Paul McDonnell is a maker of worlds — a stop-motion artist, sculptor, and effects designer who has spent nearly thirty years bringing imagination to life through craft.
From miniature sets and prosthetic creatures to hand-built puppets and cinematic landscapes, his work celebrates the beauty of making — the meeting point of art, storytelling, and practical effects for film.

Born from this passion, Stiúideo Fia is more than a studio — it’s a creative home on the wild edge of Connemara, where stories are shaped by hand and heart.

Here, artists, makers, and dreamers come together to learn, experiment, and bring ideas to life in wood, wire, silicone, and clay. The hum of craft fills the space — stop-motion, sculpture, model-making, and special effects all woven together in a spirit of collaboration and curiosity.

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Our vision is simple and deeply rooted: to keep these crafts alive, to share the knowledge generously, and to grow a living culture of creativity and storytelling in the west of Ireland — built by hand, born in Connemara.