2 New Exhibitions in July

Custom House Studios, Westport, Mayo. Opening July 28th

I have 2 new shows next month. the first is in Westport, Mayo and it's a joint exhibition between Barbara Trawinski and myself at Custom House Studios. I applied back in 2013 to be part of the exhibition programme and I received confirmation during my first year of the MFA. Originally the show was scheduled for September this year but was brought forward to July 28th and it will run until August 21st. I'll be exhibiting some of the current paintings from Beneath the Dock Leaf.

The New Baal Fires, 2015

There isn't a title as yet but I'll post an update nearer to the opening on the time.

Birr Arts Festival, Birr, Offaly. Opens July 29th

The second exhibition, as far as I know is a solo exhibition in Birr Arts Festival. Francis Kawala who is the organiser of the festival contacted me last weekend about possibly taking part. I had work in it a few years ago and it's a great festival and because a lot of the spaces are vacant buildings it can throw up a few challenges especially the first year I had work in it because there were several of us showing in the vaults underground.

Here's a link to the post from the first year I was in it - Installation Shots of Birr Arts Festival

The work that I'll be showing in Birr will be drawings because the Westport exhibition overlaps and my paintings will be up there. I can't post any images of the drawings because I only started last week and haven't any documentation but I'll probably have an installation post on the blog shortly after the opening. With Westport opening July 28th and Birr, July 29th I'm going to have to juggle installation days in both places.

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

2 Paintings in New York

I have 2 paintings going on display this week in a group exhibition at Field Projects Gallery in New York. The exhibition opens on Thursday the 5th of May at 6pm and runs until June 11th. Jesse David Penridge is curating the exhibition and there are 13 of us exhibiting in the show titled Signaling to ^ the Cipher ^ Towards a Segway. The 2 paintings that I have in Field Projects are below:

Half in the World of Form, Oil on Canvas, 55cm x 35cm, 2015

Red, Oil on Canvas, 17cm x 16cm, 2015

This link goes to the gallery website page for the show, it has all exhibiting artists listed and a brief about the theme of the show - Field Projects Gallery.

Tales from the Forest Issue 1

I have work featured in the first issue of Tales From the Forest. Its a new online magazine and it's going to be published quarterly. The theme of issue 1 is Twisted Tales and Torn Mythologies and it has a work by artists and writers. The link to the website is here - Tales From the Forest and the link to my page is here - my page.

The piece that was selected for the magazine is Half in the World of Form (below)

Work in Rathdowney

I have work in a group show in St. Fergal's College, Rathdowney. The exhibition is organized by Clodagh Kennedy who is the art teacher in Fergal's and the Transition Year Creative Engagement Team and exhibiting work of past pupils and local artists. It open's on the 6th of April, runs until the 9th and is titled Eclectic Fusion.

Slouching, one of 3 paintings I have on display in the exhibition.

Update on Iceland

I've had to cancel the November residency in Iceland. I received a letter last week and my application for funding wasn't successful and I was dependent on that  to get going. I would've liked to get back and I am disappointed to not be doing the residency but on the up side I am starting a new body of work and I'll be kept busy with that.

The plan in Iceland was to work on sketches and drawings to incorporate Icelandic folklore into my practice and introduce new characters. I will instead be working with new characters based on figures of Irish mythology.

Work in Wexford

Behind the Margin is a new group show opening in The Presentation Centre in Enniscorthy, Wexford tomorrow. There's 4 of us exhibiting in the show, John Busher, Riin Kaljurand, Helen Robbins and myself. It opens on the 4th of March the 8th of April.