Irish Artist

RDH: DECEMBER 2024

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01/12/24

It’s been a long weekend - no studio but that is understandable considering the circumstances. Adjust / Adapt.

SURPRISE SURPRISE!!

03/12/24

… application? Glutton for punishment?

04/12/24

Focus! F and A. That is all that matters! The rest is bullshit.

08/12/24

Studio! Part 1. ‘M.C.’ facial tones - hair detail. (Purples / Greens?)

Timely progress on commission. Baby steps - not getting too carried away.

Started well on ‘moss piece’. Think the texture will work well - albeit awkward to get detail and control the paint in the really layered elements.

12/12/24

Has the penny finally dropped? Hopeful that it has. Over Christmas, take a look at [redacted]. Why not!

13/12/24

Submitted!

18/12/24

Didn’t get the P.P. opportunity. But as S. says, it was a strong application so I’m proud of it regardless of the outcome.

22/12/24

Keep forgetting that December is usually a write off - when everything else is taken into consideration.

23/12/24

NT5’s gave an idea. snippets / stills from videos taken out of context. There’s something here (not literally I hope). +

25/12/24

26/12/24

It’s been a month and a half! Art has taken a back seat. There’s plenty to be doing, just zero time to do it. This has been largely out of my control lately.

BUT - in saying that…

When it IS in my control, it is making sure that I’m getting the most out of it.

Energy Levels.

27/12/24

Carving time. Need to get on top of these fatigue levels. Certain points of the day, I could easily pass out and I have caught myself sleeping not long after waking up several times.

Get to the bottom of it.

28/12/24

RDH’s are all well and good - keeping stock of where I was to help where I'm going. But what if, in the new year, at the start of the month, a list was made for that coming month. A target list. Things like:

  • works to start / finish (setting deadlines)

  • upcoming application opportunities

Continued in diary.

29/12/24

Last studio day of the year probably.

Top tone - violet yet still dark.

“…embracing darkness as a tool to shed light on something.”

Hank Willis Thomas (on the ‘A Brush with…’ podcast)

So bloody close! The green background is upsetting my happiness but what to change it to?

31/12/24

When researching ideas for creating a new target list, one thing that came up and, I’ve noticed this in real time, is having or setting a deadline to finish something.

having a time limit to have work completed for the Catalyst opportunity has definitely been helpful. Piece is all but complete.

New Ideas project - NI M’s and S’s. (pandering?)

Target list should include a chance to take my own advice - do the research and contact …

Some resolutions: cull the scroll time - cut out certain habits.

So long 2024. You’ve been good to me,

RDH: MARCH 2024

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02/03/24

C. S. - death note. (video grab possibly)

03/03/24

‘Séance’ piece might have had its day. Setting it away for now. ‘Final Fancy Dress’ - good progress made. Tight in portrait and looser strokes in the clothing.

06/03/24

Alright - lazy / stupid. No ifs, no buts.

10/03/24

Background progress on ‘badger’ piece. ‘Séance’ has been cleansed. Just went too far. Compositionally flawed from the offset and was fighting a losing battle. Lesson learnt.

12/03/24

Didn’t get in. A bit annoyed but there is always next year.

13/03/24

Bit the bullet and took the initiative. A nice reply - now trying to not get ahead of myself.

‘Mother’ exhibition at Vault Studios.

17/03/24

Drew up F.W. on large canvas and some good tonal progress on ‘Gallery Visit’ today in the studio. Background more vibrant perhaps?

21/03/24

Golden Thread Gallery’s touring exhibition ‘How We Got To…’ in Shankhill Library.

22/03/24

‘Restraint Study’ and ‘Amy Study’ submitted. 🤞

23/03/24

Trip to Derry for VOID Arts Centre opening ‘Composting for the Future’. Harking back to projects of the past yet paving a new, more collaborative direction.

24/03/24

‘Gallery Visit’ - few tweaks, bit more blurring and hey presto - finito!

27/03/24

28/03/24

Did not make the long-list. Ah well.

30/03/24

Trip to Portaferry and a slight change in plans for Sunday. Back to the studio all being well next week!

RDH: OCTOBER 2021

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02/10/21

Point of order today: DO NOT OVER PAINT!!!

Think “Rex Aegypti Penultimus” is finished.

05/10/21

VAI GET TOGETHER 2021

Rediscovering private and personal spaces / rituals.

06/10/21

Chanelle Walshe - self organised self-curation.

Duc Van Pham - Breaking down the figures - is this a way of adjusting / adding narrative?

Keynote: Christian Jankowski - “The Hunt” “Casting Jesus”

Beuys - difficult.

07/10/21

Why do we put people in boxes?

Superflex - interspecies living - “Flooded McDonalds”.

10/10/21

Dosed to eyeballs so not going anywhere fast.

12/10/21

Some sketchbook studies tonight.

13/10/21

Two new canvases begun today. Little and large.

16/10/21

Strong sense of self.

Good progress in the studio today. Didn’t mean for the small one to go Holy.

20/10/21

Accepted into Platform Arts group show!

Detail of “Lady of the Manor”.

Getting there with “Lady of the Manor”.

23/10/21

Globalist cheerleading.

24/10/21

Wardrobe fiasco.

“Lady of the Manor” finished.

25/10/21

Day trip to Belfast to deliver “Saint and Sinner” for Platform Arts group show.

28/10/21

HALLELUJAH!

29/10/21

Definitely been distracted lately but the blinkers need to come back on.

30/10/21

As it’s the season for it, here’s a golden oldie from 2003. This photo was taken for a GCSE Art project where my cousin Aidan dressed as the grim reaper holding a very rusty scythe. Our cat then walked along the tin roof behind him, jumped on his shoulders and then proceeded to stroll across the top of the blade. It all happened purely by chance and made for a great photo.

31/10/21

Early morning tonal work to “The Doctor Will See You Now”. Slow and steady progress but definitely best to stop when I did to give new layers a chance to dry.

Detail of work in progress - “The Doctor Will See You Now”.

Merry Halloween.