Reflective Diary Hightlights

RDH: August 2025

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01/08/25

Time for bed. (NOTE: Should have heard by now).

03/08/25

“The Woman with the Dogs” finished. Having timed deadlines according to size seems to be working.

05/08/25

C.H.C = No Date as of Yet.

06/08/25

Sat down last night with intent of own work but - other preoccupations took over. Shame.

07/08/25

Late Night Art Belfast.

08/08/25

10/08/25

Tai Shani - A Brush With…

Stretching canvas!

13/08/25

Priorities. Bridge. Swing. Power Pylon. Patterns everywhere.

Utilise time more wisely. Shake yourself out of the self-imposed rut. Yes, it’s difficult to carve time out but it must be achievable in some shape or form.

14/08/25

A.S. applied.

16/08/25

17/08/25

Added three coats of primer to new canvases.

Jane and Louise Wilson - A Brush With…

Let’s get some images on these bad boys!

Lots of drawing and tonal work today.

20/08/25

Sketchbook work NOTE: Need to refresh image pool -> prep for drawing transfers.

28/08/25

“__________ is a new language in my practice.” - Such a good line!

31/08/25

Studio and great to get layers down on “Better, Worse or about the Same?”.

Some videos - out of comfort zone.

RDH: May 2025

01/05/25

LNAB - A Bumper One! - A.B.F.

04/05/25

Self-portrait - destroyed. Frustrating but that’s just the way it goes.

07/05/25

Some practical work tonight.

…50%. Better than nothing. Getting to grips with perceived ‘rut’. Is it a rut or is it just a natural effect from other factors? Practice has always been deeply personal so it's little wonder that there's a subconscious ripple effect happening.

The ‘disconnect’ I'm having with the recent work / work in progress now seems valid. When things are still very raw, it's understandable to numb or distance yourself and for a practice that's always been reflective of my experiences, then there's an issue there.

When the practice relies on a kind of gut-level recognition (imagery needs to speak directly - even found images) wanting to avoid it due to current circumstances seems reasonable.

An external image sparks an internal echo but when you're struggling with internal processing - switching off seems understandable.

Not sure if there's a quick fix - or if I would want to put a ‘sticking plaster’ on it without dealing with the wider issues. Back in … so that's a step. Could also be that I'm too hard on myself. As David Sylvester said “… artists must be allowed to do bad work. They must be allowed to get in a mess…”.

Things to try:

  • Revisit old sketchbooks.

  • More journalling - words can lead into visual metaphors.

08/05/25

John Price show in the Engine Room Gallery.

11/05/25

Not trying to reinvent the wheel here! Overthinking as per.

Really good start to what I'm affectionately calling “Pebble Dash” (will not be real title).

Its worth throwing imagery up, taking time to look and experiment with compositions. It's not only fun, but sparks potential ideas into life!

Work also done on “Uniform Hate” background. Work on these have went almost too well too quickly!

13/05/25

Back into PS² to spend more time with Molly Martin's ‘Re/Cusp’ show. Found it incredibly cathartic, sometimes breathing in time with the surroundings and little moments of unease - audible heartbeat echoing in the air.

15/05/25

…Tempted to.

Silence the inner critic - or at least make him smaller.

Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it!

Use of yarn to sew ogham onto canvases and then stringing the works together like a weird mind map on the wall.

17/05/25

Man in the Rug.

19/05/25

Going cold turkey. Feels like something has just clicked in my head. Now, tomorrow’s entry could read “what was I thinking!”

Occupy the Present. Already, it will be a case of getting time back. An hour an evening saved - 7 hours a week - that’s a solid day’s work back!

Breathe.

20/05/25

Freud in Titanic, Belfast.

23/05/25

Q.F. - what the hell is this!? Hit by a train. Must remember, it’s the body healing itself and it will pass. Now, to focus on more important matters.

25/05/25

Studio time - this will be the biggest test so far.

Timelapse of “The Weight of Inheritance". Pleased with progress - the others, in a bit of a muchness with them.

The drawing needs stepped up, get the archive lit again and spark interest / ideas.

28/05/25

Dublin - Visit to TBG+S, RHA Show (seeing some familiar faces) and Michael Kane’s show in the Taylor Galleries.

30/05/25

Sketchbook Rawness. When it worked, it really worked. When it didn’t, it really didn’t

31/05/25

Sketchbook studies again to round off the month. Started thinking (here we go - this old chestnut again) - stopping earlier in the process… fell asleep writing!