Sunday, July 25, 2010

Jesus, that was a quick year!



Spiral Sun (Multi Media) 1000 x 1000mm
I can't believe that it is a year since I last posted to this, I have been busy attempting to achieve a Masters in Digital Media ! Ha, the irony of it all. Anyway it's summer now, and I should be getting back to physical art. So here are a few samples of what I've been up to...


Sudoku Painting No.1 Detail









Saturday, July 25, 2009

ARThritis Project II







These are the four pieces I created in respose to ARThritis II, the course I facilitated in the Rheumatology Dept., AMNCH Tallaght. An Exhibition of the patients work along with these will be available to view at Rua Red Gallery, Tallaght Dublin 24 from 1st March 2010.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Too Busy to Blog






It's the middle of Summer and it looks like I've done nothing for ages. When in fact I been just too busy. Heres a few Art pics to keep yis going !



Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Winter Landscape


This piece was created quickly one afternoon prior to Chistmas to cover a rough finished wall.

It is Acrylic on Canvas measuring 2000 x 1500 mm. As a large scale sketch it points the way towards future commissioned works of a similar nature.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Blackrock Work


Completion of Spiritual Meditation Space, Blackrock College

 

The 24th of November 2008 saw the dedication ceremony of the Spiritual Meditation Space, at the Our Lady of Victories Chapel, Blackrock College, Dublin.

 

The design work commenced in March 2008 an the final touches were put in place early November.

 

Here are some of the finished pieces

 

The 3 Central Archway Pieces


The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan

The First Mystery of Light

 

The brief from the pastoral department was to produce a series of images  depicting the new Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary introduced by the late pope John Paul II in 2002. From an artistic view point a degree of ecumenism entered the story here as the painting style chosen combined elements of Greek Orthodox and Maronite Christian Iconography.


Inspiration

‘The Gift of the Holy Spirit’

This is the central piece of the meditation space. The relief carving of the Dove surrounded by the flame, is a variation on the symbolic theme that represents the Spiritan Community in Ireland and throughout the World.

It is also representative of everyone’s search for inspiration and guidance within their studies; their work or their lives in general. The introduction of the Garden/Water Feature is an attempt to bring elements of the tranquillity of nature into the space.


The Transfiguration

The Fourth Mystery of Light

 

In terms of painting styles this piece carries the most diverse elements. Traditional Icon painting; Primitive or Early Western style; along with certain aspects of my own figurative style. The Transfigured Jesus; Moses and Elijah belong firmly in the Primitive camp.

While the apostles Peter; James and John have human frailty etched on their features at the sheer panic of been presented with the power of God up close and personal.


Chapelle  St. Thérèse de Lisieux

(Un Jardin pour un peu de fleur)

A Garden for a Little Flower

The basis of this chapelle was this carved wooden statue of St. Thérèse.

We wished to develop of a suitable setting for her display, and  provide an intimate space for individual reflection and prayer.  After  a long time of staring at her image,  reading about her life and teachings, and contemplating the space in which she was   to be placed. I visualised her just walking in from a Garden and stepping forward into the space.

The Blue vaulted ceiling features hand cast plaster and gilded stars, this is an attempt  to replicate a traditional gothic chapel style. Similar ceilings are found in Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. The original ceiling in the Sistine Chapel  was decorated in this fashion.

 

 

 

Rose Skylight Window

 

The circular stained glass sky light featured at the centre of the vaulted ceiling in the Chapelle St.Thérèse de Lisieux, incorporates a rose design which I based on similar design by French-Canadian artist Chantal Paré. This piece was fabricated by Michael Deans to the drawings I provided.


The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God

The Third Mystery of Light

 In appearance this is probably the most Orthodox of Greek style Icon  paintings in the series, where most of the traditional methods of  such image making was followed. Although the pallet is yet again in the vibrant Maronite (Lebanese/Syrian Christians) mode.

Each piece was firstly sketched at a reduced scale and colour schemes were worked out using Tempura or Gouache on Paper. Then the wooden panels were cut to size in relation to their site specificness.

Then full scale Cartoon Drawings were worked on to encompass the details of Positioning; Anatomy; Physical Features;  and Attire. These were then transfered to the Gesso primed boards using traditional Fresco methods.

The colours were then applied using combination of traditional and modern techniques and media.

A modern ‘Diamond Coat’ varnish was then applied in order to make the pieces durable and washable.

Each piece is mounted in such a way as to make maintenance access a priority.





The Institution of the Eucharist

The Fifth Mystery of Light

(Also Known as ‘The Last Supper’)

 

Again based on a Greek image the setting of this piece above the main doorway, and the new lighting effects on the vaulted ceiling, lent itself to the use of a traditional Byzantine Mosaic to depict this mystery.

Unfortunately as time was tight we had to settle on a Trompe l’oeil version of the image and thus this is in fact an Acrylic on Canvas painted sketch of how the eventual mosaic piece would look.

 

 

 

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Byzantine Style Catoons for Large Scale Paintings


A Byzantine Icon Style Mural of 'The Proclamation of the Kingdom' to be set in the upper part of a Neo-Gothic Archway within The Main Chapel of Blackrock College, Dublin. Just one of a series of four. A fifth image of the Last Supper is to be executed as a Mosaic above the entrance doorway.


Working on the Cartoons in my Home Studio










Monday, June 23, 2008

Working on a Restoration Project - Blackrock College Dublin

I' m currently working on a restoration of the Spiritian Community's Oratory in Castle Dawson,
Blackrock College, Co. Dublin.

Would appreciate any information anyone might have on the original building, dating from 1760, Please