Art On Tees.

Painting In The Cold.

Living in a two bed room flat has its drawbacks as well as advantages and when there is a painter on board the issue of space is controversial because one must live in comfort and with a touch of dignity.

To this end the spare bedroom has been comandeered by myself and is now officially my studio. And a cold studio at this time of year it is, especially with the current little sold spell we are experiencing here in Ireland.

It isn't practical to have a naked flame or any heat source because of the oils and media used while I paint. Heat can multiply vapours and the odour manages to find its way throughout the entire flat, and if it is doing that, no doubt it is finding its way into neighbouring flats via building cavities and ventilation shafts. So far I have received no complaints from my neighbours, because they are good people to reside with.

I wrap up warm - after a hot cup of soup - and take lots of coffee breaks as I rest in the living room. Though having said that, I don't actually rest up but I find myself online updating this site and visiting various networking sources.

And so, bit by bit each painting is created.

Transition In Blue.

A study in blue of the realm of transition that exists between

this world and the next.

Graduating With Honours.

In recent years Ireland became a trendy venue for groups of young English people to visit for the weekend. Flights had become dirt-cheap, the natives were friendly and Dublin had wall-to-wall pubs. Stag partiers could slope through the streets and throw up without a care in the world and not worry about a Bobbie sneaking up behind them yelling “you’re nicked me son”. Soon a weekend in Temple Bar was not the same if you didn’t trip over a comatose limey in the gutter or see one tied naked to a lamppost with his genitals lathered in industrial soap.
The trend then began to spread, and just recently I read about a court case in Cork from a few years back, when two yobs were arrested for public nudity. “He was walking down the middle of Washington Street. He was totally naked as the day he was born,” said Garda Rice as he gave evidence in court. The report continued, “The two Gardai were on midnight patrol in the city centre when they came upon the two nude doctors. The two British doctors - a cardiologist and a psychiatrist, both of whom are due to sit examinations to be consultants - were in Cork on one of their stag weekends, when they walked about naked after midnight in the city centre”. I suppose it gives them something to do when they are not smoking.

To think that after all these years of attending clinics and hospitals, I was being treated by ex-medical students who probably still owe rent from their student days in the 70‘s and have more than likely defaulted on tuition loans by changing identities, and now sleep in their cars.

Also, if this is how British professionals have always carried on, how did the bastards ever build an empire?

Kinbane Head county Antrim Ireland. 16ins H x 20ins W. Oils on canvas board