New Solo Show in Dublin

I have a new solo exhibition opening next Wednesday February 7th at Pallas Projects in Dublin. The title of the show is Between the Hawthorns and its in the same style as the previous body of work but with several new characters introduced. Some of these are completely new, others were referenced in the last body of work through the use of hoodies and hats. The reason for the title is because of the old Irish belief that the hawthorn tree is a meeting place for fairies and to disturb one would bring about bad fortune

To Do No Harm but to Show Favour. My interpretation of the Fear Dearg or Red Man, referenced in the last series as a hat has finally been given a body.

The backgrounds to the paintings are still dark and gloomy but instead of the completely black backgrounds of the Dock Leaf paintings I have started using more detailed backdrops and during the photography process stopped setting up the shots in such a way that they deliberately filled the background with shadow.

The official opening is at 6pm to 8 and it's up then until the 17th. I'm hoping to show between 11 and 13 paintings, the work is still small scale, I think the largest is 36cm x 31cm, but I don't want to have it overcrowded either because I like a fair amount space around each painting.

Laois Arts Act Grant 2017

Last month Laois County Council awarded me the Arts Act Grant. I was delighted to receive the funding because it will be going towards a new solo exhibition I have scheduled for February 2018 at Pallas Project Space in Dublin. I think it's nailed down now and the dates are from the 5th to the 18th. I'll be in on the 5th and 6th installing, I think Pallas have their shows opening on Wednesdays mostly so that will be the 7th, it runs then until the 17th with the de-installation on the 18th.

The new work is following the same theme and style as the Beneath the Dock Leaf series but I have new characters and mythological figures in the paintings. Some are figures that I referenced with hats or hoodies such as the Fear Dearg, but are now in the form of actual people.

One of the new paintings. I have no title for it yet, it's oil on canvas and is 21cm x 18cm

I've started making new props for the characters too and remaking some of the older ones in the hopes they will be more lightweight and stronger. The clover that I made for the leprechaun in the previous series of work is more or less destroyed and it was never built to last, it was heavy and awkward to wear especially when running around in a dark room trying to switch between posing and set the camera.

Solo Show in 2018

I received confirmation last week that my submission to Birr Theatre and Arts Centre, County Offaly was successful. I applied for a solo exhibition and as a rough estimate I've been offered a space for mid April 2018. At the minute I'm working on a new body of paintings still based on folklore and similar to Beneath the Dock Leaf, depending on how the work is going it could be these new works that will be in that show.

The Result of Solitude, Oil on Canvas, 36cm x 25cm, 2015