Art and Psyche Research Group

Vision and Mission Statement 

Situated within the Faculty of Fine Art & Education, but with an inter-disciplinary emphasis, the Art & Psyche Research Group is focused on advancing new scholarship, publications and the development of third-level educational provision at the intersection of the fields of Fine Art, Visual Culture, Depth Psychology and Art Therapy. A fairly wide community of practice has been developed in the discipline thanks to publications, international conference presentations and special invitations to local and international events. The group is interested in funding to enable publication and dissemination of research, and for community-oriented projects in these areas of focus.

We have run an MA in Art, Psyche and the Creative Imagination for the past 4 years; a Certificate in Jungian Psychology with Art Therapy for 14 years (on pause for academic year 2024-25). Currently, we are developing an MA in Art Therapy, with envisaged start date being September 2025.

Members of the group are experts in the fields of Practice-Based Fine-Art Research, Depth Psychology, Art Therapy, Folklore & Mythology, Literature and Third Level Curriculum Design.

Group Members;

Mathew Mather (Principal Investigator)

Tracy Fahey (Lead Researcher)

Caroline Coyle (Researcher)

Lisa Hester (Researcher)

Robert Kilroy (Researcher)

Lyn Mather (Researcher)

Delores Crerar (Researcher)

Current PhD students;

Anne Connolly

Delores Crerar

Lucy Dolan

Jennifer Moran Stritch

Peter O’Donnell

Carmen Sorrenti

In addition, there are currently 43 MA students on our MA in Art, Psyche and the Creative Imagination. Of these, 27 are busy with their Dissertations during 2024-25.

Research Focus

The Art and Psyche Research group aim toward developing and promoting a growing community of engaged, active research and dissemination, at the intersection between creative arts practices, depth psychology, psychosomatic practices, ecopsychology, and the application of findings to the fields of arts-based therapies, creative imagination practices and third-level educational provision in this area.

Outcomes of research may also contribute new knowledge to fields of Contemporary Fine Art Practice, Depth Psychology inspired Creative Arts Practices, the Psychology of the Creative Imagination, Arts Therapies, Art Critique & Cultural Theory, Curriculum Design and innovation in online, blended and technologically enhanced delivery.