05/09/23
06/09/23
Crow in flight. Morrigán. Could see the stabbed brush marks of the wings when watching it in flight. Weird. Aren’t we all?
Time needs to be set aside for practice. Shia LaBeouf.
Sounds like an excuse but a certain letter has thrown a real spanner in the works.
NB: Forgot to jot down that ‘Red Lines’ has been accepted into this years’ Royale Arcade Academy show at Arcade Studios.
07/09/23
LATE NIGHT ART - Belfast
Some very late-night sketching.
09/09/23
Setting your stall.
10/09/23
Art Wank Podcast with Array - listening during studio time.
“Painting is a place to hide thoughts, hide feelings, hide emotions.”
- Stephen Millar
The Arts are not singular. Arts as a united force for good. Collaboration.
You can’t eat prestige (or a flag).
‘Ready to Go’ blocked out. Not sure if it’s a damp squib but I think it’s worth another shot.
‘Marina’ - content with background. Loose is good. So bloody close.
13/09/23
H.B.S.
After a bit of mulling - the ‘Ready to Go’ canvas is anything but. I have forgotten the first rule:
IF IT DOESN’T EXCITE YOU THEN THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG
It is not and it is also an image that, if it’s going to work, will need another image merged to elevate it.
It is a solid image, and it has a resonance with me personally but it’s just not doing it for me, for the want of a better phrase.
Handed in ‘Red Lines’ to Arcade. Stopped by the MAC to see ‘No History in a Room filled with People wih Funny Names 5’ by Korakrit Arunanondchai and Alex Gvojic with Tosh Basco. An extremely immersive experience.
Abhartach - the Irish Vampire.
Black / Peaty Soil. Roots become negative space. Possible triptych?
14/09/23
Abhartach - source material…
This will be for down the line. Even the little portrait alongside ‘Ready to Go’ on acetate has more promise and, more importantly, has my head spinning!
Back of the bus, it’s been a long time.
Can see where… might have an advantage. More time. Been reading “The World New Made - Figurative Painting in the 20th Century” by Timothy Hyman.
“I was alone in my studio in front of my oil lamp. Two or three in the morning… Dawn is breaking… I used to sit up like that all night long. My lamp burned, and I with it.”
- Marc Chagall c.1920
Henri Rousseau = recovered a primal truth in painting.
17/09/23
Short Sunday Sessions.
“Marina” finished! But only just. A little over indulgent with the fixative meant some emergency fixing (irony) was needed.
If I had my wits about me I should’ve drawn up a new canvas in the 45 minutes spare. Hindsight.
“Look to Henri Rousseau as examplar for a renewal of figural language reborn in the image of childhood.”
- Timothy Hyman
18/09/23
20 week scan. All well! Surreal.
Also, on the way to Causeway - a lovely note, Warm, fuzzy feeling.
21/09/23
Chloe Austin’s “Living But A Day” in PS2
22/09/23
Breaking the Cultural Code - Tenth Anniversary of Derry’s UK City of Culture.
“Culture is everyday lived experience.”
- Sir Phil Redmond
Culture Night Derry
Banu Cennetoğlu at VOID Gallery, Derry
24/09/23
Studio time. There was a temptation to rework ‘Ready to Go’ for a minute. Had to remind myself that structurally it’s interesting but it doesn’t excite me to see where it can go.
“A Brush with… Claudette Johnson”
A really promising start to three canvases today.
25/09/23 & 26/09/23
BP high. Ordered to Antrim A&E. Arrived at 7pm - didn’t get seen until 10am on Tuesday. Tests to be done and rest needed. Poor timing.
28/09/23
…day in court.
29/09/23
VAI Get Together 2023 - Online day.
Imogen Stidworthy - How We Work.
Lindsey Mendick talk was great!