'Drawing Inspiration' Group Exhibition at White Lady Art, Templebar, Dublin.

I have been working on three new framed pieces as part of a group exhibition of drawings this March at Templebar, Dublin’s ‘White Lady Art’ Gallery:

A Little Bird Told Me

work in progress

The first pieces I worked on are both in pencil, I usually do lots of rough sketches in pencil as part of my working out for paintings and larger charcoal pieces, it was nice to spend the time working the pencil into a finished piece.

I coloured the background of the piece with black Indian Ink.

Framed and mounted ready to be sent of to Dublin.

 

Where Water and Sky Meet

Here is another piece I did in pencil:

Midnight Meeting

Charcoal on Fabriano, embellished with pearls and rhinestones.

White Frame and Black Mount.

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Drawing Inspiration

March 1st - 27th 2014

Opening Reception Saturday 1st March
White Lady Art Gallery
14 Wellington Quay, D2

This exhibition aims to highlight the drawing skills and imagination of artists whose work is usually done in paint and other mediums. Drawing is often the starting point for many aspiring artists, so we decided to try and inspire those who admire the work of these artists by showing what can be achieved with pencils, ink and pen. Some of the featured artists are seasoned exhibitors while others are coming to the end of completing art college qualifications. We are fortunate to have not only Irish artists in this exhibition, but also from France, Italy, Canada, the Philippines and Brazil. All works will be framed and ready for your viewing pleasure!

Opening reception:
Saturday 1st March
BYOB and sponsorship from Deveney's Rathmines
Live music
STRICTLY OVER-18's - ID required

Harriet Myfanwy Nia Tahany (IRELAND) - www.myfanwynia.com
Kevin McSherry (IRELAND) - www.mcsherry.ie
Fergal O'Connor (IRELAND) - www.smashdemguineapigs.wordpress.com
Ciou (FRANCE) - www.ciou.eu
Malojo (FRANCE) - www.malojoart.fr
Franeck (FRANCE) - www.neneck.blogspot.ie/
Chris Judge (IRELAND) - www.chrisjudge.com
Daire Lynch (IRELAND) - www.facebook.com/dairelynch
Hawkie (IRELAND) - http://www.whiteladyart.com/index.php/artist-interviews/58-hawkie-ireland
Emic (IRELAND) - www.facebook.com/thismeansnothing
Stu Edwards (CANADA) - www.facebook.com/artofstuedwards
Jessica Tobin (IRELAND) - www.facebook.com/jessica.tobin.902
Thiago Ritual (BRAZIL) - www.facebook.com/ThiagoRitual?fref=ts
Boz Mugabe (IRELAND) - www.bozgallery.com
Dominick O'Cruadhliocht (IRELAND)
Nester Illustration (PHILIPPINES) - http://nesterillustration.wix.com/nesterillustration#!about/c10fk
Neirus (ITALY) - www.facebook.com/NeirusArt?fref=ts
Damian O'Donohue (IRELAND) - www.itsdod.com/
Rude Waterzooi (FRANCE) - www.facebook.com/rude.glibert
Mels2 Dark Graffiti And Design (HUNGARY) - www.facebook.com/Mels2Art?fref=ts

2016 Update since this exhibition, these framed drawings are held currently available for sale with Teach Ban art gallery.

Teach Ban art gallery is run and curated by artist Tom O’Rourke. Teach Ban is situated near an ancient monastic site rich in history beside St Columba’s Church, Drumcliffe, Co Sligo in the west of Ireland. You can contact Tom O'Rourke, the gallery owner, on +353 (0)87754 9760

Cristmas Craft Markets 2013

Dublin

I was in Dublin last weekend for a craft market at White Lady Art in Dublin's Templebar. I had a lovely day, the markets at the gallery will be every weekend until Christmas and well worth a visit in conjunction with the 'Needles and Pens' Exhibition which is still running for the month of December.

Here are some photos of my stall last weekend in Dublin, with special thanks to my friends Brigit Smith, Vanessa Cann and Adriana Dorotova for helping out on the day

Sligo Town

I also did a stall the following Saturday in Sligo Town at the Model Art Gallery on The Mall with my lovely apprentice who has been helping me on Wednesdays in the studio, Nikita Turner a student on work experience for a business administration course in Lough Allen College, she will be continuing her work experience with me until May 2014, so was lovely to have a helping hand on the day of the Christmas Sligo Flea Market.
I showcased lots of new pieces of my 'Art Print Jewellery' featuring miniature prints from my work, Prints, Postcards and some of my new decoden phone covers. I will be updating my online store with many of these items early in 2014 for all of you who missed me at the craft markets.
Here are some photos from the day at the Model in Sligo.

2013 Christmas Card Release

Here are my new 2013 Christmas cards; entitled 'Pine Marten's Winter Home' they are available now in the Shop section of my website. The image is drawn with pencils and then digitally manipulated into this design with Photoshop CS6; it was a nice change to use a little digital software to make these. The cards are embellished with festive ribbons, beads and plastic wrapped with accompanying envelopes.
The inspiration for this image is a pine martin living in my studio; he abides in the ceiling and walks around on my loft when he thinks I can't see him. He mostly sleeps during the day in the rock wool nest he has burrowed in my roof insulation and he comes out at night and leaves messy footprints on my work surfaces after he has walked across my paint pallets. He's been there for months, but only recently he has become a bit too comfortable and treats my sink as his own personal toilet. He is the cutest of animals and that is perhaps why I have put up with him so long, he's about the size of a large cat and I was very close to getting a humane cage trap and bringing him up to the forestry. Saying that I drew this and realized his warm winter home is also in my heart.

Decoden iphone Covers

In the studio this week making these new pieces, they are embellished iphone 5 covers.

These pieces feature tiny cameo art prints and yummy foe cake frosting made from resin inspired by Japanese, Decora and Decoden or Dekoden. The term “deco” is intuitively short for decorated and “den” is short for “denwa” meaning “phone” in Japanese.

On these phone covers I have added a glass art print cabochon with a range of resin cast objects, dolls house ceramics, gems, pearls and a mirror. I included the mirror on these as the iphone's camera is located above it, for all those girly girls who like to paint their face and pose for photos.

I will be selling these at craft markets this Christmas season, on the 7th of December at White Lady Art in Dublin's Temple Bar and on the 14th in Co. Sligo at the Model Gallery on The Mall.

Mini Watercolours

I have made these miniature watercolour painting's 6 x 9cm on paper in a black resin frame. These are part of a group exhibition with a tattoo theme ‘Needles and Pens’ opening this November 2nd at White Lady Art, Temple Bar, Dublin.

Floating Ribbon 1

Floating Ribbon 2

Love Bird

Burning Heart

Needles and Pens

I have been in the studio working on these new painting's in acrylic, charcoal and resin, 45cm on a round supports. I'm painting these as part of a group exhibition with a tattoo theme ‘Needles and Pens’ opening this November 2nd at White Lady Art, Temple Bar, Dublin.
These paintings began with charcoal under drawings, They were then fixed with clear acrylic spray lacquer, once this lacquer was dry I painted in details and backgrounds with acrylic paint. These were then coated with a glassy two part resin, I used a screen print squeegee to level the poured on resin.

Here are the photos of the charcoal under drawings and the finished pieces:

Blue Willow

The theme of this piece is inspired by my mothers dish-ware, 'Willow Pattern' . There is a romantic Chinese fable behind the plates,
the daughter of a Chinese dignitary falling in love with a gardener or such lowly profession, forbidden love, drama, in the end the lovers turned themselves into swallows to be able to be together.

Rosie 2013

 

Charm Update!: Polymer Clay Layerd Cakes

I have been making lots of new jewelry pieces recently, the above charm bracelet features some of the polymer clay cakes I have been making. I'm really enjoying these and have some new ideas for some other charms.

I wanted to do a little process blog on how these are made:

I start by rolling out three colors of polymer clay these set the type of cakes I am making, this time mint and chocolate cream and strawberry and chocolate cream. I do this with a pasta machine, a tool used for rolling out lasagne sheets. Set to its thickest setting because these will be the middle cake layers. I use three sizes of circle cutters to cut the cakes into rings. I didn't have a very tiny circle cutter so I used a lid of a ball point pen and cut the top off with a blade.

I started with the biggest cutter and cut a circle of each of the colors, then cut the second circle into these making the first circle a hoop, I did this again with the middle circle.

The next stage is making a new full circle from all the pieces, it kind of looks like a target.

I made enough for 4 full cakes in each colour spectrum :)

I then stacked the circles to create the layered cake.

I rolled out a very thin layer of the chocolate brown colour to ice the cake, I do this by wrapping the cake up in the icing.

Here are the cakes wrapped in the icing! I did this same process with the mint chocolate cakes...

Here are the cakes, I put them on a board in the freezer for 5 mins to chill before I cut them, this stops the colours blurring together when I slice them. I also chilled a bit of the mint green for some decorative stars I want to add, cut with a plunger cutter:

Here is the cake slice, the layering made the cake have a checkerboard effect. I added texture to the sponge part of the cake slice with a toothbrush. I used a eye screw to make the charm cake hang-able the stars have a tiny glass gem, plastic gems are no good for fimo cakes as they would melt in the oven.

 

I cut some slices of fimo strawberry
canes to add to the strawberry cake these are made with a process called Mileflorie.

I made a small twist of white as cream and added the fruit strawberry. Yummy! These are now ready to bake!

The finished charms are available in my shop on my website individually or as part of a individual jewelry piece.

Live Paint at Applerock Creative Expo, Dublin City Centre.

On Saturday September 7th I did a spot of street art on Foleys Street, Dublin. As part of Applerock Studios all day event, bringing a festive vibe to the heart of Dublin’s north inner city. A day of live graffiti & street art, live music, DJ sets, market & craft stalls.

Here are some photos taken on the day, it was unfortunately very rainy that day so I was painting in the rain:

The above photo was taken by Iulian Bocancea 'AW2F' on one of those 360 degree stitch photo apps, he was painting to the right of me and Kathrina Rupit was painting to my left.

 

I found this photo on 'Dublin Urban Art' page, about a week after the rain poured down that day. I can live with the goth'y drips, think it kinda adds something?: