Meet the Maker

There is something wonderfully special about noticing the things that others might walk straight past.

A tiny wildflower growing in a meadow. Lichen clinging to the branch of a hawthorn. The delicate structure of a native plant that changes almost imperceptibly with the seasons. These small details are easy to overlook, yet they tell a story about the landscape around us, the biodiversity it supports and the relationship we have with the natural world.

For Leitrim artist and designer Anna-Marie O’Rourke, these quiet details have been a source of fascination throughout her life. Now, through her first collection, Field Studies, she is bringing that fascination to life through a beautiful range of original botanical artwork, fine art Giclée prints, cards and linen textile pieces.

Created from original pen and ink drawings made from life in the meadow at Anna-Marie’s home in Leitrim, Field Studies is a deeply personal collection rooted in place, observation and a love of Ireland’s native flora.

A collection inspired by home

Anna-Marie was born and raised in Leitrim, and the landscape of the county continues to play an important role in both her life and her work. From her small studio, overlooking Sliabh an Iarainn, she creates artwork inspired by the natural world immediately around her.

Her connection to biodiversity began long before Field Studies was conceived.

Anna-Marie’s parents came from small, low-intensity farming backgrounds in Leitrim, where farming traditions had been passed down through generations. The landscapes associated with these traditional methods of farming provided space for a rich variety of plants and wildlife, and growing up with that environment helped to shape Anna-Marie’s appreciation of biodiversity and the ways in which human activity can influence the natural world.

It is a perspective that can be seen throughout her work.

Rather than focusing on the grand or dramatic elements of the landscape, Anna-Marie is drawn to the smaller details. The plants growing quietly in a meadow. The textures and forms found in native species. The lichen that settles on a hawthorn. The natural shapes that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

Through Field Studies, these often-overlooked elements are given the attention they deserve.

From meadow to paper

The collection began with a series of original pen and ink drawings created from plants growing in the meadow at Anna-Marie’s home.

Working from life allows her to observe each plant closely, capturing its distinctive structure and character. The resulting drawings retain a sense of simplicity and delicacy, while also reflecting the careful observation that went into creating them.

From these original drawings, Anna-Marie has developed a small collection of fine art Giclée prints, cards and linen textile pieces, alongside her original botanical prints.

The collection offers different ways to bring a little piece of the Leitrim landscape into the home, whether through a carefully chosen piece of original artwork, a fine art print or a beautifully considered textile.

There is also something particularly meaningful about the fact that the work begins with plants growing close to Anna-Marie’s own home. These are not simply generic botanical illustrations. They are observations of the living landscape around her, translated into artwork through time, patience and close attention.

Art with a sense of place

At the heart of Field Studies is a desire to encourage a greater sense of empathy with nature and to draw attention to local biodiversity.

In a world where we can easily become disconnected from the landscapes around us, Anna-Marie’s work invites us to slow down and look more closely.

The collection celebrates the beauty that exists in the familiar. It reminds us that biodiversity is not only found in remote or untouched places. It can exist in meadows, hedgerows, gardens and fields, often in forms that we might barely notice unless we take the time to look.

For Anna-Marie, this relationship with nature is both personal and purposeful.

Her work reflects a lifelong appreciation of the Leitrim landscape, while also encouraging people to think about the importance of protecting the diversity that exists within it.

Creating with sustainability in mind

Alongside her focus on biodiversity, Anna-Marie is committed to creating work with as little environmental impact as possible.

Where possible, she chooses recycled, recyclable or compostable packaging and materials. She also works with quality suppliers local to her, reflecting her belief in supporting other local businesses.

This approach is an important part of the story behind Field Studies. The collection is not simply inspired by nature. It has also been developed with consideration for how the pieces are made, packaged and brought to customers.

For anyone looking for artwork that is proudly Irish, locally created and made with sustainability in mind, the collection offers something particularly special.

An Irish artist with a lifelong connection to making

Anna-Marie’s artistic practice is supported by a strong background in both design and education.

She studied for a BA in Textile Design (Hons) at GMIT in Galway before completing a Higher Diploma in Art Education for Teachers at LSAD in Limerick. She has previously worked as an arts manager and art teacher, experiences that have contributed to her understanding of creativity, design and the importance of making art accessible and meaningful.

Today, she works independently from her studio in Leitrim, developing her own artistic practice while building her small business around the values that matter to her.

Field Studies represents an exciting new chapter in that journey.

Thoughtful Irish gifts for every occasion

There is a particular pleasure in giving someone a gift that has a story behind it.

For Christmas, a birthday, engagement, wedding, new home or simply as a thoughtful gesture, botanical artwork can bring something timeless and personal into a home.

Anna-Marie’s collection offers the opportunity to give something that is not only beautifully designed, but also connected to a real place and a real landscape.

For someone who loves nature, Irish design, art or beautifully made homeware, a piece from Field Studies could make a meaningful gift. The smaller pieces in the collection also provide a lovely way to share Anna-Marie’s work with friends and family.

And because each piece originates from her own observations of the Leitrim landscape, there is a story behind the artwork that goes beyond its visual appeal.

Celebrating small beginnings

Field Studies is Anna-Marie’s first small collection, and there is something lovely about discovering an artist at the beginning of an exciting new chapter.

Behind the collection is a combination of artistic experience, a deep connection to place and a genuine interest in the natural world.

From the meadow outside her home to her studio overlooking Sliabh an Iarainn, Anna-Marie’s work is firmly rooted in Leitrim. It is an expression of the landscape she knows and loves, and of her belief that the smaller details of nature are worth noticing and celebrating.

In choosing to create locally, work with local suppliers and consider the environmental impact of her materials and packaging, she is also building a business that reflects those values.

For Anna-Marie, supporting local matters. And by choosing to support her small business, customers are helping an Irish artist and designer continue to develop her work from her studio in Leitrim.

Discover Field Studies

If you are looking for an original piece of Irish artwork, a beautiful botanical print or a thoughtful gift with a strong sense of place, Field Studies offers a wonderful introduction to Anna-Marie O’Rourke’s work.

Each piece begins with a simple act: taking the time to notice what is growing around us.

A meadow. A wild plant. A piece of lichen on a hawthorn. A detail that might otherwise go unseen.

Through Field Studies, Anna-Marie has transformed those observations into artwork that celebrates the quiet beauty of Ireland’s native flora and the landscape that has inspired her throughout her life.

It is art with a connection to home, created in Leitrim, inspired by Leitrim and made with care.

Discover Anna-Marie O’Rourke’s Field Studies collection on Shop In Ireland and find a beautiful, locally made piece to treasure or give as a thoughtful gift.

Thank you for supporting Anna-Marie and her small start-up business, and for supporting Irish artists, designers and independent makers.