evening class woodwork at Battersea College, S.W. London.
1989
Member of a small collective of woodworkers in King’s Cross and moving later with the same group to Hackney. This collective shared a large workshop space and there Hugh explored the limits of working with delicate and exotic veneers. He researched the field of marquetry and laminating woods and discovered a whole new method of constructing decorative vessels.
Based in Ireland since 2001 and working and creating full-time with wood. Work in the OPW collection and in many private collections.
Recent exhibitions

2026
God, Kinch, if you and I could only work together..., Bloomsday / Summer group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin


2025

Memorandum, winter group show,  Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.

Out of Lines, Bloomsday / Summer group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.

Art Evolve 2025, contemporary art fair at the RDS, with the Olivier Cornet Gallery.


2024 

Contrast, winter group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.

'Europe in the Heart of Ireland', group show with Hamilton Gallery,  European Parliament Liaison Office, Dublin.

'Bravura 2024', group show, Wexford Arts Centre.

Pink is my colour , group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.


2023

'Climate and Health', Royal College of physicians of Ireland, Dublin. 

' My favourite artwork at the Olivier Cornet Gallery, Olivier Cornet gallery, Dublin. 

' Arbour Essences in Anthropocene Dublin', Olivier Cornet gallery, Dublin. 

Craft NI, Guest Maker - 115 - 119 Royal Avenue, Belfast.

Lavit Gallery, Cork.

The Stephen O'Connell Gallery, Clonakilty, Co. Cork.

National Heritage Week at Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.

'Compendium', winter group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.


2022

'2012 - 2022 A decade of exhibitions at the Olivier Cornet gallery', Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.

Made in Ireland, "An exhibition to celebrate the skill and vitality of our island's makers". Presented by Design & Crafts Council Ireland. Exhibition Team - Mary Gallagher, Hilary Morley, Stephen O'Connell, Aine Gallagher. Castle Yard, Kilkenny Oct. 2021 toJan. 2022 - Farmleigh, 7th July to 4th Sept. 2022 - F. E. McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge, 24th Sept. 2022 to Jan. 2023.

192nd RHA ANNUAL EXHIBITION 2022.

'Convergence', Artnetdlr group exhibition curated by Louise Neiland at Walters in Dun Laoghaire.

Sculpture in Context 2022, National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin.


2021

Pluid Project 2021 A national comfort blanket of original art work at Farmleigh.

Royal Ulster Academy of Arts 140th Annual Exhibition.

'Memento, Looking back, Looking forward', Olivier Cornet Gallery Winter group show.


2020

‘Drawing on Don Quixote', Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin. Group show curated by Olivier Cornet and first presented at National Opera House (Oct 2019, Opera Festival Wexford), then at VUE Contemporary Art Fair (Nov 2019, RHA Dublin).

‘The Art of Giving’ 2020, Wood Symphony, Online International Collection.

“On Paper”, Winter group show at Olivier Cornet Gallery, curated in collaboration with Jackie Ryan.


2019
Cycling through the rages, group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.
Somewhere between perception and reality, (group show first presented at VUE Art Fair RHA in November 2018), Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.
2018
6 May-6 June: 'Striae', a two-person exhibition with AGA member Sheila Naughton, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.
January to March: '2°C', a group show on climate change curated by Olivier Cornet with the support of the EPA (first presented at VUE Art Fair RHA in November 2017), Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.
2017
'Turned and Sculpted Wood 2017'. Online International Collection through www.woodsymphony.com.
September: Sculpture in Context, Botanic Gardens Dublin.
August: Selected for the RDS Craft Awards.
July: ‘Explorations in wood’, solo show, Olivier Cornet Gallery Dublin.
OPW Art of the state touring exhibition, The LAB Dublin, The Alley Theatre and Gallery Strabane, An Chultúrlann Belfast.
2016
RDS Craft Fair
‘Elévation’, group show at Vue, National Contemporary Art Fair at the RHA, with the Olivier Cornet Gallery. 
OPW Art of the state touring exhibition starting in Dublin Castle.
2015
'Hopscotch', winter group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery.
Group show at VUE 2015, National Contemporary Art Fair at the RHA, with the Olivier Cornet Gallery (work acquired by the OPW).
'5 Cavendish Row', summer group show curated by Olivier Cornet and Arran Henderson, Olivier Cornet Gallery.
'A Terrible Beauty', travelling group show curated by the Olivier Cornet Gallery, Octagonal Room, City Assembly House, Dublin, by kind invitation of the Irish Georgian Society.
2014
'Reflections', Christmas/Winter group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery; 'Vue 2014', National Contemporary Art Fair at the RHA with the Olivier Cornet Gallery; 'Flaneries in Forests and Fields', group show with the Olivier Cornet Gallery with work acquired by the OPW); Royal Hibernian Academy Open Summer Exhibition 2014; D.L.R.C.E.B. Design Corner; Design Yard.
2013
Preview of New Work By Local Artists, Tower Tea Room, Killiney; Design Loft, Powerscourt, Co. Wicklow; Design Stories, Culture Box, Temple Bar; D.L.R.C.C. Open Submission Art and Sculpture Competition; C.C.of I. Showcase at R.D.S; D.L.R.C.E.B. Winter Fair; A Place to Gather, C.C.o.I, Palais de Justus Lipsius in Brussels;Design Yard.

2012
Design Yard; Project 51 Winter show; Bray Christmas Fair; Bank of Ireland Forecourt Christams Fair; Bray Design Centre, Co. Wicklow; A Place to Gather, C.C.o.I, London Design Week September; D.L.R.C.E.B. Winter Fair; Festival of Irish Design (March-April), Project 51, supported by C.C.o.I.
1989 – 2001
London College of Furniture graduation show at Chelsea Craft Fair; Hidden Art of Hackney pre-Christmas festivals;Claude Lagny’s ‘La Galerie’ in South London; House and Garden magazine featured a burr walnut occasional table.