Eva McKee facts for kids

Eva McKee (born 1890, died 1955) was a talented Irish artist and designer. She was well-known for her work with the Irish Decorative Art Association. Eva created beautiful objects using many different materials. These included leather, jewellery, painted wood, and ceramics. She often decorated her art with amazing Celtic designs.

Eva McKee's Early Life

Eva Kathleen McKee was born on July 28, 1890, in Belfast, Ireland. Her dad, James Henry McKee, was a builder. Her mom was Jane McKee.

In the 1910s, Eva started working with the Irish Decorative Art Association (IDAA). This group was for craftworkers in Belfast. It was started by Mina Robinson. While working there, Eva also took evening classes at the Belfast School of Art.

Her Amazing Art Career

After World War I, Eva McKee helped restart the IDAA with Eveline McCloy. They worked from the group's studio in Belfast. Eva showed her art at big exhibitions in Dublin and Cork in 1921. She also became a member of the Guild of Irish Art-Workers in 1925.

Throughout the 1920s, Eva's art was shown in all the main Irish arts and crafts exhibitions. She even won a medal in 1922 for her decorative leatherwork and pottery. This was at the Tailteann exhibition in Dublin.

Both Eva and Eveline used a "Celtic revival" style in their art. This means they used old Irish designs and patterns. Their work became very famous for the IDAA in the early 1900s.

Eva McKee was known for her strong artistic style. She created most of the designs for the studio. This was especially true for pottery and colored prints. She would decorate plain items from places like Belleek Pottery or Wedgwood. She added her own bright Celtic designs, using colors like deep blue and shiny yellow.

She decorated many items, including jugs, bowls, and candlesticks. She also made ceramic tiles and brooches. The IDAA also made prints like bookmarks, greeting cards, and calendars. These also featured Celtic designs, sometimes with landscapes or fairy themes. Eva signed some of her designs with her name in Irish: Aoife McAoda.

Eva also designed lots of jewellery. Local craftswomen in Belfast would then make these pieces. Her jewellery designs mixed Celtic patterns with leafy tree designs. These were popular in the English arts and crafts movement. She designed necklaces, earrings, pendants, and rings. These often held enamel, ceramic, or precious stones.

Eva was also famous for her decorative leatherwork, which also had Celtic designs. For example, she designed a book cover for a poetry book by George William Russell. This was shown at an exhibition in 1924. Eva and Eveline also made many items for homes. They used decorated woodwork, embroidery, and metalwork. By the 1920s, Eva McKee had her own shop in Belfast. It seems this shop stayed open until the 1960s.

Later Years

From 1933, Eva McKee and Eveline McCloy stopped using the name IDAA. By then, everyone knew that name was linked to their work. They moved their studio and kept working together into the 1950s.

Eva McKee passed away in Belfast in 1955. You can find a large collection of her artwork in the Linen Hall Library in Belfast. There's also a collection at the John J. Burns Library in Boston College, where her work has been shown.