2022 in Pictures

January

Detail of "A New Normal"

Supermoon

Sketchbook work from childhood photographs

February

Ronnie Hughes' 'Isobar' in the MAC, Belfast

Notions for ideas in the snow

Catalyst Residency - early beginnings

Cast of my mouth by Stephanie Tanney

Temporary studio space in Catalyst Arts

Artist Rachel Macmanus hard at work

Ogham residency in full swing - late February

March

Final stages of work for Ogham in Catalyst

with artist Stephanie Tanney and curator Jen Alexander in final moments of residency

painting in progress - hair colour undetermined

Mothers' day - little Imogen is born

very early morning sunrise

back home and doing / adjusting well

at the closing night of Ogham exhibition in Catalyst with artists Rachel Macmanus, Stephanie Tanney and curator Jen Alexander

April

Quick sketching work

Ciarán Ó Dochartaigh at CCA Derry

'Ogham' work returned to the studio

'Girl with Red Hair' finished

Emic in 'Art That Made Us' documentary series

May

Decisions, decisions

Drawing from historical imagery

June

'Mothman' detail - in progress

'Peek-A-Boo' close up

Claire Barclay at the MAC, Belfast

July

A studio assistant sleeping on the job

beginnings of a small piece

Studio wall shot

Powerful work by Stuart Calvin at Atypical Gallery, Belfast

On show at the Boyle Arts Festival, Roscommon

August

Ron Mueck at the MAC, Belfast

Sunset at Portrush

detail of skulls

little and large

September

a conversation in pen

'Four of Five' detail I

'Four of Five' detail II

October

a packed opening of the RUA exhibition in Ulster Museum, Belfast

'Girl with Red Hair' in RUA

Giving a talk about practice in the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin

Springing on with new works

November

Imogen's first trip to the Ulster Musuem - infront of Alana Barton's work

Proud daddy and daughter moment

detail of eye in progress

December

The last works completed this year.

Stunning painting by Daniel Coleman at the MAC, Belfast

The opening of 'New Exits - 10 Years of Painting Shows' in the MAC, Belfast

RDH: JUNE 2022

04/06/22

Studio. ‘Mothman’ finally being looked at after several years of hibernation.

Also, a surprise grasp on a 2020 sketch, ‘Peek-A-Boo’. Tall thin canvas has gone muddy.

05/06/22

Small magpie moth - colours?

One for sorrow. Fitting for a self-reflective piece about anxiety relief measures.

07/06/22

Postcard. visual feedback or [illegible].

08/06/22

The Odd inclination vs the Even inclination.

‘From the Creek Billy thought gleefully of the Ten-Foot Lady and the time her only decent leg fell and ended up on the wrong side of Belfast.’

PAULA REGO: 1935-2022

An absolute powerhouse, unashamedly honest artist whose work will resonate for generations to come.

“Dog Woman” Paula Rego 1994 Pastel on Canvas

11/06/22

Can you distill the feeling of an image with another or via another form of communication?

C.C.

12/06/22

Fast studio session. Some tonal values layered.

14/06/22

Went to sketch. Didn’t happen.

18/06/22

Darker red/brown in shadow? Little finger slightly bulbous under the nail and looks too long but it checks out in the source material and subsequent sketch from it.

Is it finished? The age-old question. The risk of overpainting is high. Should rest on it for a while.

21/06/22

Sketchbook work on the longest day of the year.

25/06/22

Whistle stop visit to Belfast today. Dropping ‘Saint and Sinner’ into RUA for delivery to the Boyle Arts Festival 2022. Also took a quick peek into the MAC to see Claire Barclay: Thrum. Interesting scaling of otherwise ordinary day objects/materials - allowing the viewer to reassess their relationship to them and their place(s of origin).

Claire Barclay: Thrum in the MAC Belfast

26/06/22

Less really is more. ‘Peek-A-Boo’ finished. The hand finally belongs to the face and the origin of the disc’s hue stems from a background colour within the hair. Tying up loose ends.