Me the Artist

I am a professional Fine Artist BA hons and MA in Fine Art.  I am originally from Scotland but have ancestral connections with the West coast of Ireland Coney Island .  When I am there I feel at home and I feel it in my feet. A prehistoric pit has been found recently on the  beach over 4,000 years old !  I have family Shona Rowan and Rosa two who are profoundly deaf .. its been a long road but they are all well.  I am married to an artist Neal Greig  an old friend said the other day you are producing artists!! Shona is at Grays School of Art , Rowan is heading to Art College this Autumn and Rosa well  lets see........

Coney Island after Storm Doris! and Bonnie

My studio is in the Old Victorian Post Office in Clones County Monaghan. 

My day begins with a drive of about 25 minutes to the studio.

  

However most days a deviate to Rossmore Park for my 3 km walk to clear my head of family and home stuff. I think about my studio work what will a concentrate on today.  Rossmore especially with my dog Bonnie lifts the heart every time.  Rossmore is beautiful all year round quiet though but that does not bother me. Girlfriends say are  you mad walking round Rossmore on your own which I do from time to time, as sometimes I do not take Bonnie as she is a distraction in my studio and of course paint can spread even onto dogs!

I pop into garage for milk for my morning tea and of course toast to get me started.

I settle down and spend alot of  time looking at what I have been working on this could be a few minutes or longer.  I decide is it nearly there or will I give it another round or as a pal said 'shoot it in the head'!  I may or may not depends if I am on top form.  Being decisive go for it or not will I or wont I , i may destroy that bit I like in the middle of the oil painting. 

Start a new painting smaller canvas this time put the larger piece to one side.

Thinking of my workshop which will be heading to tomorrow in an open prison they are a good bunch hard working and talented.  A few people have remarked omg sounds like a hotel but it certainly is not I am a compassionate person people make mistakes some more than others. I enjoy working their I feel I am contributing to something.  Being a artist is quite solitary.

Back to work I start mixing up colours for under painting normally acrylic to get started I work quickly acrylic dries fast look at possible collage pieces for under painting time to get loud music on Radiohead is my favorite at the moment and Damien Dempsey .

Coffee break about 12

Photo etching Crossing

Phone buzzing hope it is not the school as I will have to down tools and head to Monaghan . It is my  eldest  daughter at University Art College ! having a wee crisis.  I should keep my phone off at  studio but impossible !  Crisis over! Received an  email got a print selected for an exhibition The  Kings House Boyle  .  I am feeling great start work again with bravado feeling ! Go back to looking at work in progress  being more decisive

 Photo etching Rossmore Park Winter

(6) Eileen Ferguson

Working on through lunch today , studio work going well it is flowing today !  thinking about signing up for more print workshop masterclasses , photo etching works well with  my images and it is a quick way for producing work.  

I like getting images immediately I am impatient! 

Noise downstairs  found swallows in kitchen spend 2 hours trying to get them back out !! I am determined to get them free as they have come all the way from Africa . After lots of waving  mops brushes scarves blocking out light from windows I resort to local shop for fishing net !  one swoops out into the sorting office them to freedom thank god !

The other caught in the net gotcha ! Freedom awaits ...

Back to painting review work again take notes in sketch book ...  heading home soon to pick up Rosa .

work in progress

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