Now back at home in Suffolk and working on some drawings started on Inishlacken. This time around I only spent two days on the island – the weather dictated proceedings and safety concerns about sailing to and from Inishlacken severely curtailed the experience. Nevertheless, the company of Mick O'Dea, Cian Donnelly and Phil Hession with Rosie of course made for some interesting discussions.
I made several walks around Roundstone on the mainland, mostly in the rain but all informative to my experiences of Ireland and Irish life. As a result I am now drawing madly – from maps of Inishlacken dating from the 1890's, from memories of walking the island and from impressions gleaned of Irish life along the way.
None of these images are completed yet so to make my blog more visually exciting, here is a recent drawing from a series entitled Sitting Rooms III, pencil drawings made from estate agents websites. It obviously has no relation whatsoever to Inishlacken!
Yet another long period of time has passed since I last made a post to this blog. Its been a busy few months that have passed quickly, so much so that I am amazed my last post was back in June!
Last week I returned to Inishlacken island. Rosie invited me to take part in the 2008 residency and whilst I was initially unsure I did agree – the right decision as it turned out. I had some misgivings mainly because I did not want to tarnish my first experience of the island and was concerned that to return would only serve to diminish the first visit – this time I would have pre-conditioned expectations. In the event, I made the decision that to return would be to re-experience and re-evaluate the island. Yes, my perspective would be conditioned, but my responses could only build on what had gone before. In fact I do now believe it was necessary to return to truly understand what had happened first time around.
There were three other artists this time plus myself and Rosie, painter and curator of the project. Two were from Belfast and one from Dublin. A painter, a video artist and a painter/drawer/performance artist. So quite a different 'feel' to things this time coupled with the difficult weather which dictated the amount of time spent on the island.
So having now started the project blog up again I will take the next few occasions to relay the second Inishlacken experience. Speak to you soon!
Although this blog is framed around the Inishlacken Project, sometimes, blog-related things happen and in this case it has prompted me to write again after a gap of three months.
The project in Eastbourne, entitled Impossible Changeling, is now complete. I covered the interior of a beach hut with gold leaf and also gilded 142 pebbles which were placed onto the beach at regular intervals during the show. I was lucky enough to spend several days in Eastbourne and this gave me an opportunity to chat with visitors to the show. It is always fascinating to be given an insight into the genuine responses of the public to a work, be this pleasure, disgust or indifference! I had several discussions with people, one man in particular who was initially sceptical eventually returned three times to the work. Another visitor was fellow blogger Judith Alder – she writes of her work and studio group. Our conversation on the beach at Eastbourne made both of us aware that we knew each others names but not until Judith returned home did she put two and two together and realise we were fellow bloggers.
It has made me understand just how far the blogging world can reach and how I have underused its potential.
So it is off the the States in January! Inishlacken – a place apart is to tour to The Redhouse Gallery in Syracuse. Those who are interested can see the gallery website at www.theredhouse.org.
I am hopeful that I will be able to go to see the show and possibly use the trip to explore arts organisations and galleries in America. Syracuse also has a University and I will try to make some links here and to my part time job at Norwich School of Art and Design.
In the meantime I am continuing to work on my Eastbourne commission – looking at sand, the sea, beach huts and a bandstand. Should be an interesting process.
This time my trip to Galway thankfully did not involve an emergency landing after the short flight and I arrived full of anticipation to see the show. I have been thinking about what work all the Inishlacken artists have made and at last was able to find out.
There were paintings, some large some smaller, oil and watercolour, ink drawings, etchings and abstract acrylic works. An installation of pebbles based on the Aran knitting pattern filled the floor of one gallery and a wonderful installation by composer Kate Moore using her score made an interesting backdrop to my own work. The show was completed by an automated paper cut out sculpture by Louise Manifold.
It was revealing to see how each artist had interpreted their island experience. Although there were consistent themes there were also unusual translations and I learnt more about the island of Inishlacken.
The visit was concluded with the excellent news from Rosie that the show is now confirmed to tour to the States.
