Sunday 9 December 2012

Back to Iceland in 2013

I applied this week for a place on a residency in Iceland, with the proposed time of July 2013 and I'm delighted to say that my application was successful. This time I'm going to Olafsfjordur, it's about 3 hours North-East of Skagastrond, to work on the Listhus Artist Residency. I applied for a 1 month duration and I'm already looking forward to going back to Iceland, if I'm honest I can't wait, I haven't stopped thinking about the place since I got home to Ireland.

I've proposed to work on the residency as a research period and try to get some momentum behind a few of the planned projects. I find it difficult to pull away from the studio work from time to time and the planning can take a slight hit because of this. Alongside the planning and research side of the residency I'm hoping to work on a video and hopefully have it complete in time for a screening in Iceland before I leave.



Thursday 15 November 2012

Entered Competition

Last night I uploaded some images of my work to enter in a competition that is part of See.Me . There's the opportunity to be part of an exhibition in SCOPE, New York, a chance to be part of a book publication and to take part in an event in Times Square.

Here's a link to the site:  http://patbyrne.see.me/

I'm not sure if you need to have an account to vote but if you don't need one and if you like my work just hit the button (I think it's the small love heart button that appears when you click on an image) and it will help and will be greatly appreciated. I'm relying on word of mouth to get the votes so I thought my Blog would be a good place to start. 

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Work in Group Show, London

I have 2 paintings on display in a group show in the Art Against Knives Art Gallery in London this week. The show opened on Thursday the 27th of September and is up until the 4th of October.

 'Old Dragon'

 'Skull Drop'

Both works are about 12 inches by 8 inches and are both Oil on Gesso Board. The gesso that I used as the ground on these pieces is the traditional gesso recipe of rabbit skin glue and chalk.

Saturday 29 September 2012

Shortlisted for London Residency

Back in June, during the first month of the residency with Nes in Iceland, I applied for a residency with The Muse at 269 Art Gallery in West London. When I landed back in Ireland on the 30th of August I received an email telling me that I was through the first round and moving on to the next stage of application. For this stage I needed to send images of my work and after a week I was in the final stage and shortlisted for the residency.

On Tuesday the 25th of September I went to London for my interview. I got on pretty well but I didn't get selected for a position on the residency program. While I didn't get picked the gallery has offered to put my work forward as submission for a potential show in 2013 and during the interview I received very positive feedback towards my paintings.

Between getting shortlisted for the residency itself and the feedback I got during the interview the overall experience was a great boost of confidence and also I think the way it worked out may have been for the best at this point. The residency was due to start in January 2013 for 8 months and I feel it may have been a bit too quick having just returned from Iceland and I'm hoping to get working on some projects here in Ireland.

Friday 24 August 2012

August in Iceland

My final month has gone really well at NES. I have to admit I'm a little bit heartbroken having to leave both NES and Skagastrond but the overall experience has been great, in the 3 months I was here I met and worked with some great people who even though I only got to know them for a month at a time I still consider them really good friends.

The month wasn't as busy maybe as July I think mostly because after 2 months I felt like August was a bit of a wind down period but I was painting away and passed the target I had set myself so I'm really happy with how the work went. My work has definitely progressed onto another path and I also have plenty of ideas for new work returning to Ireland. This month also saw 2 studio pot-lucks and 2 Open House days. It was a really nice way to end my stay in Skagastrond with a second festival - Kantrydagar. There seemed to be more activity for this festival than the Fisherman's Festival in June, There was a huge tent set up in the centre of town where music played most of the day and night, the was a ball on the Friday and Saturday nights at Kantrybaer, along with sports competitions. I made my second journey Saudarkrokur too earlier in the month. 

I'm looking forward to going home to Ireland but I would love to have stayed a bit longer in Iceland. Financially though I just can't, I pretty much had what covered 3 months on the mark and the way I'm fixed even staying for 1 more month is out of the question, but I am planning to return next summer to a different residency and over a shorter period of time. If get back to Iceland next summer I'll definitely visit NES and Skagastrond at some point. Right now it's 4 days in Reykjavik 1 night in the airport and the home via Heathrow

Like I said above I'm looking forward to getting back to Ireland and I intend to take some time away from the studio for a few weeks just to work on ideas and stand back and get a clear idea in my head of the Icelandic experience.

I want to say a massive thanks to Melody Woodnutt who is Director of NES and Andrea Weber who worked as Intern at NES and everyone on the board of NES for everything they did for us and for running a class residency.



See you Skagastrond, see you NES!

Saturday 28 July 2012

Website is Missing Some Stuff

My membership with the host of my website ran out on July 20th, so at the minute there's a limit on the number of projects I can have on it. you can still view it and the work I have up on it but there's a few bits and pieces missing too such as my CV, Publications and Other Experience. When I get home to Ireland I'll hopefully get it sorted out.

For now though you can view what's on my site at  http://pbyrne.ie/

Thursday 26 July 2012

July in Iceland

July was a bit quiet. Spent a lot of time in the studio, I did get to see another town though, Saudarkrokar, it's about an hour East of Skagastrond, at the base of and on the other side of the peninsula. I have 5 paintings on the go along with a couple of small collage style pieces. We had the pot luck about 2 weeks ago now I think and today we had another open house. This months Open House took us to a few location around town because the work was installation/performance based in spaces outside the studio. There was a great turnout for it and thankfully I got very positive feedback on what work I've done so far. I'm hoping to get another 1 or 2 paintings fairly under way between now and the time my stay ends.

On Tuesday the July artists gradually started leaving Skagastrond. Next week the August artists start arriving and I start my final month of the residency.

Thursday 28 June 2012

June in Iceland

The first month of my 3 month stay in Iceland is just about over and artists have been drifting away over the last week. As for the work it's gone fairly well. Because most of the other artists have only had 1 month to work I think they worked at a faster pace than I did. I spent the first 3 weeks of the residency building up material and tying out a few bits and pieces to see how the painting might work out. The first week was mostly made up of wandering around the surrounding area photographing and getting to know the place and sketchbook work, the middle 2 weeks I had started painting just small quick studies although there was one of them that I probably spent too much time on but during the third week I had started a piece that I intend to work towards exhibition. I still have 2 months left but I'm not so sure that I will get too much finished up completely. I don't think I want to get them finished before I leave. I think I'd rather work on them at home, back in Ireland because I feel that if I was to get them all completed before the end of the residency it might be too abrupt and it would be almost a cut off point with the residency simply being something I did and moving straight on to the next step.

The work itself I think has gone back to the roots of my original concept of playing with scale. I think over the course of the last few years my work had become more and more about the paint as a medium which isn't a bad thing but I feel that what I'm working on at the minute is closer to the theme while taking on a new vein of life and in some form of surrealism. It's been quite some time since I worked with acrylic paint too which has threw up a few issues that I had to work through, the obvious one being the shorter drying time in comparison to oil paint. I found the studies that were done earlier in the month were great testers for achieving the desired effects I was looking for when working on the pieces that are possibly going for exhibition. There were advantages to using acrylic too of course, the drying time being one of them and the other being that I didn't need to prime the canvas before working on it.

I haven't a set number of pieces I'd like to be working on while I'm here but I would like to go home with 5 canvas fairly under way.

Saturday 23 June 2012

Spákonufell and Summer Solstice

On Wednesday night 6 of us set out to climb Spakonufell for the Summer Solstice. This time we took the northern route which is said to be the easiest way up but it was still tough going. The beginning and the end were probably the toughest sections there's a bit in the middle where we were working our way around the mountain and so the trail was mostly level enough. The terrain varies a lot going up, grass, bog, soft mossy areas, loose clay and rock and even though it's summer there were still patches of snow. Towards the end there's a very steep incline where your almost climbing on your hands as well. We took several break on the way up which were badly needed.

When we got to the top though, it was well worth it, the view goes for miles and the light was incredible from the low sun. We got to the top in a little over 2 hours I think and there we found a treasure chest containing a book signed by everyone who climbed the mountain and a stone with a viking rune on it.




















Monday 18 June 2012

Open House and the American Ambassador

Today was Open House from 12:30 to 2:30, allowing the locals to drop by and see what we've been working on in the studio.



We also had a visit from the American Ambassador, Luis E. Arreaga


Monday 11 June 2012

Pot-Luck and Midnight in Skagastrond

Tonight was Pot-Luck night, it's a get together of the artists in residence, members of the local community and the board of Nes. Everyone brings a dish and has a chat and introduces themselves, to the board and locals.

These were some shots that I took at midnight in Skagastrond last week.









Monday 4 June 2012

Spákonufell

Today 5 of us tried hiking up Spakonufell or Prophetess Mountain. Its the huge peak that overlooks Skagastrond. Unfortunately I was one of the 2 that turned back. I got about halfway up the mountain but I started to feel a bit strange so I said enough was enough. I'll give it another go during the Summer Solstice which is on the 21st of June.










Legend has it that a prophetess who lived in Skagastrond walked to the top of Spakonufell everyday and combed her hair with a golden comb. She hid treasure in the mountains and put a spell on it that the only person who could find it would be an unbaptized woman who never learned any of God's words.

The landscape at the foot of the mountain is stunning too.









Fisherman's Festival

Saturday was Fisherman's Festival in Skagastrond. I think it started around 10:30 am with fishermen marching from the docks up the main street and to the church. The town was really busy and there was loads of activity in different areas. Dom, Jacob, Zack and myself went out on one of the local fishing boats as part of a free 30 minute tour. It was really nice but really windy when we got out on the water. Then there was a coffee and cake party later that evening and a water obstacle course which was started by the firing of a cannon. Later we went out to see a local band playing.

I left my camera behind that morning, so I have no images of the festival, I don't think I could have taken out on the boat anyway. I can't swim so needless to say I was holding on quiet tightly to the rails.

Saturday 2 June 2012

Arrived in Iceland

I arrived in Iceland on Thursday the 31st of May. I stayed in Reykjavik for one night and I had to get an early bus the next morning to Skagastrond. We arrived around 1pm after a 4 and a half hour bus drive with some incredible scenery. The weather is really nice too, we have had really clear skies and it hasn't been too hot but its not cold either. Theres a lot of bright light due to the clear skies, and also this is my third day in Iceland and the sun has not set, theres 24 hours of daylight.

I'll post up images soon.

As for the project I'm going to take my time with it and build it up gradually, I have 3 months so maybe leave it a few weeks before putting brush to canvas and build up on research work.

Saturday 26 May 2012

Moving out of Mountrath Studio

So yesterday was my last day in the Mountrath Studio and Flat and now I'm counting down the last few days before I fly out to Iceland. I had a great year in the studio. I had my first run at curating a group exhibition, held my first and second solo exhibitions in Leixlip and Dublin respectively, got published in an arts magazine for the first time, met and worked with some really great artists, collaborated on an installation for the Electric Picnic and gained a lot of experience in teaching workshops.

I also had a great deal of support from the Laois Arts Office and Laois County Council who I'm massively grateful to for awarding me the studio and giving me the opportunity to continue my work.

As well as the professional side of things it was really nice to be back in Laois and working so close to home, where I was living was only 10 minutes drive from my parents house.

Just over a week ago I contacted Laois Arts Office to let them know when I would be moving out. Muireann Ni Chonaill (Laois Arts Officer) offered me an extended lease on the studio and flat, which I accepted. So when I get back to Laois from Iceland I will be taking up residence in Mountrath for a further year. I'm delighted to have the studio again because I was worrying about what way I would be fixed for somewhere to work when I get back from Skagastrond. This will allow me to continue painting when I get back.

Friday 25 May 2012

New Solo Show 'Corrosion'

My second solo exhibition, titled Corrosion, opened yesterday a 6pm at MadArt Gallery & Studios, Dublin. The show consisted of 9 oil paintings from the current body of work that I have been working on throughout the year. The opening went quiet well. There was a good attendance and I received great feedback on my work. I haven't any images to post at the minute but there were photos taken by somebody who works at the gallery so when I get them they'll be up.

The show runs until the 14th of June.

Here's a link to the gallery website.
http://www.madartstudio.com/index.php/corrosion-by-pat-byrne-2/

Friday 11 May 2012

Artist in School Scheme 2012

I applied for the Artist in School Scheme a few months back and my application was successful. On Monday the 23rd of April I started work at Clonenagh NS, Mountrath. It was mostly painting exercises early in the week which lead towards more completed pieces.

The Schedule:

Monday: Color Wheel & Complementary Colors

Tuesday: Warm and Cool Color & Shading Execises

Wednesday: Negative Space & Free Sculpture

Thursday: Still Life Drawing/Painting and Free Drawing/Painting

Friday: Portraiture & Conclusion of Sculpture

This work was done with Junior Infants - 4th class over 20 hours. I was asked by the Principle of the School would I work with 5th and 6th class too within the 20 hours so I  went back the following week for 8 hours extra (the school was closed on the Friday) to give them as much time, almost, as the younger classes. Because they only had a 4 day week I tried to get more work done each day to make up for having the Friday off.  

Monday: Color Wheel & Complementary Colors

Tuesday: Warm and Cool Color & Shading Execises

Wednesday: Negative Space & Free Sculpture

Thursday:  Portraiture & Conclusion of Sculpture

I think it went very well there was one day when 5th and 6th class didn't want to go out for lunch, they wanted to keep working.




























Since the workshops finished I've been asked by the school to paint a mural on the wall outside it.