ABOUT US
Our Story
Hi, I’m John.
Art has always been something I’ve loved, ever since I was a small child. At the age of 5, I was diagnosed with leukemia and spent much of my youth in recovery until the age of 15. Because of the seriousness of the illness, my childhood education suffered immeasurably.
It was thanks to the kindness of my aunt, who took me into her care as a teenager, that I was able to finish school before going on to train as a sculptor in Co. Clare.
But due to the pressures of needing to provide for myself, my own artistic career never took off.
I moved to Dublin for work and became very engaged in the city’s art scene, going to exhibitions, meeting artists and trying my hand at organizing various public events, to varying degrees of success.
In 2019, Ireland was experiencing a huge crisis as the ongoing homelessness situation was spiraling out of control. One day, I was walking down the street when an idea struck me:
I could create an artistic organisation which would raise awareness about the ongoing homelessness crisis in Ireland.
This would serve to support those most in need while also supporting “struggling artists” – those invaluable creatives in our community who have devoted themselves to an unpredictable financial path in dedication to their creativity. It would be a win – win!
My initial idea was to have a 3 day event in The Copper House Gallery, featuring the work of 30 artists along with 30 performing artists, where 50% of all proceeds would go towards supporting The Peter McVerry Trust, a charity helping homeless people in Ireland.
But halfway through organising the event, I started to feel unwell and was diagnosed with multiple brain tumours, which my neurosurgeon told me were a direct result of the radiotherapy I received as a child.
I was determined to go ahead with the event, but had to first undergo surgery to get the largest tumor, a golf ball-sized growth, removed in Beaumont Hospital.
Then, thanks to the team in Beaumont, I recovered well. And thanks to my friend – the art curator Tony Strickland – we miraculously made the event happen.
The 3 day event was a huge success and Sheltered Arts was born.
When the World went into lockdown, my dreams were again put on hold. I underwent more neurosurgery and it took me almost two years to make a full recovery.
I had the vision, but due to my health and history, I felt that I lacked many of the skills necessary to get the organisation off the ground. I wanted to take Sheltered Arts to the next level. Not only would we do live events, but we would create a more sustainable income through an online marketplace, showcasing and selling the work of Irish-based artists, while giving a percentage of each sale to charity.
It was thanks to a chance encounter in a pub in 2022 that I met Rory Boyle Sterne who listened to my vision and offered to help. He brought Hrissi Hasamova on board in 2023 and the three of us dedicated ourselves to bringing Sheltered Arts to life.
We got in touch with 5 of our favourite artists and created a traveling gallery, selling limited edition prints at music festivals in aid of Barnardos. We also brought along Axel J Rothoux, our resident artist who made a live painting over the course of the festival which we raffled to raise much needed funds for our website.
Thus, Sheltered Arts took off, and the rest, as they say, is history!
Our Team
Rory Boyle Sterne
Is an artist, a visionary, a builder and a shamanic practitioner. He is inspired by the liminal merging of nature, art, literature, construction and animism and the shamanic remembrance journey of collective consciousness. As our Creative Director, he maintains a managerial oversight on all of our operations, manifests dreams, designs materials, curates our art and holds the intention of creating sustainable communities in both business and society.
Hristina Hasamova
is a ceremonial space holder, an artist, a yoga teacher, a Gene Keys guide and a dreamer for a better future for ourselves and our children.As our Managing Director she curates our art, keeps our affairs in order, manages our multiple projects and brings so much joy to our operation with her incredible smile.
Rahul Gambhir
With over 15 years in the IT and management sector, Rahul Gambhir has been instrumental in leading and navigating diverse teams through a wide array of technologies. At ShelteredArts, a dedicated non-profit organization, Rahul plays a pivotal role, seamlessly bridging the gap between our mission and the technical intricacies required to achieve it. His unwavering commitment ensures that we consistently operate at the forefront of efficiency and impact.
GRATITUDE
While it’s impossible to keep track of everyone who has helped us on our journey so far, there are those who have offered immense support in guiding us to where we are now. In an incomplete and ever expanding list, we wish to express our deep gratitude to:
Joanne Murphy, Mat Duffy, Axel J Rothoux, Anne Brooks, Stephen Kelly, Tony Stickland, Gallery X, Micheal Toro, Corinna Flood, Kev Freeney, Nicola Staunton, Freddy Quinlan, Ronan Gorry, James Brooks, April Kling Meyer, Deb McCann, The Copper House, David Uda, Brian Gormley, Lia Laimbock, Jean Bowen, Kathrina Rupit, The Cobblestone, Prashant Bhardwaj, Vanessa Clark, Kelly Pondarosa
And all of our customers, raffle entrants, donators and sponsors. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.
Contact Our Team
For more information please email:
info@shelteredarts.com
For partnership & support opportunities, please contact our team HERE