Two young Westmeath artists make mark at ‘Circular’ awards

Two Westmeath champions of what is termed ‘circular living’ were honoured at the Circular.ie Full Circle Awards in the Aviva Stadium last week.

Clodagh Ramsey from Killucan was announced winner of the Young Circular Star category, and French-born artist Bertille de Lestrade, founder of Studio Bleu in Castlepollard, was a runner-up in the Creative Circular Artist category.

It’s been some year to date for Clodagh: in March she was named Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year; in early September, she modelled her Junk Kouture dress ‘Aquacultural’ on the red carpet at the première of the Colin Farrell film, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, in Leicester Square, London.

This latest success, as category winner at the Circular.ie awards, earned her a prize of €2,000 and the opportunity to receive dedicated, expert communications mentoring for her future circular initiatives.

Circular living is a lifestyle approach based on the principles of the circular economy — aiming to minimise waste, make the most of resources, and keep products and materials in use for as long as possible.

The Young Circular Star category celebrates children or young people leading the way in sustainability and circular thinking in school, at home or in their community, and Clodagh’s work bridges art, nature, and sustainability.

Stated the citation: “Drawing inspiration from the landscape around her home in Westmeath woodlands, bogs, rivers, and lakes she creates wearable art that reflects textures, stories, and ecological values.

“Her award-winning designs have been recognised internationally, celebrated for their creativity, circularity, and commitment to sustainability. Every piece is conceived to give back to the earth at the end of its life, enriching the environment rather than harming it.”

The judges paid tribute to Clodagh for demonstrating that wearable art can be a tool for ecological advocacy, using creativity to inspire communities and connect people to the natural world.

Bertille de Lestrade, founder of Studio Bleu in Castlepollard, was a runner-up in the Creative Circular Artist category, honouring those who transform waste materials into art, furniture, décor, or other creative expressions through upcycling. A self-taught multidisciplinary artist from France, Bertille has lived in Ireland for 15 years and has been working full-time on her art since 2019.

She opened Studio Bleu in 2022, a combined studio and gallery space that has become a community hub for sustainable living.

Alongside exhibitions in solo and group shows, she facilitates workshops and a monthly pop-up market, fostering creativity and sustainable practices within the local community.

This is the first year of the Full Circle Awards, created by Circular.ie to spotlight people and projects that demonstrate what circular living looks like. Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment with special responsibility for the Circular Economy, Alan Dillon, TD, said: ‘These awards highlight how people across Ireland are making a real difference in their community by embracing and promoting circular living in their daily lives. They also act as inspiration to others, creating momentum throughout the country.”

New platform

The event in the Aviva also celebrated the launch of Circular.ie — Ireland’s new national platform designed to help people reduce waste, get more from the things they already have, save money, and build thriving local communities through circular living. Developed by The Rediscovery Centre, in collaboration with the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment and other stakeholders working in this area, Circular.ie offers practical tools, guidance, and inspiration for anyone looking to live more sustainably — from reusing and repairing to sharing and repurposing.

Increasing awareness and engagement with the circular economy is a key goal of the Circular.ie platform, which aims to simplify the concept of circularity and show how everyday choices can lead to meaningful change.

Recent research by Circular.ie shows that while awareness of the term “circular economy” is growing, many people still see it as a business or government activity and not as something they can personally get involved with.