Thursday, March 29, 2012
PJ Interviewed by Dr Pat Donlon, at the NLI
A few years ago the National Library of Ireland and Children's Books Ireland co-hosted an event in which I was interviewed by my dear friend and famous bibliophile, Dr Pat Donlon.
Pat was formerly the director of the NLI, and it was she who arranged for the Library to acquire a large collection of my original illustrations way back in 1994.
The interview has recently gone on-line and can be viewed, along with a great selection of other interviews, at this link.
It's always a happy occasion chatting about books with Pat.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
A Watercolour Life Study
Here's a watercolour I did from life at the UAC life room.
It was a twenty five minute pose and I would have loved more time on it, but, looking at it now, I like that sketchy spontaneity that having to work fast gives you.
Monday, March 26, 2012
"Fables and Fairy Tales in Irish Art" at the National Gallery of Ireland
The Study Morning on "Fables and Fairy Tales in Irish Art" at the National Gallery went really well.
It was a treat to spend a few hours discussing artists and writers who have fascinated me for so many years in the company of such experts as Dr Nicola Gordon Bowe, Dr. Jarlath Killeen, Dr. Roisin Kennedy, and Professor Kevin Whelan.
Many thanks to Dr Marie Bourke of the NGI for arranging such a great event and for inviting me to be part of the programme.
I used this picture "The Castle" in my presentation to show how a youngster can get totally lost in the fantasy world he might discover in a book.
It was a treat to spend a few hours discussing artists and writers who have fascinated me for so many years in the company of such experts as Dr Nicola Gordon Bowe, Dr. Jarlath Killeen, Dr. Roisin Kennedy, and Professor Kevin Whelan.
Many thanks to Dr Marie Bourke of the NGI for arranging such a great event and for inviting me to be part of the programme.
I used this picture "The Castle" in my presentation to show how a youngster can get totally lost in the fantasy world he might discover in a book.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
"Illustrating the Fantastic in Life and in Art"
I always liked that image in the previous post, but felt that the grimness of the Spirit was compromised by the cheery household scene that I had to show behind him.
Anyway I couldn't resist tweaking it while I had the image in Photoshop.
As happens so often, simplifying the picture seems to improve it a great deal.
I will be talking about "Illustrating the Fantastic in Life and in Art" at the National Gallery of Ireland on Saturday as part of the Study Morning on Fables and Fairy Tales in Irish Art.
I might well use this picture as a darker example of my work.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
"Two Centuries After"
If you are in Bologna this week at the international Book Fair, you might consider visiting the Dickens exhibition, "Two Centuries After", at the beautiful Palazzo Saraceni in the center of the city.
The exhibition is organized by Cooperativa Culturale Giannino Stoppani for BolognaFiere.
I have five pictures in the group show, including a few of the grimmer pictures from A Christmas Carol that I haven't exhibited before.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
St Patrick's Day Parade 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Life Drawing of Laurie
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Life Study of Molly
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Watercolour of Dora
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Telling Tall & Tiny Tales
I was delighted to find that I still have a few originals from Oscar Wilde: Stories for Children.
This one of the Selfish Giant will be exhibited in the Ark, Dublin's Cultural Centre for Children, in a show called Telling Tall & Tiny Tales .
It will run from the 4th - 30th April.