Blog

Taking stock

It’s hard to believe that only a month ago we were leaving Radicondoli and driving home to Dublin. We got home on a Monday afternoon (having left on Thursday!), to hang the show at the Club the following day. The show opening on Thursday.
It was strange looking at all the work, would it be good enough? was there enough of it? would it come together as a show?

Daymare - if there is such a thing.

The Day-mare
What a day, or should I say nightmare….a “day mare”
Today started well. I got up relatively early to bring L.S.H’s and my work to Belfast for the R.U.A shortlist. I set the Sat Nav on my phone, as this year the venue was different. There was little or no traffic; although it was dull, the countryside was looking beautiful, life was feeling pretty good. I passed a classic car rally on the way. Everything was going well, I expected to arrive at my destination at about noon.

RA Annual Summer Exhibition

Well, the last two weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind and I have only settled back to work today.

It started with an email that I had to read about five times before I believed it. It was to say that my etching “Clarissa” had made it through to this year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London. Then the rush was on to book flights and accommodation to attend the Varnishing Day on 5th June.

My Norman

I was due to have surgery on my knee on Friday 24th, but then I got the opportunity to attend a course given by a hero of mine. I took about one second to make up my mind, phoned the hospital and cancelled the op!
And then came the dilemma… should you ever meet your hero? I have loved Norman Ackroyd’s work for 30 years. But the man and the work are two completely different things. There is a wonderful film about him called “What do artists do all day?”, it follows him for a day in his studio, and I hoped that this was the Norman that we were going to meet.

End of an era, new beginnings

Last week, after almost 34 years as a member, I collected my belongings from the Black Church Print Studio. It was with a heavy heart that I made the decision not to renew my membership, as I had joined when I left NCAD. But over the last few years I had not worked there, as I found it difficult to get into Temple Bar; as well, I had built my own studio. As I emptied out “my” plan-chest drawer, memories flooded my head.