Looking back along the path

I have been working away on the next print edition and when it is finished I will devote one post to it because with images and results there is a lot to say.

The travel wasn't over with the trip to Clare because out of the blue an invite arrived to go to Achill and what with the weather and indeed the same island being one of my favourite places on earth, there was not much persuading needed. We left here early on the Friday morning ( 19/07) and returned late on the following Monday morning.
In between, we swam (in various places - but most notably on Keem Beach, the joys of which I have frequently recorded), sat on beaches, walked (not a lot - too hot) took sea trips out around the Atlantic cliffs (v impressive) and looked at the full moon over the sea.

Random images:

 

from the house

 

Sliabh Mor from Dugort

 

Sliabh Mor from the house at sunrise

 

 

 

 

A later view

 

 

 

Achill Head - most westerly pint of the island -maybe of Ireland?

 

 

what I thought

 

On Monday we went in to Galway where I visited the Absolut Gallery - a part of the Galway Arts Festival. This is held as I think I mentioned in a warehouse behind Galway Shopping Centre and is an impressive space. I went particularly to see Howard Hodgkins Prints as I had not been aware of him as a printmaker.:

 

 

For those who are familiar with his painting, the prints are quite similar but some of the layering in the printwork is very interesting.

 Now I am well aware that there are many who do not particularly like Hodgkins' work (not least a certain friend of mine - artist - who was quite direct and uncompromising in his view) but I like it although I am not entirely sure why - there is a certain visceral reaction to paint spread  with such abandon but such intent.
Anyway that is the joy of art - subjectivity.

There was another exhibit by John Gerrard called Cuban School and this consisted of two massive ( about 20 metres long ) screens showing a very slow take on these school buildings given to Cuba by the USSR when they were already essentially useless.... but the Cubans continued to make them function. This is not a great description but it had to be seen : very moving and not a little disturbing.

There were other pieces also but the general effect was that if it was on again next year I believe I would make a special journey to see it.

I almost forgot to mention Red Fox Press in Dugort in Achill which I have visited before and several of whose artist books I have received as presents

 

This visit was a little different in that I met Francis Van Maele and talked with him for quite a long time. When he reminded me, I recalled seeing his work in the artists book show held last year in Ormston House. I am particularly interested in this as I would aim to make an artist book eventually as the concept combines so much of what motivates me; it would be a target to make a book which might move or change someone ...... by however little.

 

the holidays just dribble away.....

Maybe that sounds as if I am not enjoying myself .. in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

Last weekend was a case in point - I had to go to a certain hospital on the south side of Dublin for a checkup but while waiting I was able from my top floor viewpoint to photograph and draw a school I attended back in the misty depths of time:

 

so even time waiting can be enjoyed.

 

Just in passing, I must mention once more a book I referred to much earlier in the year: Printmaking at the  Edge by Richard Noyce; I first spotted this in the library but have since bought it and its follow-up, Critical Mass: Printmaking beyond the Edge; the reason I mention these again is that in the first one the opening pages carry a very interesting discussion on the place of art (and artists) in this incredibly fast-changing world and I highly recommend anyone and everyone to read this...... that is all apart even from the terrific coverage of contemporary printmaking practice.

 After the hospital the weekend got considerably better and I went to a Letter Press demo given in Graphic Studio in Temple Bar:

 

Mary Plunkett, printmaker

 

Small Adana Press

the setup with case of print

 

I got to pull this one myself.

 

I will be going to Graphic for another talk in a few weeks.

 

There was an exhibition there of prints on the theme of 'Strumpet City'. Here are two:

 

 

Someone already well-known in this parish

 

 

 

Finally, here is a slightly different version of those pictures from the 70s- Doors of Dublin:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the path again

It seems to be almost de rigueur these days that it is almost ten days between posts...... won't do, y'know!

anyway as usual I have loads of excuses, not least among them being that we have been travelling once more, this time to Achill where we got the last of the sunshine and some rather dramatic pictures which I will return to - they deserve  a bit of time to themselves.
Other reasons for absence from the blogosphere have been that I have been putting in a fair amount of work at the press, and today I met Barry, Jim and Kathleen in the Peoples Park in Limerick where we painted under the bandstand, oblivious to the rain. - moderate results - I haven't photographed it yet ... we'll see.
Afterwards I called in to School where I met Gillian Fitz and discussed a mutual acquaintance. Talked to Ann in the library and looked at a very interesting article in Printmaking Today about wood engraver Simon Brett featuring his new work in twelve prints - Axe of God ; here is one of his pieces from 2003 - Run for Your Life:

 

So, the visit to the library revitalised my desire to tap at the keyboard

Before I go any further, however, I must tell of something astonishing I heard yesterday. I was talking on the phone to an old friend who shall remain nameless as she might be a little embarrassed by this. This woman is a very ( I mean, seriously ) accomplished artist(painter) but has only recently been persuaded to show her work- I have seen it and I know how good it is. Anyway, she now has a website and lo and behold she was contacted by Saatchi Galleries to know if she would be interested in showing with them, but when she said she had no degree they immediately said they were no longer interested!!??!!

Whither art?

I really cannot make any further comment on this, save to say that it is rather depressing.

What have I been doing? Well you may (or may not) remember way back in June ( The Path of the Blade -15/06)  I showed the beginnings of two multiblock projects. One of them is now finished so here are some shots of the process:

 

 

 

These were the four blocks after the colour:

And here is one of the finished prints:

 

 My main reason for showing this is to demonstrate that the registration process is considerably more difficult than it may appear ( or I am very bad at it!)
Anyway there is a lot to learn but every exercise teaches a little more and we will see how the next one (which is using a different reg system) works out.

Hot Stones

Ten days since last post but once again there has been a lot happening not the least of which has been our extraordinary weather.......... Spain, France, Canaries, sher what are y'talkin' bout?

It's just great but one would have to admit that it does make work of almost any description rather difficult. ... specially when you are visiting places like this:

or this

 

Doonbeg Strand produced these:

 

plein air w/c

 

Doonbeg Golf Club - reminiscent of Gormenghast  but actually looks interesting in this landscape

 

You might remember this :

 

 

well, just to prove that you don't have to go to France for intriguing shots:

 

 

It hasn't all been just fun, though; here is another photo-essay of a project which is now complete though not yet functional:

 

 

This is the building of a screenprinter which is now done  -I haven't started work with it yet because I have been doing a lot of lino and wood cutting and just yesterday produced my first small edition -five prints:

 

Not the best reprod or the best print but its a continual learning process and I am loving it.

 

More later on some interesting books.