The art and studio doings of Irish based artist Harriet Myfanwy Nia Tahany.
MyfanwyNia's Studio Weblog
Hello and welcome to my creative world, thank you dearly for your interest in my artistic endeavors.
“Here on my web log I record my studio progress, it acts as a web based journal spanning back to 2010, here I can easily glance back at projects and artworks and add my current progress. I hope some of you will also find inspiration here. I welcome dearly your comments and feedback as valuable assets that help me consider different aspects of my art practice and my creative growth as an artist. Love and Light” Harriet ❤
Get in touch! I’m continuously open to participation in new projects, collaborations, murals and exhibitions. I’m always happy to talk about a special commission piece of jewellery, your fantasy artwork or portrait of a loved one. You can contact me via my facebook page or website and online shop at www.myfanwynia.com , much of my older work is also view-able there.
I'm currently making a new body of work for my next solo exhibition in Dublin this July at ‘White Lady Art’ . The Show will run from July 4th – 27th 2013.
This new body of work will be paintings, drawings and sculpture with a Jungian theme.
Jung believed that, to be psychologically healthy, one must strike a balance between the demands of society and what we really are.To be oblivious to one’s persona is to underestimate the importance of society, but to be unaware of one’s deep individuality is to become society’s puppet.
‘Who Pulls The Strings?’ is an exhibition based on this Jungian notion, an exploration of narratives set in a psychedelic dreamscape of puppet characters. The characters are contemplative of the artists own individuality and the dark forces that filter in from a vast collective unconsciousness that sways them from discovering who they really are.
Here are some photos from my studio in Leitrim a sneaky peek at the development of 2 new works.
Exhibition of artwork from the book's artists for two weeks: 1.12.12 - 15.12.12.
Launch party 6pm Saturday 1st December
BYOB - drinks for early birds
Dress: fabulous!
Goblin Market is the first publication from White Lady Art Books,
featuring work from 35 of Ireland's finest New Contemporary artists.
These artists are working and exhibiting in Ireland, and their artwork
will be displayed in the White Lady Art gallery for two weeks.
The
35 artists who are showcased in the book work in a variety of styles
that can be placed under the banner of New Contemporary art: there are
urban artists, pop surrealists, outsider, folk surrealists, body horror
artists, and lowbrow artists. New Contemporary art has a major following
in America, Europe and the U.K., and Ireland has much to offer as well.
It is high time that these unusual, unique and technically excellent
artists are given recognition and appreciation in a broader context, and
it is with great pleasure that White Lady Art can offer you the chance
to see their work in an exhibition to accompany the launch of the book.
Goblin
Market is a hardback coffee table book, that can stand up proudly
beside others of its kind, and would make an ideal gift for any art
lover or aficionado of the underground art scene in Ireland.
The
launch party will be a great occasion, marking the year spent developing
and honing the book into something we can all be proud of. We would
like to invite you to come and celebrate the artwork and artists at this
very special event.
Little bit random, I spent yesterday evening with a friend sewing
cuddly carrot's, I love chilling out with a bit of hand sewing. Here is a
new carrot friend I made for my husband Iliocht.
Green Eggs and ham: Dr Seuss Exhibition,Group Show at White Lady Art.
I am taking part in a group exhibition called 'Green Eggs & Ham' this Friday. A show of artwork inspired by the work of the iconic Theodor S. Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. At the New 'White Lady Art Gallery' at 14 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2.
Here is my new piece I made to be included, its in acrylic on canvas entitled 'A Seussian Ripple Theory' 80 x 60 cm.
If anyone happens to be in Dublin this Friday, this show is well worth seeing with some really fantastic artists taking part!
A Seussian Ripple Theory 2012
The Title ‘A
Seussian Ripple Theory’ refers to the good Doctor Seuss. When I was
younger I often wondered if he was a real doctor, now I have a child of
my own and I do see him as somehow of a Doctor, his surreal system of
storytelling encourages me to think of his as a quirky Dr. of psychology
with his own system of therapy.
In the
tradition of story telling his work has become that of a contemporary
mother goose and with this not only sewing seed of new relevant morals,
also creating his own brand of mythology. In the tradition of
surrealism, bizarre imagery fused together with a clear intent to
encourage imagination and further expansiveness and evolution of our
individual and indeed collective psyche.
My painting is juxtaposition of my own mythology and with that of Dr.
Seuss, his artistic creations have caused a ripple across our cultural
consciousness that has become a part of many people’s psyches. His
mythology stays with us living in our hearts and memories, mine
included! And I think it is a righteous ripple! One that will keep
resurfacing as long and long after his stories and artworks are shared.
Here is the 'White Lady Art' video from the opening day
The Dublin City Community Channel came and filmed Harriet's opening this October. Here is the TV Clip of the interview, with special thanks to the DCTV:
Fairies and fracking are a combination you don't often see together and maybe that's why a clash has ensued! CityWide reporter Susan Jackson talks to Harriet Myfanwy Nia Tahany about her artistic take on the destruction of the mystical landscape of Leitrim, the place she calls home.
Presenter - Susan Jackson, Camera (Interview) Darren Fitzpatrick,
Cutaways & establishing shots - Stravan Laddu, Darren Fitzpatrick, Alan Doran, Susan Jackson,
Editors - Shannon Smith, Killian Vigna, Producer - Susan Jackson, Director - Susan Jackson.
A different kind of creativity, I recently made a wooden sign for the street front of Dublin's new 'White Lady Art' Gallery.
I used the 'street tag' style of font from the 'White Lady Art's'
website. I used a projector to trace the letters to the exact size onto a
sheet of marine plywood, this is the same board used in boat building,
so its super weatherproof. I cut the letters out with a handheld
electric Jigsaw, then the letters were painted white with exterior gloss
paint.
It was an oddness for me nailing it up it a crouded city street
during the day. After I had positioned the letters tacking them up with a
couple of nails, Iliocht my husband helped me put all the final nails
in. I was going to paint the nail heads white but you can hardly notice
them, they make the sign that bit different and real looking.
I'm feeling quite proud of it and think it looks as good as any of the signs on the street, so yay!
Here is a photo of the finished sign taken at the grand opening on November 2nd:
It will be 19 days until my opening day at the Little Green Street Gallery
in Dublin, I am looking forward to this my first Dublin show. This show
will be one of the galleries last shows in this there founding
location on Little Britain Street as they are moving to a newly
renovated space this month.
My Glowy Studio:
I have kept a flipped schedule over the last bunch of months
sleeping all day and up all night under the black light in my studio as
my work space is way to bright during the day to really see how the UV
paint is coming out.
Here is a sneaky preview of some of the work:
This is one of the water nymph drop - like fairies I am painting,
this in oil and wax, she is suffering from contaminated toxic water. I
painted her hair to look like water flowing.
Hope some of you can make it to Dublin on the 19th to see the show, I am really happy with how all the work is coming out :)
Click on the poster image below to go to the event page on facebook:
Last Saturday I took part in some live Painting at an interactive art
market at Prussia St. Multi Cultural Community Centre. I painted this
exterior wall for 4 hours from 4.30 to 8.30 until it got too dark to
continue. I really enjoy doing these live paintings, it’s nice to
interact with people while I am working and now the painting will live
there to be seen by people in the future. Here are some photos from the
day:
I am working on these for a Dublin solo show this October! These are
water nymph like drop fairy's facing the affect of hydro-frack
chemicals in the water. The show is entitled 'The Fairy Frack Clash' .
My new exhibition is looking to be the weekend before Halloween!
This weekend myself and an artist friend from here in Leitrim, Holly
Gardener, traveled up to Dublin to take part in a live painting event
at The chocolate Factory, creative complex on Kings Inns Street hosted
by White Lady Art, KIN, and Iljin Project.
Each artist was given a large 2 meter squared wooden board to paint
on between 6pm and 10pm live to the public. As it was an indoors event
there were no live sprays, artists could use stencils and anything else
they wanted to create an amazing piece in four hours.
The
Chocolate Factory is a large renovated warehouse that is being used as a
creative space. The ground floor will be transformed on the day into a
live painting area, music stage, retail area and food stalls.
This charity event was being raising money for Temple Street children's hospital.
Artists also brought specially selected paintings and prints and
stickers and stuff to sell at the stall, manned by the
organizers minions while the artists painted.
There was live music, food and cupcakes.
I had a really awesome time doing the live paint, I came only with my
brushes and no idea what to paint, so I just made it up as I went
along, starting with a sketch in charcoal I mapped out the design and
worked it up with black paint finally adding colour and going back over
the outlines. I found this kind of work really fun and expressive, I
knew and was very aware that I had 4 hours to do the whole thing so with
this I didn't worry too much about being too neat and if the paint
dripped I didn't mind so much and let the drips become part of the
paintings character. I really enjoyed this kind of painting and feel it
has given me a new working energy and loosened me up a bit. Super Yay!!
Poster From the Graff House with names of Participating Artists
Here is a little Video by Alexa from Dublin's White Lady Art of the Event:
Here are some photos taken at the event of various stages of my piece: Sketching out the design with charcoal.
Once I had done the sketch I used black paint to add lines and shading.
I then
had finished all the black outlines and shading I wanted to do, the next
stage was washing in colour transparently over the black so I could
still see the outlines of the design.
Washing in the colour.
The carrot Fairy ^_^ !
Here are some photos of some of the other artists work:
Holly Gardener (Leitrim)
Kathrina Rupit
Marca Mix
FRIZ
Redmonk
Fink
Wilko
Photo Credits with thanks to: George Marks, Regine Schulze, Quique MartÃn & Monica Manzzi Barlocco.
We had a wonderful turnout at the opening of 'The Upset' Here are some photo's from the day:
The Upset took shape as a community organized arts event curated by
Harriet hosted in the town of Drumshanbo Co. Leitrim on the 30th
of June 2012 “The Upset” –our awareness and the freedom to express it-
took place in one of the empty units on the old Lairds site, behind
the Food Hub, in Drumshanbo. This exhibition started as an expression
of concern by some artists about the environment especially with the
threat of the gas industry making plans for a large scale gas extraction
project on our doorstep. The event had grown to a major exhibition
with over 70 artists, many well known, not just from Ireland, but from
USA, Mexico, Hong Kong and the UK exhibiting. The exhibition was open
for one week in July, with an all day SaturdayOpening at
12pm (until 9.30pm) Showcasing an exciting mix of art; music; readings;
dance; film and workshops where through their different practices the
artists involved displayed their love and concern for the environment
and its future.
Video From the Opening Day
By Alexa Mc Dermot from Dublin's White Lady Art
One of the
highlights of the day was a dance drama by our local Irish dance school
run by my sisters Kathleen and Jemima based here in Leitrim. The dance
was introduced by a poem that told the story of the dance, below is the
video and a copy of the poems text
Dance Drama Entitled 'Frack Off':
The cockerel crows -- a sign of a new day,
the farm animals wake and begin to play.
The local farmer tends to his land,
and the postman drives by and shakes his hand.
Gives him his post and be's on his way,
as the farmer reads it he begins to sway.
The news of corruption,
a lack of respect,
and fracking on his door step he stops and reflects;
what was then, is not now, for ever thing has changed,
for worse not better,
things will never be the same.
Its time to take a stand,
hold our heads up high,
fight for our country,
not let this pass us by.
I'll gather the farmers and we'll fight till the end,
we will not be beaten,
with this we intend.
We'll show them we mean business,
they can take back their threats,
if they try to bribe us we'll knock it on the head.
If they want a fight, a fights what they'll get,
we'll stand tall together and prove this I bet.
Our mischievous sons will follow in our ways,
for these will be their farms soon some day.
We'll gather our placards, shout as load as we can,
till people take notice and understand what's the plan.
