Catherine Esmond Mulligan

Earth PAttern 2025

Rourke Art Gallery + Museum in Moorhead, Minnesota, USA

May 30 – August 10, 2025

Earth Pattern features prints and sculptural stoneware work of Catherine Esmond Mulligan, on exhibition for the first time, alongside select earlier works from the collections of North Dakota State University, the Plains Art Museum, and The Rourke Art Gallery + Museum.

Catherine was a long-time friend of James Tiernan O’Rourke. They championed each other, and it is fitting that this exhibition is taking place here. Catherine also first met Richard Bresnahan at an exhibition of his work here at the Rourke in 1981. All stoneware was fired at St. John Pottery under the direction of Bresnahan. Catherine is the only artist other than Bresnahan to have had work in every firing of the St. John’s woodfire kilns. The color and markings tell the story of earth, flame, and community.

The Reliquaries and Ma Butterworth series in this exhibition are a continuation of her early work and connect to the prints and other works on exhibit.