'REMEMBRANCE' project 2011

A 'Remembrance'collaboration between Signal Arts centre and Christchurch, Bray, Co. Wicklow
My part in this consisted of researching the personal information for 168 soldiers on the WW1 Mermorial Monument on Quinsboro Road Bray and then producing a visual display for the memorial services to be held at Christchurch, Bray November 6-19th.  Other artists at Signal produced works of art that were exhibited along with stunning flower displays; a huge painting (Noel Cleary) formed a fabulous backdrop to a field of poppies and crosses, porcelain depiction of bombed out houses (Frances Brosnan), sound effects (Vincent Rae) huge figurative drawings(Aoife Fitzgerald).

STONES OF BRAY CON'TD

Here are some prints from linocuts that I have been working on since January 2011. This is a continuation of extrapolating patterns drawn from actual stones collected from Naylor's Cove.   There are some intriquing outcomes from the process of drawing from a group of stones and then carving that drawing and then printing from the lino.  These are still a work in progress.



STONES OF BRAY CONT'D



Stone Impression2
Relief print on Bray People newspaper

This is one of a series of block lino prints, linking the geology of Bray stones with Bray newspaper. Drawings are extracted from the lines embedded on stones picked from Naylors Cove and inscribed stones from monuments (gravestones and obelisks) around Bray.

Stone Impression2
Relief print on BFK

An inherent part of the process is examing tiny details and then enlarging them to the point where they transform into a different and new reality.

Stone Impression3
Relief print on BFK

Another image from the series using the lines embedded from Bray stones combined with images from local monuments

KATHE KOLLWITZ, PRINTMAKER, 1867-1945

I had seen some work and heard a lot about Kathe Kollwitz under the heading of German Expressionism, so I decided to explore her work in some depth since I have the opportunity to use the fabulous library here in Largo. Also thought it would be interesting to pick up some new ideas on grounds etc in anticipation of doing some etching work after Christmas. What can I say?  I love her work, the draughtsmanship, the skill, the passion. I love that it is political, and humanist. The political is humanist. She lived through two World Wars lost her son and grandson, became a pacifist and 'evolutionary' rather than revolutionary. Books I have read are only terrific with fabulous inciteful informed commentary.

                                           War, leaf3: The Parents, 1923

                                            War, leaf2: The Volunteers,1922-1923

                                                   

STONES OF BRAY CONT'D, BACK TO WORK, NOVEMBER 2010

Great to be back at work.  Gave a talk on my creative art process at the Largo Art Association with a good few pictures of Bray Landscape thrown in as my inspiration. Doing some painting and relief on lino. Red  and Black Striation No 105 in exhibitions with Largo Art Association at Largo Library and Wachovia Bank.  Also thank goodness for Dunedin Fine Art Centre.  Here is a relief print, Stone Impressions One, State1, an addition to my Stones of Bray Project.

ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO, TORONTO, OCTOBER, 2010

JULIAN SCHNABEL
Art and film on the 5th floor.  Terrific survey of his work from the mid-1970's to the present.  More than 25 key works.including: several celebrated plate paintings (The Patients and the Doctors, 1978); paintings on velvet (Portrait of Andy Warhol, 1982) and sailcloth (Jane Birkin #2, 1990); monumental 22-by-22-foot canvasses (Anno Domini, 1990); and recent gesso-and-ink paintings on polyester, including examples from the 2006 Surfing Paintings series that Schnabel dedicated to legendary Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci. Other key cinematic figures on display include Marlon Brando, Albert Finney, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Mickey Rourke, Christopher Walken, and Rula Jebreal, with whom he wrote the screenplay for his newest film, Miral, which is based on her novel. I am not big on the plate paintings but do like the gesso and ink paintings.

EVA HESSE
Fantastic layout of Eva Hesse's studio work. a lot of her small experiments and sculptures. Really impressive.

AGNES MARTIN
A huge room of Agnes Martins white paintings.  A meditative space.  I had recently attended a lecture in the Douglas Hyde in Dublin on the work of Agnes Martin so was truly delighted to see this exhibition of her work.

SHARY BOYLE: FLESH AND BLOOD
Fabulous work by this acclaimed Toronto artist, delicate porcelain sculptures surprising, evocative and humourous.  The porcelain at first deceptively like Dresden china pieces until you looked closely at headless wonders, strange human/beastie forms, one mother moved her children away from copulating and nightmarish scenes.  But her work did not stop there.  There were also installations/tableaux with overhead projectors projecting on mannikins.  Really thought provoking.

DOUGLAS HYDE GALLERY, TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN

Barry White gave a talk on American artist Dana Schutz.  Her work Tourette's Paintings were on exhibition.  White showed the artist's work in the context of art history and the work of her contemporaries such as Damien Hirst and the Chapman brothers focuising on themes of distorted body parts, monsters, and cannibalism.  Dana Schutz's work has been described as ‘teetering on the edge of tradition and innovation'. 'My paintings are loosely based on metanarratives. The pictures float in and out of pictorial genres. Still lifes become personified, portraits become events and landscapes become constructions."  The exhibition at the Douglas Hyde is a must see. The paintings are technically superb, beautifully painted, brilliant clean clear colours, and the content thought provoking with a black humour edge.