Awesome Death and the Maiden USB Drives!

 Do you ever find that you can't locate your USB flash drives?
USB Memory Direct have a great solution, a personalized business card that houses a USB flash drive.
I have just taken delivery of some printed with my Death and the Maiden poster image and I can tell you that the quality is excellent.
I will be giving three of these away on my FaceBook page next week.

Four Day Drawing and Painting Workshop in Belfast

It has been a long summer hasn’t it?
If you are itching to get stuck into some serious drawing and painting come and join Julie Douglas and me for our four day drawing and oil painting workshop in Belfast.
Friday 28th - Monday 31st August

We will be working together to provide you with a rounded learning experience, which will include using charcoal, pencil and oils. Each day is structured, with achievable goals, pushing your skills and confidence up.
The course will include colour mixing, portrait painting and life drawing, with demonstrations each day.

The cost is £425 which includes refreshments and lunch. Students will bring their own materials and a list will be provided nearer the time.
I am really looking forward to it.
Working with Julie is always great fun, and we will also get through a lot of great work!
For details and booking please email julie@juliedouglas.co.uk

Progress on the mosaic for the Bascilica at the National Shrine at Knock

I have just returned from another trip to Spilimbergo in northern Italy to see how the work is going on the big mosaic that I have designed for the Bascilica at the National Shrine in the village of Knock, County Mayo. 

The image will show a representation of the Knock apparition of 1879. 

My design is being interpreted in mosaic by the exceptionally talented people at Travisanutto mosaics.

They are used to creating mosaics as large as this one, (It will measure more than 14 metres square) but I'm pretty sure this will be the largest ever mosaic in Ireland.

 Here are a few photos showing the artisans at work.
A sea of smalti. Viewing some of the larger areas that have been completed.

You can just see my painting in the background.

This shows how the little pieces of coloured glass (smalti) and marble combine like pixels on a screen to create an image

 
I can't show too much of the mosaic in progress, but It was such a moving experience for me to see the wonderful work they are doing at Travisanutto that I have to share  a detail of one of the foreground figures.
It amazes me how the artisans (they insist on not being called artists) can create such wonderful effects with combinations of stone and glass.