19/09/2026
๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ญ.
As a child, Sharonโs favourite presents were pencils. When she was six, her mother took her to a local art exhibition, and Sharon remembers thinking: ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐.
Years later, after working in several different jobs while trying to build a career in art, she finally decided to take the leap.
Silver Birch began with textile art, hand-dyed fabrics and stitched pieces. After a successful Showcase event, Sharonโs work began reaching customers across Ireland, the UK and the US. At one point, she was working until 4am to keep up with orders โ from a tiny 7ft by 11ft shed.
But success made her ask a different question: was this really what she wanted to be doing?
She started again.
Today, Silver Birch Gallery & Studio outside Carndonagh is home to Sharonโs paintings, limited edition prints, printmaking and framing, as well as the studio where she continues to create.
Her work remains deeply connected to Inishowen โ its landscape, light and changing moods.
And that little girl with the pencils? She got her art college place after all.
๐ Silver Birch Gallery & Studio, Carndonagh
๐จ Sharon McDaid
For more information about Silver Birch Gallery & Studio, visit the link in the first comment.