Announcement: Upcoming Exhibition 2022

Announcement: Upcoming Exhibition 2022

I am very excited to announce my most ambitious exhibition to date.

“Have you ever heard the likes of it?”

Throughout my career as an artist, I have always aimed to challenge myself and the boundaries of my art, looking at things from a different angle and trying to ensure that those who view my art engage with the process and the work.

My December 2022 exhibition will hopefully achieve just that.

I can assure you that this upcoming art exhibition will exhibit new and unseen artwork on the most diverse range of canvases to date.

I will be releasing more details over the coming weeks and stay tuned because I will also be looking for some individuals to assist me with the final touches.

Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts



“An Laoch”

(The Warrior)

I am delighted to announce that my painting “An Laoch” has been accepted into the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts 191st Annual Exhibition.

This painting is a depiction of my beautiful daughter Ríoghnach. She is a strong, free minded wonderful human who I love dearly. I look up to her for being the amazing, care free individual that she has become.

Despite developing Epilepsy as a young child, and later being diagnosed with Autism, no matter what challenges she is faced with, she defiantly faces everything head on.

Ríoghnach wears her unique personality and beautiful perspective of this world proudly like a badge of honour.

This past year has been a rollercoaster of emotions and to have not one, not two but THREE of my paintings recognised by three different prestigious exhibitions is absolutely amazing.

My painting “Climate Changed” was accepted into the 140th Royal Ulster Academy of Arts Annual Exhibition, while my self portrait “The Spotlight on Grief” was accepted into the online exhibition of The Ruth Borchard Collection Self Portrait Prize 2021.

Climate Changed

“Climate Changed”

Acrylic Painting on a retired air compressor

Last week I learned that my painting “Climate Changed” has been accepted into this years Royal Ulster Academy of Arts Annual Exhibition.

I have had this air compressor in my possession for quite a while now. I was given it by someone who knew I liked to reclaim old materials and create art on unique canvasses.
I have lifted it many times to start work on and produced several idea sketches of what I was going to paint… but nothing ever seemed right.

Recently I have become a lot more aware of climate change, of the impact our current lifestyles are having on the earth and on future generations – the generations of my children – and I suppose while we locked down and the Earth slept and healed ever so slightly for a few months last year, it became all the more obvious that we as humans are slowly (although speeding up) causing destruction that will very soon be irreversible.

Destruction to the planet that, at the end of the day, will not only lead to a serious loss of wildlife, animal life, plant life and actual parts of our planet, it will also have serious consequences for our own lives; wearing a mask and sanitising our hands will be the very least of our problems.

I drew upon things that I have read and watched to produce this latest painting in an attempt to demonstrate just how precious things that people currently take for granted truly are, and very much will be in the future.

 

“Fading From View” auction

“Fading from view” is being auctioned, with a percentage of proceeds going to The Gorilla Organization

The Gorilla Organisation

For more than two decades, The Gorilla Organization has worked to save gorillas from extinction. They have continued to carry out projects through civil war, famine and natural disasters.

The Gorilla Organization was founded to support the anti-poaching patrols created by the pioneering primatologist Dr. Dian Fossey. In 2002 they continued to expand the scope of their field projects. With a headquarters in London the work expanded into Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. As well as supporting ranger patrols, their projects include organic farming, tree planting and gorilla-friendly beekeeping. Their projects help impoverished communities  to earn a sustainable income without having to rely on the natural resources found in the gorillas’ forest home. Conservation education projects (radio programmes, children’s wildlife clubs and portable pedal-powered cinemas) allow the organisation to spread the message of gorilla conservation across Central and East Africa.

Fading from view

In our house we love learning about wildlife. I have two daughters who are determined to be Vets – one wants to work with domestic pets and the other with wildlife, especially big cats. Now I know that can change but while they watch programmes and read, I find that I am also learning.

I produced “Fading from view” to evoke emotions and thoughts. It represents the vulnerability of wildlife due to the destruction caused by deforestation and climate change. In parallel to exposing the negative impact that humankind has had, the painting aims to demonstrate how human beings also have the power to change the destruction.

Emotions and thoughts

The painting depicts a strong, majestic gorilla carefully placed in the palm of a semi-closed hand. It suggests that their future is in our hands; it is up to mankind to change, to protect, and to save the wildlife populations that are shrinking before us. Despite this animal being so naturally strong and resilient, the impact of mankind upon their homes and their lives is devastating. The hand is semi-closed; is it closing in a form of destruction, or partially closed in a manner of softly protecting what it holds? The juxtaposition of the smaller than life gorilla placed in the larger than life hand aims to highlight the vulnerability of these stunning creatures, and all wildlife, within the hands of those who often deny that there is a problem with the changes to the world.

The name of the painting “Fading from view” adds to the narrative of destruction and extinction of nature and wildlife. Each month and year, the populations of many species of wildlife shrink, and in some cases disappear forever.

The structure of the painting is to ensure that the viewers focus is on the gorilla. The background is plain grey colour so that the gorilla and hand stand out. The overall painting has a subtle blurred effect across it in order to demonstrate the unknown future of many species throughout the world. The artwork is from the viewers perspective looking down onto the hand holding the gorilla. The perspective can be observed as the viewer holding their own hand in front of them, or even something that has been handed down to them. As a father of four children, I always think about the impact that the previous and current generations are leaving for the generations to come.

Auction

Although I have been aware of the impact that we are having on the earth, over the past year this has come to the forefront. On the back of the Covid-19 pandemic, experts have highlighted how the continual destruction of nature could have contributed to it. I want to visually represent the power that humans possess; how can this be used to reverse what has already been done?

The original painting will be auctioned off with a percentage of proceeds going to charity.

To visit the auction, click here

Win an Original Painting – Save the Children – Fundraising – Helpless

I am raffling off this original piece of artwork, titled “Helpless” to raise money and help support the work of Save The Children.

In the world that we are living in right now it is perhaps hard for some of us to see beyond Covid-19 and the impact that it has within our own society. The impact has been devastating globally and unfortunately in countries around the world Covid-19 has ravaged through societies that were already facing crisis be it through war, famine, extreme poverty or other diseases

Last year I produced this painting at a time when my family and I were going through a very rough time. I remember working on parts of the painting with tears in my eyes, it was the first and only painting I have produced that filled me with such raw emotion. At the time of painting, helpless is what I felt as I watched my mother be given a terminal diagnosis and watched my family go through such a hard time. I felt helpless.

Many of us will have faced moments like this where we feel we can do nothing however I firmly believe that if we all can make a small contribution to a cause close to our heart, then together we will make a big difference and save lives.

RAFFLE – £5 per entry

Enter via the link below

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/helpless

 

 

 

 

 

Royal Ulster Academy 139th Annual Exhibition

I’m delighted to say that I have had one of my original oil paintings accepted to be part of the 139th Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition.
It will be on display and for sale at the exhibition in the Ulster Museum from 16th of October 2020 to 3rd of January 2021.
When I started by sketching cars for friends and schoolmates, I never thought that I would turn art into a successful career; and when I was first convinced to put the pencil down for a while and lift a paintbrush, I never dreamt that I would have some of my art accepted into the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts Annual exhibition once never mind twice. Actually to say I am delighted is a bit of an understatement.
Seeing my acceptance notification and the words of congratulations was slightly bittersweet as there was someone very close to my heart who I wasn’t able to lift the phone and tell my news to, but I know she already knew and as I have said many times before she is with me every time I paint that little red signature 💓
This painting is titled “The Fear” …. I know many of you will be able to relate to that feeling of leaving the water heater on 😅
I think Déarbhla will be glad to have this little piece out of the kitchen for a while as it has caught her out a few times thinking that someone has left a switch on … at least I know it is realistic
Aidan
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