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.

RDH: SEPTEMBER 2024

01/09/24

Should LOFT TALK return?

05/09/24

Met Khaled Barakeh at his show in the MAC.

Late Night Art - Belfast Exposed, DAS, PS2 and VAULT.

Khaled with his installation work "The Shake".

The Weight of Light: Conor McFeely and Pascale Steven in the MAC

Emma Brennan at Belfast Exposed

Sally O'Dowd at DAS

Joey O'Gorman PS2 project space Residency

Continuous Fragmentation by Cathy Scullion at VAULT

06/09/24

‘Hindsight Study’ into RAA show!

08/09/24

Slow and steady progress on new portrait.

12/09/24

Basil Blackshaw: Selected Works in Ulster Presents. Always something incredibly moving about the last work an artist worked on. Almost like a lifetime's experience culminating into one last piece.

Late Night Art - East Belfast. Visit to Platform, Strand Arts Centre, Arts Care and Creative Exchange. Loud in between.

Platform Arts

Creative Exchange

Have really gotten out of the way of note taking. Subbed for worse habits. How to rectify? Stop. Breathe. Think.

15/09/24

Studio time. Portrait - ‘Never Be Seen’. All but there. Some moments where the background tone looks fine and works well and others where it looks like a mistake and falls apart. Chips and changes - probably down to the light through the day (or indecisiveness).

Resting on it for now.

22/09/24

One week on and yes, the background definitely needs addressed. Worked it so its back to a very similar colour to how it started. Finished and full circle.

26/09/24

QSS at 40!

Brilliant show and will be back to see multiple times.

Opening Speeches at QSS

QSS Studio Member Craig Donald

29/09/24

Studio and 'Tesla' painting is gone - for now. Drawing up new works.

What words or text become like the ground of a painting?

Glenn Ligon - The Week in Art podcast.

'Spare Change Study', ‘Running Errands', 'Repulsion from a Clown'.

Some good starts. 'RfaC’ redeemed somewhat for now.