Biography
Aoife Soden was born in Cavan, Ireland in 1975. As a child she moved to Australia and Papua New Guniea where her childhood was spent exploring the outdoors.
After returning to Brisbane, Australia, Aoife trained as a primary teacher. She received a Bachelor of Teaching (1996), from The Australian Catholic University and a Bachelor of Education (2001), from Queensland University of Technology. Having gained her qualifications Aoife spent thirteen years teaching in Australia and Ireland and traveling the world before returning to her first passion, art.
Aoife has recently completed a Bachelor of Design in Glass and History of Art and Design at The National College of Art and Design, Dublin receiving first class honours. As part of her studies at NCAD Aoife completed an International Student Exchange at Southern Illinois University in 2011. Aoife completed a Leonardo da Vinci work placement in Denmark in 2012. In 2013 Aoife completed research into ‘Glass Studios of Ebeltoft’ having received a Thomas Damman Junior Award. She continued to work as an assistant for a number of studios in the Ebeltoft area and at the Glass Museum Ebeltoft. From 2015-2018 Aoife managed the hotshop at the Glass Museum Ebeltoft where she developed and delivered audience activities and blew production glass for the museum. She also developed her own glass range and unique glass artworks. Aoife is now concentrating on her own glass production line and glass art work. Her work has been exhibited in a number of exhibitions in Ireland and also in ‘Elements’, Shengling Gallery Shanghai China (2012), Elements Art Shanghai (2012) and ‘Engaging With Glass’, Traver Gallery, Tacoma, WA, US (2012). The Fláneur: Recent Graduates from NCAD DIT & IDAT’ at Oliver Cornet Gallery, Dublin (2012). Most recently Aoife exhibited as part of Gather Shanghai China Xuhai Art Museum (2013). She also completed a artist residency in Nuutajärvi Glass Village in Finland in 2016. In 2018 she presented a solo exhibition Baunhøj Mølle in Grenaa and was awarded the Irish Future Makers Emerging Maker Prize from The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.
Selected Exhibitions
2018 Solo Exhibition, Function & Dysfunction, Baunhøj Mølle Grenaa, Denmark
2017 Ireland Glass Biennial, Dublin, Ireland
2017 International Biennale of Glass 2017, Sofia, Bulgaria
2017 Århus Universitetshospital, Risskov, Denmark
2016 Vejle Kunstforening, Juleudstilling, Vejle, Denmark
2016 Fussingoslot Kunsthåndværkere Udstiller, Fussingoslot, Randers, Denmark
2016 Solas, Glass Society of Ireland Members Curated Exhibition, Wansford Quay Gallery, Cork, Ireland
2015 Solas, Glass Society of Ireland Members Curated Exhibition, Greyfriars Municipal
Gallery, Waterford, Ireland, Hunt Gallery, Limerick, Ireland, National College of Art
and Design, Dublin, Ireland
2015 Vejle Kunstforening, Juleudstilling, Vejle, Denmark
2014 Irish Wave, Shanghai, China
2013 Gather, Shanghai Xuhai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2012 1001 Artists Digital Project: Art Takes Miami, Miami, USA
2012 Sculpture in Context, National Botanical Gardens, Dublin, Ireland
2012 Royal Dublin Society Student Art Awards, RDS Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland
Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Ireland
2012 Royal Dublin Society National Craft Competition, RDS Concert Hall, Dublin
2012 The Flaneur: Recent Graduates, Oliver Cornet Gallery, Dublin
2012 National College of Art and Design Graduate Exhibition, N.C.A.D, Dublin
2012 Art Shanghai 2012, Honggiao New Town Central, Shanghai, China
2012 Engaging With Glass: Contemporary Irish Glass Artists, Traver Gallery, Seattle, USA,
2012 Elements, Shingling Gallery, Shanghai, China
2011 Illuminating Glass, The Kenny Gallery, Galway. Ireland
2011 Engaging With Glass: Contemporary Glass Artists, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Ireland
2011 Glass Likes Metal, Gallery Zozimus, Dublin, Ireland
2011 No Boundaries:Art in Architecture, Southern Illinois University, Illinois,USA