Mountains to Sea 2012

I had great fun painting my Jack and the Beanstalk picture over a long weekend as the artist in residence at the Mountains to Sea Book Festival 2010.

After that lightening start I am still tinkering with it two years later.

I have been asked to mention a terrific illustration panel event that is happening at this year's festival on Sunday 9th Sept at 1pm in County Hall, Dun Laoghaire.

Here's the blurb:

"What does it take to create a truly exceptional picture book? What role does the designer play in combining story and artwork into a successful whole and how can illustrators attract the attention of publishers? If you would like to know the answers to these and many more questions, then join us for what promises to be a cracking panel event. Top Irish illustrators Steve Simpson (Lúlú agus an Oíche Ghlórach) and Chris Judge (The Lonely Beast), will be joined by Sarah McIntyre (You Can’t Eat a Princess) and David Mackintosh (The Frank Show), both making their first visit to Dún Laoghaire to take part in this year’s festival. A unique opportunity to hear from those working at the coal face of the picture book business and hopefully get a sneak peek at some exciting new projects in the pipeline too!"

The good news is that you can get FREE tickets if you are an illustrator or are particularly interested in illustration.

Just e-mail Sarah Webb on sarahsamwebb@gmail.com if you want to go along.

Head of a Girl

I'm going to get back into doing more heads and portrait sketches.

I have a back list of quiet a few people waiting to be painted.

Here is a head that I worked up in oils from a drawing I had done a few months earlier.

Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci

I hadn't bothered going to see the exhibition of ten drawings by Leonardo that is currently showing at the Ulster Museum.

I thought that they might be a selection of his less wonderful drawings, and maybe I thought it wasn't worth bothering over just ten pictures.

Anyway, I went yesterday when we were up in Belfast and had the kids over to see a Dinosaur exhibition that was also on at the Museum.

I was so thrilled to find that this extraordinary sketch of a man on a rearing horse is one of the ten drawings in the show.

For me, it was worth going just to see this picture.

This sketch was in a fantastic book about Leonardo that I had out on almost permanent loan from my school's library, and it always stood out for me as one of Leonardo's most sublime creations.

I stood and looked at this little drawing for a very long and happy moment.

So if you are in or near Belfast do go and visit the exhibition. It's on until the 27th of August.

The rest of the Museum is wonderful too.

Kilkenny Arts Festival Exhibition

I have contributed a few pictures to a group show selected by Lorraine Brett of LB Fine Arts that is taking place at the Lord Bagenal Hotel, Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival.

With a bit of luck I might make it down for the opening on Sunday.

Lorraine has brought together a great selection of artists including some old pals of mine such as Eugene Conway, Ronan Goti, Laura Cronin, Miseon Lee, Jennifer Trouton and Conor Walton.

I'm exhibiting a couple of originals from The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey and the cover painting from The Names Upon the Harp.