artist interview
Still haven’t heard anything from S.P. show.
RDH: MAY 2024
02/05/24
Late Night Art Belfast
A busy busy night!
05/05/24
Added crow / plague mask to soldier’s face. Not sure where, if anywhere, it’s going to go. Ran it’s course perhaps? Palette cleansed.
…action painting?
08/05/24
“Gallery Visit” showing in ArtFest 3!
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
09/05/24
Would be good to start thinking about plan…
10/05/24
12/05/24
Drawings to acetate. Cuprinol spillage - use to benefit? Bleached out wartime work - it reached the end. So, today in the studio - rather than painting… worked on drawing up new canvases. NB: Paint needed through the week.
Three works started - went for a dander in a thundery downpour holding a couple of the new canvases over my head. Letting the heavy raindrops move the unfixed charcoal. Funny, the momento mori could have done with a few more and the ‘Tesla’ a little less. HINDSIGHT!
12/05/24
Hold the family close. Bus decompress time.
18/05/24
19/05/24
20/05/24
If you’re going to do something, do it right!
26/05/24
“Week in Art” Mona Lisa interview really interesting. “The living earth”.
“Talk Art” Shaqúelle Whyte.
Solid progress. No titles as yet - Hindsight? Could work for all three really.
29/05/24
Dublin.
It’s always sunny in Dublin.
RDH: APRIL 2023
02/04/23
“…entry point into an emotional landscape.”
“…photograph is just a vehicle to then deal with those subjects that I want…”
Matthew Krishanu on “A Brush with…”
Having a crack at “Check Your Pockets” again. Going to try attacking it from a different angle.
09/04/23
Easter Sunday.
“A Brush with… Mike Nelson”.
“C.Y.P.” - let’s just get something down.
Good progress on figure today. Looks solid but… it’s not sitting right though and when I looked again after cleaning brushes, only then did i realise… the issue is the background. Compositionally it’s fine but the colour choices and tonal values are all out of whack.
11/04/23
Over the Moon!
12/04/23
14/04/23
Still pinching myself. Best foot forward!
16/04/23
Seem to have went and gone the long and awkward way about it but “Check your Pockets” is finished.
Some sketchbook work to finish the day off.
20/04/23
Special letter in the post.
23/04/23
Great to hear the Ulster Museum being interviewed in The Art Newspaper’s “Week in Art” podcast.
“A shared history, not a shared memory.”
Studio time - clothing an background work on “Boy Soldier”
RDH: AUGUST 2022
02/08/22
Getting a little anxious as word gets closer…
03/08/22
“Girl with Red Hair” has been preselected!
07/08/22
Work dropped off to the RUA.
Visit to the MAC for Ron Mueck exhibition.
14/08/22
15/08/22
Can’t just be sitting around waiting…
Some sketchbook work started.
16/08/22
Drawings finished up from yesterday. Studio time now and some painting with the niece.
GOT INTO THE RUA SHOW!
17/08/22
‘A Brush With … Lina Iris Viktor’
“I think using a limited palette gives you more freedom.”
L.I.V.
Another layer on ‘lovers’ piece and a clean palette needed.
18/08/22
One Year!
20/08/22
Studio. Bit of burning on “Catherine Study”.
21/08/22
Good progress on “A Lovers’ Harvest”… man’s face works and doesn’t at the same time. Need to come back with fresh eyes.
There are aspects about “A.L.H.” I need to jot down:
Fracture
Loss vs Hope
Memento Mori / Passing of the Seasons
27/08/22
Adam Pendelton on “A Brush With…”: “Masks conceal and evoke.”
Studio time: Grass - too much? Go lighter? Lovers - more sculpting? Background - more solidity?
A lot more questions than answers at the minute. Less writing, more doing. Retrospective analysis is much more succinct and compelling (?)
PTO…
Although, in hindsight, creating a short, concise list of things to look at, attempt / rectify seems to pay off more often than not.
“A Lovers’ Harvest” finished.
31/08/22
Submitted… finger’s crossed.
Never far from thoughts.
RDH: NOVEMBER 2020
01/11/20
Focus required…
…reaching it back to integrity of practice.
Large scale drawings?
02/11/20
03/11/20
Great to get imagery into some semblance of order.
“Thinking through making.” - Joy Gerrard during interview with GTG. Watch here.
06/11/20
07/11/20
08/11/20
…settling back into a new routine… still healing.
10/11/20
11/11/20
IMMA Talk: From the Rego Studio.
13/11/20
Limbo-Land yet again.
14/11/20
Finding it difficult to concentrate with all going on. Just wish that aspects were sorted so that some kind of routine could be adhered to.
Some results but not all.
…giving up the ghost on the little ‘go cart’ piece. It just went stale but that’s OK. It wasn’t the right time.
16/11/20
19/11/20
Absolutely baltic in the studio.
20/11/20
Mostly focused on “Norwegian Nude” today but building up layers on other pieces too.
22/11/20
Really good progress today.
23/11/20
BP 158/113
26/11/20
Site update
27/11/20
Really great online talk from the Garter Lane Arts Centre: Chloe Austin in conversation with Matt Higgs, Kitsch Doom, and Ciara O Neill.
Did a few quick sketch of the speakers as they discussed their practices.
29/11/20
…readjust, centre, breathe and focus on what matters.
30/11/20
After having a long, hard look at “Troublesome” - came to the realisation that figure is complete. Nice to leave it loose in parts. It explains what it needs to without having to divulge anything else.
Bit of building work in the background and it’s finished.
Decorations are up and a little winter halo to round off a very odd month.
Interview with Reimagine, Remake, Replay Project
On 10th October (world mental health day) I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the folks at Reimagine, Remake, Replay.
We discussed my experience with mental health issues and my artistic practice. I’d encourage everyone to check out the other speakers from the RRR’s Head and Heart Festival here.
Huge thanks to Stephen , Niamh and all the RRR team for making this interview happen!
RDH: AUGUST 2020
01/08/20
So saddened to hear of the passing of Chris Ledger. She was a true friend of the arts in NI and helped me in both a professional and personal capacity. Her tenacity and drive will be sorely missed.
02/08/20
03/08/20
‘Seashore Jester’ … over-painted to the point of no return - burnt and slashed. Good progress on “Enfield Study” though.
It’s finally happened! I’ve had a little painting accepted into this year’s RUA exhibition!
04/08/20
Wee day off.
05/08/20
Watched ‘Apocalypse Now’ properly for the first time. The real animal sacrifice at the end was disturbing.
06/08/20
Sketched out some new canvases including a narrow set for a triptych.
Object connected to the figure rather than the figure itself so may need to rethink the centre canvas.
…a few people have told me how “Enfield Study” disturbs them and makes them feel uncomfortable. So a job well done.
07/08/20
10/08/20
Greenberg vs Read (HANDBAGS!)
Sketchbook work.
14/08/20
Jenny Saville in the “A Brush With” podcast is great!
When asked what is art for, Saville replies:
“Art is for life. Art is for survival. You know it’s a shock of recognition that you feel a sense of belonging you recognise yourself in the world. I really believe it’s for survival. It’s intrinsic to being human. We either have to make marks or it’s like singing or making music. It’s fundamental to being a human being. I can’t imagine doing anything else. When I’m in the process of painting I feel very in touch with myself in a sense that nothing else I’ve ever done in my life does.”
16/08/20
Nothing the past few days due to another trip to the hospital.
18/08/20
One year to go.
19/08/20
Finished “Exhibits A to C”. Good to get painting again after a little setback. Chuffed to be names Catalyst Art’s Member of the Month for August!
20/08/20
Some good studio time in today.
21/08/20
“A painting which is from a specific photograph - you have to go beyond the photograph so you have to make the paint do something and once it gets a nature of itself then it belongs to the world and it takes a long time to get be in that field.”
Jenny Saville (link for interview here)
23/08/20
“Avarice is the enemy of virtue.”
Leon Battista Alberti
Sketching and mostly failing.
25/08/20
Studio time but nothing too strenuous.
Great to have a virtual catch up with UoA folk!
29/08/20
Trauma is inarticulate.