2024

RDH: DECEMBER 2024

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01/12/24

It’s been a long weekend - no studio but that is understandable considering the circumstances. Adjust / Adapt.

SURPRISE SURPRISE!!

03/12/24

… application? Glutton for punishment?

04/12/24

Focus! F and A. That is all that matters! The rest is bullshit.

08/12/24

Studio! Part 1. ‘M.C.’ facial tones - hair detail. (Purples / Greens?)

Timely progress on commission. Baby steps - not getting too carried away.

Started well on ‘moss piece’. Think the texture will work well - albeit awkward to get detail and control the paint in the really layered elements.

12/12/24

Has the penny finally dropped? Hopeful that it has. Over Christmas, take a look at [redacted]. Why not!

13/12/24

Submitted!

18/12/24

Didn’t get the P.P. opportunity. But as S. says, it was a strong application so I’m proud of it regardless of the outcome.

22/12/24

Keep forgetting that December is usually a write off - when everything else is taken into consideration.

23/12/24

NT5’s gave an idea. snippets / stills from videos taken out of context. There’s something here (not literally I hope). +

25/12/24

26/12/24

It’s been a month and a half! Art has taken a back seat. There’s plenty to be doing, just zero time to do it. This has been largely out of my control lately.

BUT - in saying that…

When it IS in my control, it is making sure that I’m getting the most out of it.

Energy Levels.

27/12/24

Carving time. Need to get on top of these fatigue levels. Certain points of the day, I could easily pass out and I have caught myself sleeping not long after waking up several times.

Get to the bottom of it.

28/12/24

RDH’s are all well and good - keeping stock of where I was to help where I'm going. But what if, in the new year, at the start of the month, a list was made for that coming month. A target list. Things like:

  • works to start / finish (setting deadlines)

  • upcoming application opportunities

Continued in diary.

29/12/24

Last studio day of the year probably.

Top tone - violet yet still dark.

“…embracing darkness as a tool to shed light on something.”

Hank Willis Thomas (on the ‘A Brush with…’ podcast)

So bloody close! The green background is upsetting my happiness but what to change it to?

31/12/24

When researching ideas for creating a new target list, one thing that came up and, I’ve noticed this in real time, is having or setting a deadline to finish something.

having a time limit to have work completed for the Catalyst opportunity has definitely been helpful. Piece is all but complete.

New Ideas project - NI M’s and S’s. (pandering?)

Target list should include a chance to take my own advice - do the research and contact …

Some resolutions: cull the scroll time - cut out certain habits.

So long 2024. You’ve been good to me,

2024 in Pictures

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JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

RDH: JUNE 2024

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02/06/24

Studio - focus on one image…

Well, some days just don’t go the way you want them to. Bit of a damp squid in the studio. Superficial work on ‘mugshot’ (working title). Vented frustration out on cleaning the yard.

05/06/24

Organising archive.

06/06/24

Late Night Art - Belfast. Traditional Route.

09/06/24

‘The Week in Art’ podcast discussing Studio Voltaire and Martha Jungwirth’s take on Goya. “Turning off the facuet of emotion.” (on O’Keefe).

The Sleep of reason.

‘Talk Art’ with Nathanaëlle Herbelin.

“Hindsight” - So bloody close! Frustrating. Too thick in hair and isn’t dynamic as rest of picture. Deep breath. Could be worse and be no where near close to finishing - silver charcoal filled linings.

Still haven’t heard anything from S.P. show.

12/06/24

…found wanting. Rinse head - take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

F.W.A.

13/06/24

Being really fucking ballsy!

14/06/24

Didn’t get solo chance. Ah well. Up to Belfast for opening of ArtsFest III.

Great turnout!

16/06/24

Cleaning works in the lower garage. Some damaged beyond repair.

“Hindsight Study” finished. Some substantial progress to “Four Years On”.

19/06/24


23/06/24

Great day.

25 + 26/24

Family sick days so just a total wipeout.

Visual / Ocular Migraine.

30/06/24

Started the day off bright and early with some sketching from photos taken throughout the week.

“Four Years On” finished.

Larger portrait started. Good way to end the month.

RDH: APRIL 2024

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02/04/24

Utilise own advice! Get pro-active!

04/04/24

Not being idle within practice is key.

LNAB

07/04/24

“A Brush With… Nalini Malani”

“…slippage of imagery…”

Clothing detail work on “Last Fancy Dress” and a promising start on “They Had It Coming”. Keep it raw - how do you describe that?

11/04/24

Submission 1.

16/04/24

Submission 2. Ran out of time for drawing work.

17/04/24

Sketchbook work.

S.A.W.E.D.

18/04/24

Submission 3 - an open call.

21/04/24

Studio - pre paint notes:

  • Headscarf - maroon?

  • Background - a sickly yellow / green (not unlike “Amy Study”.

Now that the canvas is covered (no more blankness) - it’s show time.

24/04/24

Dublin bound. Really bad that I have gotten out of the way writing in this. [slaps wrist].

S.V. confirmed! Class!

Popped into the LAB Gallery to see “Emergency Knowledge: The Missing Archives - Vagabond Reviews”. Great to see Save Our Sperrins highlighted among other important causes.

25/04/24

OK, so I’ve been putting this off for a while and now, it seems that bus time is usually RD time these days.

Project idea I had maybe ten years ago: record a sitter - up close in portrait whilst asking questions - mix of mundane and psychological. Between each question - leave around 20 - 30 seconds. The sitter remains silent throughout - more of an introspective process. The idea was to then take still of video and convert to painting.

What if…

test demo screenshot from 2014

instead of a static camera on tripod (that I tried back in 2014) - the footage moved in, out and around the sitter?

And…

instead of working off individual stills on separate works - merging onto one surface. Showing a variation in composition, scale and method of painting depending on the image taken throughout the test?


So, let’s take stock…

Four submissions done in past 6 weeks plus an SV!

Sketchbook work tonight - since brain is firing on a few more cylinders than usual.

27/04/24

Four years. Surreal.

28/04/24

Studio time.

Well, after nearly losing it on the skin tones - “THIC” turned out better than I could have hoped. A strange feeling.

30/04/24

“mother tongue” in the MAC - GREAT!

Dorothy Hunter’s work took breath away! Bloody brilliant.