Maireadholohan's Blog

This has been an amazing week for wildlife in these little hills. Those of you who have a romantic view of nature will not be very happy. Yesterday on the way back home from hacking out on the horses we came around the bend at our house to see a young hawk, on the ground on a pigeon. They then proceeded to fly away with the hawk hanging onto his prey but it was a bit big so it got away. How it will survive without all the feathers it lost I wonder?

This morning I saw a stoat rush accross the road on my way back from deeding the pigs and looking at the sheep.

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Felt pieces made at Camp yesterday

Some great drawing done at camp so far.

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I have had so much fun this weekend! I was not expecting to enjoy myself so much.

First of all nick and myself went to Tommy Tiernan in the hall in Borris Saturday night. I laughed till I cried, it was a tonic.

Then Sunday came the event I was not really looking forward to. I thought it was going to be one of those 'use an artist event'!

The very persuasive Cornelia McCarthy roped me in as to be the artist in an event in The chapel in Borris house for the festival. An Aussie composer/musician, formerly of a blast from the past band 'midnight oil' who now makes guitar orchestra music, wanted artist/s to paint to his music basically. He had done it a few times, once in Sydney Opera house! However space and time made me think we would be better doing something more organic and Jim was keen on a piece by Delaunay so this was what we worked from. I had three helpers, Anna, Trish and Sharon from the killoughternan art group. Cornelia primed the board. We got into the venue with half an hour to go so I drew circles in the style of Delaunay, tied the colours into the music titles…the theory behind the work is the fact that some people see colours when they hear music. Jim' s pieces were titled different colours so we worked on those colours depending on the title of the tune!

Initially there was some hesitation but personally I loved it. I can see some amazing possibilities to doing it again, so any musicians want to collaborate…..call me!

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This project was not an easy one in terms of execution. The end product is fantastic and when people see it they will neither know nor care about the stories behind it. Suffice to say it was a learning curve for all involved!

The brief was to choose a Carlow person that you admired. I choose my elderly neighbour Peter Kealy, 90 years old and he has lived on Dranagh lane all of his life. He was born and reared here and is what I consider a true Carlovian, a mountain man who played the accordion, sang, played for St Mullins and County Carlow in hurling as well as farming, breeding quality Irish sport horses, keeping bees and no doubt much more that I am not aware of. He has a curiosity about life that I am sure has contributed to his longevity. A fine figure of a man to this day.

From my point of view this project rekindled my love of drawing, enabled me to spend some time with a lovely neighbour and introduced me to some lovely people as well as being a great networking opportunity. The true benefits of community arts are not something we can quantify but we can feel them.

Here he is on the wall finally first or last…..take you pick!

An overview of the 14 chosen portraits of ordinary real Carlow people

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It never rains but it pours!

Thursday week I had my opening in thomastown and and last Friday the post office poroject was unveiled!

The show in thomastown looks very good and I am pleased with the look of it even if it a bit of an anticlimax as usual. My good friend Debra Bowden opened it for me and spoke very kindly and enthusiastically about the work and its merits. Here are show shots of the work

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So the show start Thursday 21st May and runs till the 12th of May……nerves or apathy setting on not sure which will win. It is a strange stage where I look at the work and swing between loving it and being totally underwhelmed by it! The truth is it is done and no longer mine in all honesty. I was going to do more but had no more left in me. It is almost like the work just comes from somewhere other than me. Listening to the discussion on the same sex marriage I am beginning to wonder is there anywhere in the world where people think with a sense of clarity? There was a time when black people were not equal, women did not have the vote. It makes me wonder are we a nation of sheep. They are blinkered and cannot see anyone living in a manner that does not sit tight them. The reason for voting no does not make sense to me.

Live and let live

Truth or beauty

Or

both

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FERRYBANK

Today in Ferrybank we were working on using a template to make a small vase for the Fetac level 4. These are some of the works in progress, they will not be finished for a while!

Pauline and her Mama Dorota

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After the excitement of Christmas what can we celebrate? If we look at Celtic calendars we come across the tree calendar which has thirteen months and these stem from the lunar cycle. In this it says that we are moving into the Rowan month on the 20th of January. Now the Rowan tree is seen as magic across ancient cultures. Here in Irish mythology the story goes that the first woman came from the Rowan tree and amongst other tales that the berries were the food of the gods. I must research this more. So on reflection this is a magic time of year. I see it is a time for reflection, collecting ideas and gathering ourselves up to be ready for the return of the light. It is time to explore, not to be too busy in a modern way but to recharge the batteries and be kind to ourselves.

Nowadays we treat the whole year as one, we neglect the fact that life has seasons small and large. In these seasons as in nature we can do different things. In my personal work I am actually quite busy in a quiet way as I try to allow my mind to explore ideas and this is the time to start things. I am wary to show the process as like many people I am insecure about new things….old things……all things.

Here is a finished piece of a wet felted, needle felted and machine sewn portrait. The limitations or abilities of both myself and the medium dictate the finished product. I am working on a whole series and the ones I am working on now are really challenging but I will persevere!

It is Sunday morning, ten past nine in the morning. We had a light snowfall earlier and I have fed the cat and horses, reviewed yesterday's work in the studio, sat with the dogs for a while. I will now let out the horses, clean their stables, have a shower and might feel human by then.

So given the magic time of year that it is I suggest we be grateful for the good things and try to get out in the air. Write down your ideas. Make lists of what you have to do and tick them off as you do them. Remember the story of the squirrel? A little bit at a time, don't give up and it will get done.

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Today I started by taking down the Christmas decorations, a sad routine, the house looks dull now!

Monday I did my first workshop in KCAT in Callan. I have no images to show as I did feel it was appropriate. I am doing 6 workshops in painting with the novice group. It went well and I think we connected well. I may ask next week if I can take shots of the work.

Tuesday we started back in Ferrybank, methinks a few were not aware! However those that did turn up made good headway with their assignments. The room has been done up in thatvit has new windows, a new ceiling and was toasty.

Ewa who had a baby six weeks ago just wanted to work on her Batiks!

I have no work for the remaining three days so I am going to do my own work……..here is the start of a felt tester for what, I am not sure. I will needle felt and stitch into it next.

It is of course my mother. I think I can justify it by saying it is dealing with unresolved grief. Talking to a young graduate in KCAT who was telling me in college they forced her to make her work totally up personal and academic, good grief, what a load of tosh!

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I have been watching a very interesting series on Sky called the Legacy, it deals with the art market and peoples loves, the madness of the 'market' is shown beautifully in it.

I will never be a business woman. I am an artist, a free thinker. I not only have no interest in the market, I just want to live my life. Money is for getting the lifestyle we wish. I create, to be creative, not to sell. I suppose if I was selling a lot I would get caught up the madness of it, the auld ego would be massaged and I would suddenly be drawn into it all. Unfortunately people with money want to own things, to make themselves feel clever.

I feel good when I ride my horse along a country lane, when she is kind to me and nature is there to be appreciated. This does not require large sums of money actually. I just need a rich patron to enable me to do this…..ha ha! In return they can have all my work!

Of course this is an artists dream, the reality is not that bad…..I sold all my Christmas cards so next year……world domination :P

So to all of you who bought my cards thank you and I will have even nicer ones next year….if I am still doing it…….

So off we go and have some quiet time.

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