My week is planned out for me...I won't manage to get into the studio at all. I am covering for a friend all week again.. He has just buried his mother, 3 weeks after his father died..added to my friends demise yesterday it's hard to believe...so the upshot is I'm otherwise employed for the week, well until friday anyway, and I'm going fishing on Friday, it is St.Patricks day. I have a few things I need to do, and I can't even get time to do them this week!!
I need to send a list of work for an exhibition. I've to post a receipt for a painting I sold. I have to lodge a check (my grant check) and pay the rates bill (4 figures!). easy come easy go....
Being an Artist, it's nice to be able to stand in the breach at short notice for friends in need, it is good for that purpose this relatively unstructured life... and it's not abused by friends........
I am also in the middle of organising opposition to the new fishery bill proposed by the govt. It is almost the fishing equivalent of taking all the local authority football grounds/parks and giving them to the highest bidder to run at a profit as they see fit, Ignoring the fact that children use them free of charge and they are used by the poorer members of our society because they are affordable, and charging Golf/country club prices for their use. At the same time giving the pollution control, now run by the fishery boards, over to the worst offenders, local authorities.
More on this later...I've to word a proposal for debate at a political meeting.....
Monday, March 13, 2006
Sunday, March 12, 2006
A Quiet Sunday
I did little or nothing today. I heard this morning a friend died of a heart attack on the Golf course earlier in the morning. I would have said he was as fit as a fiddle, he certainly seemed to be. That's life I suppose. We spoke Friday, and teased each other as usual, both of us fully expecting to do the same again either this week or next...
It makes you think..
Life is Fragile.
It makes you think..
Life is Fragile.
Yes it was wet and windy today...so I did a little touch up on Castri window...and then I signed it.
Yes it's finished.
I had a coffe or two, checked my mail...I got my grant check from the Dept. of culture....hooray....and a Rates bill from the council....there goes most of the grant check...
At least I don't have to worry about paying the rates this year...I came home early and watched the Rugby International, sorry Scotland we stuffed you.
Yes it's finished.
I had a coffe or two, checked my mail...I got my grant check from the Dept. of culture....hooray....and a Rates bill from the council....there goes most of the grant check...
At least I don't have to worry about paying the rates this year...I came home early and watched the Rugby International, sorry Scotland we stuffed you.
Friday, March 10, 2006
I have been all over the place for the last 3 days, I collected my mother wednesday morning, had my wing mirror smashed by a hit and run driver on the way..I didn't get time to get his reg.no. as he was speeding too fast..It could have been worse he could have done a lot more damage.
I am having difficulty getting a new one. It is difficult driving the van without it too, there is a large blind spot with just the rear view mirror. I'll have to try a few breakers yards next week...a mitsubishi original is very-very-very expensive....
Moving on, I have been helping out a friend since wednesday lunch time, and on top of that I had a meeting on wednesday night, the lads night out last night, and I am just in the door now at 7.15...it's now 7.35 pm...and I'm exhausted..I am not really used to Physical labour any more...lol. add to that late nights and early mornings and I'm shattered.
I am looking forward to the studio tomorrow, first day since tuesday....I don't think the weather will suit the garden painting though we are due high winds and rain..I got a new mobile phone today, a Nokia 6230i, complete with camera and email...no more forgotten camera problems, ha ha ..of course I will have to figure out how to use it first....there is always a down-side, I am not exactly techno minded.....I'll play around for a while to figure it out as usual..If ALL else fails, I'll read the manual..I'm off to play with my new toy now..
I am having difficulty getting a new one. It is difficult driving the van without it too, there is a large blind spot with just the rear view mirror. I'll have to try a few breakers yards next week...a mitsubishi original is very-very-very expensive....
Moving on, I have been helping out a friend since wednesday lunch time, and on top of that I had a meeting on wednesday night, the lads night out last night, and I am just in the door now at 7.15...it's now 7.35 pm...and I'm exhausted..I am not really used to Physical labour any more...lol. add to that late nights and early mornings and I'm shattered.
I am looking forward to the studio tomorrow, first day since tuesday....I don't think the weather will suit the garden painting though we are due high winds and rain..I got a new mobile phone today, a Nokia 6230i, complete with camera and email...no more forgotten camera problems, ha ha ..of course I will have to figure out how to use it first....there is always a down-side, I am not exactly techno minded.....I'll play around for a while to figure it out as usual..If ALL else fails, I'll read the manual..I'm off to play with my new toy now..
Monday, March 06, 2006
A pleasant spring day..
It was quite pleasant out today, so much so I ventured into the walled garden in Marlay Park to start a plien-air painting,
I only really got the foundation washes laid in though as the paint obviously was going to be very slow drying. The photo is both of the work and the view I was painting. I will upload more detailed views later in the week, assuming I get the weather to continue with the painting, both of the garden and of the work....the painting is on an 18 inch by 14 inch canvas incidently.
I'm looking forward to spending a few hours in the walled garden over the summer..I will try to capture some of it's recreated borders and Kitchen gardens throughout the year.
I only really got the foundation washes laid in though as the paint obviously was going to be very slow drying. The photo is both of the work and the view I was painting. I will upload more detailed views later in the week, assuming I get the weather to continue with the painting, both of the garden and of the work....the painting is on an 18 inch by 14 inch canvas incidently.
I'm looking forward to spending a few hours in the walled garden over the summer..I will try to capture some of it's recreated borders and Kitchen gardens throughout the year.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
another visit to the soap-box...
I spent today preparing an application for an Artist's Residency programme.
The putting together of ideas and proposals is time consuming. I don't get a lot of practice at it either, as I don't often hear about these type of programmes. It is the lack of interaction with other artists again. We miss the old 'Art Bulletin' that the defuct Artist Association provided. The lack of communication between artists and arts organisations is a problem. It can be difficult to get on everyones databases, and even if you do, getting left on it during updates, or getting included in mailings/notices is still hit and miss.
However, I'm happy with my proposal, now I just need to collate the supporting images, organise my referees and ensure the application arrives before the deadline on Friday. If I am lucky enough to be considered it will be great, as it will ensure my financial viability for another few years. It is hard to be creative while looking at negative equity, and not knowing if your rent payment will clear the bank. These programmes are the equivalet of the old style art patron, where a commission would allow an artist to live for a year or two. These days art patrons seem to want to buy Art cheaply, while still expecting massive gains in value. The general public expect Artists to starve for their art....Van Gogh did....they forget the Rembrandts, the DaVinchis, Stubbs, Turner etc. who lived quite comfortably and sold their work for more than the average years wage. If you go to study law, business, medicine or in fact most things at third level you can expect to earn a good income or be paid a good fee for services rendered...study art and you can expect to starve..or work elsewhere and try to steal the occaisional hours to paint or whatever.
I am lucky, in that my income is not neccessary for my families survival, therefor I can paint full time. The lack of appreciation though still rankles. I am a professional Artist...I want to be seen as a professional, not as some sort of wastrel, dabbling away for my love of painting. I do love my painting, but I shouldn't have to scrimp and save, or be carried financially to continue doing what I do. Culture, unlike history, needs constant upgrading, but it is as important to our heritage as our history yet we ignore those that provide it. Profit is todays god, value is seen as how cheap something can be obtained, quality is ignored. Today's throw away society is in danger of discarding heritage and culture with the other broken worn out possessions.
The Art's with the exeption of a minority (successful singers/songwriters and novelists) are falling further behind.
...Theatres that need constant bailing out if they don't produce "commercial popular" theatre. Playwrights and writers have to look at whats popular rather than relevant. We the visual artist's either have to work outside the arts or produce quick commercial work, be it design or interior decor rather than art..will lead to an artistic and cultural wasteland.
The putting together of ideas and proposals is time consuming. I don't get a lot of practice at it either, as I don't often hear about these type of programmes. It is the lack of interaction with other artists again. We miss the old 'Art Bulletin' that the defuct Artist Association provided. The lack of communication between artists and arts organisations is a problem. It can be difficult to get on everyones databases, and even if you do, getting left on it during updates, or getting included in mailings/notices is still hit and miss.
However, I'm happy with my proposal, now I just need to collate the supporting images, organise my referees and ensure the application arrives before the deadline on Friday. If I am lucky enough to be considered it will be great, as it will ensure my financial viability for another few years. It is hard to be creative while looking at negative equity, and not knowing if your rent payment will clear the bank. These programmes are the equivalet of the old style art patron, where a commission would allow an artist to live for a year or two. These days art patrons seem to want to buy Art cheaply, while still expecting massive gains in value. The general public expect Artists to starve for their art....Van Gogh did....they forget the Rembrandts, the DaVinchis, Stubbs, Turner etc. who lived quite comfortably and sold their work for more than the average years wage. If you go to study law, business, medicine or in fact most things at third level you can expect to earn a good income or be paid a good fee for services rendered...study art and you can expect to starve..or work elsewhere and try to steal the occaisional hours to paint or whatever.
I am lucky, in that my income is not neccessary for my families survival, therefor I can paint full time. The lack of appreciation though still rankles. I am a professional Artist...I want to be seen as a professional, not as some sort of wastrel, dabbling away for my love of painting. I do love my painting, but I shouldn't have to scrimp and save, or be carried financially to continue doing what I do. Culture, unlike history, needs constant upgrading, but it is as important to our heritage as our history yet we ignore those that provide it. Profit is todays god, value is seen as how cheap something can be obtained, quality is ignored. Today's throw away society is in danger of discarding heritage and culture with the other broken worn out possessions.
The Art's with the exeption of a minority (successful singers/songwriters and novelists) are falling further behind.
...Theatres that need constant bailing out if they don't produce "commercial popular" theatre. Playwrights and writers have to look at whats popular rather than relevant. We the visual artist's either have to work outside the arts or produce quick commercial work, be it design or interior decor rather than art..will lead to an artistic and cultural wasteland.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Crashed again......
I misbehaved today again...I haven't been near the studio. My PC. was playing up, a glitch in the firewall programme..Fixed eventually. I am not I.T. advanced enough to know too much about these things and end up spending hours between help-lines and knowledgeable friends to be able to sort these things out. Yet some of my friends come to me for help with their computors..?????.
I am self taught, so my knowledge is limited. I can't learn from books or in structured classes though, I never could adapt to that way of learning. I'm probably too rebellious. I like 'experimenting' my way around problems...a bit like puzzles, try this here, that there etc. I have a logical and pictorial brain that makes this method surprisingly successful!! However it used to drive teachers around the twist at times...LOL. That said I get by....
The temperatures have risen slightly, it is now just about 0 degrees centigrade, and getting milder...I might even go fishing later next week..if it continues to get warmer.
My Mother is off Gallivanting next week, so I said I'd collect her and drive her to the Airport on Wednesday, I know you probably aren't interested, but if it's down here I'll probably remember...
I am self taught, so my knowledge is limited. I can't learn from books or in structured classes though, I never could adapt to that way of learning. I'm probably too rebellious. I like 'experimenting' my way around problems...a bit like puzzles, try this here, that there etc. I have a logical and pictorial brain that makes this method surprisingly successful!! However it used to drive teachers around the twist at times...LOL. That said I get by....
The temperatures have risen slightly, it is now just about 0 degrees centigrade, and getting milder...I might even go fishing later next week..if it continues to get warmer.
My Mother is off Gallivanting next week, so I said I'd collect her and drive her to the Airport on Wednesday, I know you probably aren't interested, but if it's down here I'll probably remember...
Friday, March 03, 2006
Well, I'm recovered after my partying...I spent all afternoon in the studio. I spent hours working on my 7ft Castri Window painting. I was adjusting the whites here and there, tweeking this and that...I think I am nearly finished though.
I had a couple of visitors about 5-ish, and they were enamoured with it...
Isn't it funny how visitors always seem to come in groups? A bit like Busses... I find problems are the same, catch one and they all want to get in the trap! I had three seperate visitors this evening..all dropping in for a chat. I enjoyed it. I really must organise an Artist's get together...
I am in need of a spending spree...a few more large canvases, or at least the makings of some.
I feel the need to paint BIG.
I had a couple of visitors about 5-ish, and they were enamoured with it...
Isn't it funny how visitors always seem to come in groups? A bit like Busses... I find problems are the same, catch one and they all want to get in the trap! I had three seperate visitors this evening..all dropping in for a chat. I enjoyed it. I really must organise an Artist's get together...
I am in need of a spending spree...a few more large canvases, or at least the makings of some.
I feel the need to paint BIG.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
It is COLD! we have had more snow, it barely got above freezing today. I am not used to the cold....and whats more...I don't want to.
I have very little of interest to say, I'm cold and miserable...I have to get myself organised to apply for a residency (closing date the 10th) and have a serious outline of my ideas...I only learnt of it at short notice so I'm starting late....
(It is worth 60,000 euro over two years though, so it is worth applying for.....2 years in profit..lol.)
all in all I'm in a depressing mood....cold and miserable...miserable and cold......
I promise to write more tommorrow...I'm off to the fireside, that will be cheery, and I can work on some ideas... a blazing fire...(GAS these Days) ...and a mug of hot Tea....Dog curled at my feet..(usually on them, or my lap)...she likes a good fire too....
I have very little of interest to say, I'm cold and miserable...I have to get myself organised to apply for a residency (closing date the 10th) and have a serious outline of my ideas...I only learnt of it at short notice so I'm starting late....
(It is worth 60,000 euro over two years though, so it is worth applying for.....2 years in profit..lol.)
all in all I'm in a depressing mood....cold and miserable...miserable and cold......
I promise to write more tommorrow...I'm off to the fireside, that will be cheery, and I can work on some ideas... a blazing fire...(GAS these Days) ...and a mug of hot Tea....Dog curled at my feet..(usually on them, or my lap)...she likes a good fire too....
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