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Reviewing a great year

The period after Christmas and before the new year is the perfect time to take stock of the past months. It’s a quiet time, and here in Radicondoli, it’s a time when the countryside sleeps. Now there is a very different beauty: the fields' patterns are more visible; the ghost-like trees reveal their now bare skeletons; and also their secrets, long hidden birds nests.

It has been a whirlwind of a year and I was extremely fortunate in many ways. It started with hearing that I had got an honorable mention at the New York Miniature Print Exhibition, followed by a piece accepted by the R.H.A. In May on our journey to Italy via Rosslare, Rosscoff and various towns, I got an email to say “Mr Turner’s grand design” had made the cut for London’s Royal Academy. Well things could hardly get better, but they did. In October I got two prints into the R.U.A. I had finally achieved the Royal Academy hat trick!

Kilcock Arts Gallery

Saturday was D-Day for the opening of the Dreamscapes and Landscapes Exhibition at the Kilcock Art Gallery. I had made my usual mistakes; having an early night, soaking in a bath, and sleeping facedown; the result? Actually hardly sleeping a wink, and a face belonging one of those wrinkly Chinese dogs. No amount of cold water or fancy cream could rectify the problem.

Whew!

After a couple of sleepless nights waiting on the results of the Royal Ulster Academy’s final selection for their annual exhibition, I did it!!! This year I achieved the Academy hattrick, triple crown, holy of holies: I’ve had prints in all three of the 'home' academies. Dublin in Spring, London in Summer and now Belfast this Autumn.

The RA, London, and a small independent gallery in Radicondoli

What a few weeks it’s been! We set off on our big road trip to Radicondoli on 26th May, the momentous day of the Referendum result. And what a result!

As we approached Rosslare, I saw that I’d an email from the Royal Academy, an email I was almost sick opening to see if “Mr Turner” had been accepted for this year’s show.

It's a bit dusty in the show space

RHA Annual 2018

Well, it’s been a nerve-wracking few weeks. After submitting three prints – one landscape and two women’s heads – I had been trying to keep myself busy in order to not think about the RHA Annual Show. I've made a drawing or two, cleaned the studio, did a clearance of scrap paper/newspapers, avoided FaceBook posts or talking to anyone about the show... in case that put the mockers on it.