For the music

I've blogged a few times before about Irish electronica artist Ilex, but she's always worth talking about. Lots of lovely delicate layers of repeating beats and melodies, that just warms my brain, whatever the mood. and with a consistent quality that's totally enviable. perfect drawing music.
She just put up a handful of songs on her bandcamp page. which also just looks pretty damn sweet, her own work for the cover art. i highly recommend you download them now. at least give them a deserved listen! a euro's a small price but, means a lot for supporting independent artists.

i have a bunch of stuff to scan in and noodle with, but my arms hate me right now (i have given myself a "no computer before lunch time" rule, but i'm not doing a good job of obeying. as the man says...) anyway, here's some photos instead, then i'm done.

learnt how to make origami pots for seedlings. neato.


i found sunspots, what are actually pencil-sharpenings, in the bottom of a paper cup.


django being slightly magnificent.

Mushrooms and drowning houses

some recent things;





i like finding random things written on scraps after a night of drinking;


it should be noted, my sober hand-writing isn't a great deal more legible.

Niamh de Barra

I had mentioned before I'm working on the cover for Niamh de Barra's album. we'd talked ages ago about working on a project together, but never got around to anything, so was really hoping to get working on her album. from her music and her blog and general conversation, I recognise a lot of shared themes and thoughts. which always makes it a much more interesting process. She's heading to the studio soon, so looking forward to hearing what comes out. For now, follow the links for tunage (you can download her e.p. "Cusp" here).

here's some pics from an as yet unnamed sketchbook;





Loving her latest track uploaded on Soundcloud;


Irresistible by Niamh de Barra

New Studio

Spent the last few days relocating my studio space. this is probably the tidiest it will look for the next year, so here's pics;

a boyish child called emily

sketchbooks. lots of emily notes. things i might call "art".

my tele. love my tele.

A little wildness

So this weeks homework was something i'd been intending on doing for ages, and i had a fair idea what i was going to do after working on the set painting last month. again, this is just the start of a project, i intend to find some open-minded folk to offer a wall or two for similar sort of paintings. i'll be mostly doing that through email and facebook, if anyone wants to know more, get in touch. anyway, here's a painting. i'll post some photos later in the week.

Inspiration: Yeji Yun, Frank Gonzales, Lizzie Thomas

Very much liking Yeji Yun's illustration. Check out her Portfolio pdf. Lots of great images and detail and stories packed into her work.





Frank Gonzales's bird paintings are BEAUTIFUL. and i'm quite fond of his studio too;



lastly, love this drawing by Lizzie Thomas;

Homework - Goats in trees!

new-found art director/work monitor, emer, has been kindly assigning me homework, to help spur on various projects and cut down on needless procrastinating. have many projects i intend to get working on this year, so any enforced discipline is muchly welcomed. last weeks homework was on a shared love of that most revered of phenomenons; goats in trees. My homework, therefore, was 20 goats by thursday. we'd also been discussing minature animal portraits, so...

shrigley goats

we have further plans for these tree loving fellows, the homework was just a starter.

this weeks homework is a good one. on a much bigger scale and something i've been meaning to do for ages. i haven't been given a deadline though....thursday again?

also made some much needed edits to the projects section on my portfolio site.

Mmmmmmmusic (Link overload!)

Since my Ipod died a tragically slow death and there doesn't seem to be a cd player in the house that actually works, I've been mostly relying on online streams for musical input. The legit stuff, of course, I don't go in for the illegal downloading myself. It should always be the choice of the artist. And these days there are plenty of artists, blogs and labels offering free music out there.

So, (by brian's request) here's a few that I've been giving ear space;

Harmless noise do a regular feature on free uploads, they did a nice round up of last years releases. Particularly fond of Letter From Belgium's LFB002 and Sunburnt Jets – Low Flying Crow. And everyone should check out Bouts – New Ways Of Saying No :)

New Noise is a weekly podcast/radio show, i'm growing increasingly fond of. Covers a broad spectrum of music, worth having a listen.

There's various folks on Soundcloud. For me this is primarily a source of the Irish experimental/electronica/noise scene and my followees revolve mainly around SSTN artists; Niamh deBarra, Ilex, Euphiophone, Amanda Feery.

Loving this from Amanda, with Dublin String Quartet;

Pulse Presses by amandafeery


In related news, Niamh is working on an album at the minute for release later in the year. I'm providing artwork for the cover, which I'm super excited about. But more on that another time.

And while we're on the subject, check out an interview just published today with brother/audio mastering engineer (stephen/analogheart) at wearenoise.

Cinderella

I mentioned before that I've been working on a local production of Cinderella, so here's a few photos of the finished sets, obviously with much appreciated assistance; linky.




Towards the end a few of us indulged in a little light distraction by filling up the forest scene with random little creatures. On last count we had about 20 cats, rabbits, frogs and insects hidden in various bushes and branches.







and we must not forget, the irremissible Goat in a Tree!!!



it's the little things in life. Now to get back to work...

Islands, bears and marco wagner

growing increasingly fond of framing mount offcuts as drawing paper. the bevelled edges give the images a nice framed finish. i doubt the card would be great for acrylic or oils (though i'll be giving it a go), but they're perfect for drawing and light inks and watercolours.



put some new pictures up for sale on etsy. the laboured error series. there around the $44 to $60 mark pricewise (in euro, that's about €35 to €50). 50% of the sales go to the Gulf Restoration Network.




Also, been admiring the lovely work of Marco Wagner. Beautiful stuff. You must check out his paintings.