2025 in Pictures

It’s been a year with highs and lows, both personally and professionally. But, taking stock and looking back at the last 12 months - I have to be grateful for so many things, that the positives undoubtedly outweigh and null the lows by some margin.

So, by going month by month, here are some visual highlights of the year that was.

January

Fresh eyes on "Gathered"

'Call me Mother' by Sarah Maple in Naughton Gallery

Chilly morning on Royal Avenue

'Misaligned' by Katherine Penney at Ulster Presents

Storm Éowyn has an impact

Eileen Leonard Sealy at the LAB Gallery, Dublin

'Otherworld Trouble' by Dervla O'Flaherty in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich

February

Malcolm turns one!

'Watch Carefully' sketch

'Gathered' in annual Catalyst member's show

On the road to Ballyliffen

'Summer Visits' sketch

Belfast Visual Arts Forum in the Great Hall at Queens

'The Goose and the Common' by Array at RUA RED

March

The Irish Palette show in the Engine Room Gallery, Belfast

Latesst copy of the Visual Artists' News Sheet lands

'The Crush' by Sian Costello in PS²

Studio shot with works at various stages

April

'Stay a While' by Stu Calvin at the Golden Thread Gallery

'Decoys + Ghosts' by John Rainey in Golden Thread Gallery

'We Lose Sight of the Night' by Aisling O'Beirn in the MAC.

'What an Asshole' sketch

May

'Re/cusp' by Molly Martin in PS²

Lucian Freud print show at Titanic Belfast

'The Weight of Inheritance' in progress

Visit to the RHA Annual Exhibition

'Dynamic Duo' sketch

June

Detail of 'The Weight of Inheritance' finished

Sophie Calle at the Golden Thread Gallery

Mohammed Sami at the Douglas Hyde Gallery

July

Maria Horvathova at Arts for All

Husk Bennet in 'Shopwork' show at Vault Studios, Belfast

Studio Shot with 'The Woman with the Dogs' and 'To Conjure' in progress

Little self-portrait study finished

August

Chloe Austin at Platform Arts

Fresh Canvases stretched and ready to go

Compositions ongoing

Fun in Portstewart

Early stages of 'Better, Worse or About the Same'

September

'Glimpses' by Jen Alexander at Threshold Gallery

VAI Get Together at TUD, Dublin

Kathy Tynan at TBG+S, Dublin

More progress on 'Better, Worse or about the Same'

Close up of 'Kiss with a Red Flag' in progress

October

Delighted to be a part of the Arcade Studios' Royale Arcade group show.

Detail of finished work - 'Better, Worse of about the Same'

VAI's Belfast Peer Support Programme in the MAC

'Kiss with Red Flag' finished

'Sea Skin' by Niamh Seana Meehan in the MAC

EMIC piece on Lower Garfield Street

Rounding of the Peer Support Programme in the MAC

November

Uncovering degree show works from 2010

yet to be titled

Close of of figure in 'To Conjure' in progress

Terence Philip Flanagan - Art Unwrapped at Ulster Presents

December

'To Conjure' finished

Sketching in the park

New works beginning

Artist Talk in Banbridge's Southern Regional College campus

'Milena study'

Festivities

Visit to Pomeroy Forest Park

With an international excursion, group shows and a solo exhibition coming up, there is plenty to look forward to for 2026.

Art Journal: September 2025

04/09/25

Jen Alexander in Threshold

08/09/25

VAI Get Together at TU Dublin

09/09/25

Visit to ‘Faigh Amach’ at Temple Bar Gallery and Studios.

Kathy Tynan

Emily Waszak

Ella Bertilsson

10/09/25

Painting off to Arcade Studios for a group show.

14/09/25

Session two of ‘Better, Worse or about the Same’. Freaking me out a little that it’s where it is after just two studio days.

Still not used to recording either - in some ways it is a distraction and feels a little unnatural. In others, it focuses the need to get paint down which is no bad thing.

20/09/25

Looking at ‘BWoratS’ - it’s all but there. Setting it aside for now and going to have a first session of the small kiss piece.

22/09/25

Bunged.

27/09/25

Session two on ‘kiss’. Good call to darken the background.

28/09/25