Sgraffito- exhibition of work by Brian Gallagher

This isn't one of my pictures....I only wish it was.
It's a scraperboard drawing by Brian Gallagher.
Brian has been a friend and colleague for several years, and his scraperboard illustration work is exceptional.

On Thursday evening I have the honour of opening Brian's new exhibition, Sgraffito, at 8pm at the UAC.
His drawings from his homeplace in Donegal have a moody intensity and a definitive sense of place that bring to mind Andrew Wyeth's portraits of farm buildings in Maine.

The show runs from Friday 30th September until 17th October 2011

Viewing Mon to Sat from 5.30pm

The United Arts Club
3 Upper Fitzwilliam St
Dublin 2

Culture Night in Dublin

For Culture Night in Dublin this Friday, I will again be drawing portraits at the United Arts Club.
I'll be there from 7.30pm and the drawings are only 10 euro each.
Here’s one I did last year of the artist, Patrick Brocklebank.

Global Honour for Irish Examiner Ad

A nice pat on the back for me and Chemistry for our Examiner Billboard Adverts.
Somehow they managed not to mention me in this article, but we illustrators get used to that kind of thing.
See also The Inspiration Room.

The View From My Studio Window

It's funny the things you sometimes see just looking out of the studio window.
I was watching this man struggling with his bicycle, when......look what happened.

Illustrators’ Evening with Oliver Jeffers, Sarah McIntyre and Me!

I will be taking part in an Illustrators’ Evening with Oliver Jeffers and Sarah McIntyre
Thursday, 08 September 2011 at 06:00 PM •
I am very much looking forward o seeing Oliver again, and to meeting Sarah for the first time.
Its happening at Eason’s Bookshop, O'Connell St. Dublin
Illustration! Q & A! Book Signing!
This is a ticketed event. Book in store or call Dublin 8583815

Still-life with Brushes

Here's another still-life of some brushes in a pot with some linen draped around.
I'm trying to avoid overworking these by continuing to use brushes bigger than seems right for the job.
They are painted mostly with a square flat half inch brush and a two inch blending brush to soften the edges.
In fact I used brushes just like the two shorter ones shown in the pot.
I have also strictly limited my palette.

Still Life of Flowers in a Glass

I haven't posted any still life paintings for a while.
Flowers and fruit didn't appeal to me as subject matter before but I've really been enjoying painting these white roses recently.
I've been trying to restrain myself from over painting the glass or vase, and then I've been having fun laying on the impasto paint representing the flowers.