Drawing work in progress

This is for the sketchbook project. It's due in the States January so I'd better get a move on.  The piece is made up of individual sketchbook leaves, that I will stitch together and fold back into the cover.

The National Gallery

The National Gallery have launched a brand new website with access to information on their collection, check it out here!

My lithograph in 'Home' exhibition

The Cool Warmth...

Home at Draíocht

I've a new lithograph that can be seen in the upstairs gallery in Draíocht, Blanchardstown. Home exhibition  runs until 22nd January so plenty of time to see the great work from member of Graphic Studio Dublin. It's right beside Blanchardstown centre so if you want a break from Christmas shopping (or the January sales) pop in for a bit of calm.

Arts week in St Mark's

As part of arts week at St Mark's NS in Tallaght last month I was invited to give printmaking workshops to the five 2nd class groups there. We made monoprints of star and moon filled sky scenes.  Shape, texture and colour were the main themes of the day, as well as basic printmaking methods.

Harry Clarke Workshop

Last week I undertook a stained glass workshop with 2nd class at St Peter's national school in Phibsborough. St Peter's church in Phibsborough contains Harry Clarke stained glass windows.

 

Using acetate, poster paints and coloured cellophane the children re-created a stained glass effect.

The workshop focused on colour, characters and pattern.

So here's the finished product

Lithography 2

Here's my image at the washed-out stage.  My crayon and touche marks have been removed with turps. A ghost image of the raven remains ready for asphalt to be rubbed into the stone and to be inked up and etched for a second time.

Lithography

I've started a lithography class at Graphic Studio Dublin, so I thought I'd upload an image of the work in progress.

This drawing was made using lithography crayons no.3 and 5 and water based touche. This photo was taking following the first etch.

Here'a video that explains the whole process better than I can...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHw5_1Hopsc

Haiku

Apologies to all the purists out there but I've never been one to follow rules exactly...

Inner arms touching,

Autumn morning sunlight

Seeping through the blinds.

Ba mhaith liom in ann filíocht a scríobh...

Déanaim dearmad gach rud ach Geimhridh amháin,
Oráiste
Go gorm
Go bán,
Déanann mé dearmad ach Geimhrigh amháin.

Old slides

 

  

 

I've finally gotten around to digitalising some old (and some not so old) negatives and slides.  Here are some slides that were part of an installation Domestic Beginnings I did for my Degree Show back in 2006.

The artifacts recovered from St Mel's fire

This evening's RTE news report on what has been salvaged from the Christmas day fire by the National Museum.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0208/6news_av.html?2697007,null,230

200 items have been recovered by the National Museum and are undergoing restoration.  The Diocesan Museum's collection originally contained approximately 500 items. 

 

The bell of St Caillinn of Fenagh, Co. Leitrim and Shrine of St Caillinn, both from 12th Century, before the fire (Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Ireland)

January

 

 

Another January has past and so too has the yearly pilgrimage to see the Turners' in the National Gallery. Each January the Henry Vaughan bequest of a collection of watercolours on paper by JMW Turner appears when the light levels outside are at the lowest, though now exhibited in the gallery's print room with no natural light source, the outdated conditions of the bequest are upheld. This all but adds to making this event a highlight of January, as the viewer knows these works will remain a precious secret for yet another year. The collection ranges from his earlier muddier work, which despite this still magnificently manages to portray a wonderful lightness that is characteristic of his oeuvre, to unfinished sketches and sublime views from his European tour. The Venetian and Swiss landscapes exhibited here include the Doge's Palace, Lake Lucerne, and the fortresses at Bellinzona.

There is a sort of reverence in the repetition of this yearly event, as it gives a view into the forthcoming spring and rebirth predicted though the lightness and atmosphere of the work. This exhibition is always busy and the eager visitors leave their exuberant finger and lovingly placed forehead marks on the glass that encapsulates the collection. The viewer feels a connection to this work like the visiting of an old friend or relative especially coming so soon after the Christmas season.

For the past few years the exhibition entitled 'A Light in the Darkness' has been paired with the Mary A. McNeill bequest of silhouettes and miniatures. It is something that I am uneasy with and feel that should these miniatures not be shown in the delicate, yet long (it is January after all) shadow of Turner's watercolours and be allowed to stand alone it may be appreciated for the wondrous, if small, collection that it is. In my opinion the heaviness of the ivory ground of the miniatures and the blocky blacks of the silhouettes contrast too greatly with the transcendent landscapes of Turner. The pilgrimage has ended for another year, as these works rest until their next awaited return in the New Year, hopefully this time exhibited with a new pairing.

Horizon north

More sky

St Mel's

There are hopes that some of the artifacts lost in the Christmas day fire at St. Mel's cathedral can be saved.  it may be possible to reassemble the Harry Clarke Studio stained glass windows and the National Museum have recovered some items from the debris. 

Raghnall Ó Floinn, head of collections with the National Museum of Ireland, said there were some important pieces among the 500 or so kept at the diocesan museum at the cathedral. The most important artefacts were the Crozier of St Mel, patron saint of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, dating from the 10th century, and the book shrine of St Caillin, the patron saint of Fenagh in Co Leitrim, dating to 1536.

From the photographs of the gutted interior The Holy Ghost by Imogen Stuart appears to still be intact on a pillar, however whether it can be restored is not yet clear. Unfortunately quite a lot appears to have been lost, with the hope of recovering whatever they can Ó Floinn, concluded “at least a fragment of something is better than nothing.”