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.

Hello again

So I have been neglecting the blog lately. I've been working the past fortnight on the set and music for a local production of Cinderella. It's been good fun, but taken up a lot of time. Which I don't mind at all, but it has meant I've gotten no work of my own done in ages. But just to fill my blogging absence for now, here's some pics of hard working folk and our labours. Should get some good shots of the finished sets soon.





Also, I went to a local framers and asked them for waste material from their card mounts and found it to be a lovely drawing canvas. Will be working with this stuff for a while me thinks.



And lastly here's a recent book cover I did. It's yet to go to print, but I'm happy with how it turned out;

little wildness

recent sketchbook work.




good things from the web;

hye su lee's illustration

Thomas Thwaites building a toaster. from scratch

Fabric designs by Gunta Stölzl

in gardens such as temples

Great Orchestra Of Christmas Charity

Myself and 18 other artists are taking part in a charity exhibition on Thursday at Teacher's Club, 36 Parnell Square West, Dublin. It's with ArtWave, as a part of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity and it's to help buy medical equipment for children with urological and nephrological diseases.

All the profits from the sales will go directly to the charity.
FREE entry.

The venue:
Teacher's Club, 36 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1

When:
Opening night: Thursday, 6th January 2011 – 6pm till late

for more details, here's the facebook page;
Great Orchestra Of Christmas Charity


Hope to see you there!

givings and recievings

some pictures from the holiday season. this was from an older drawing that i did on a larger scale. its acrylic on canvas, around 70cm x 110cm.





emily's all about roots lately.



here's a commission i did for some friends from an old picture of a village in.....louth? athone?....i have no memory. i forgot to get a decent scan of it before it was framed. i get slightly panicked when asked to draw things that actually exist.


and here's just one of those things i do for my own sake.

Thank you

Thank you to everyone and everything that helped make this year wonderful. i'm looking forward to another year of amazing art and music and people and discoveries and joyous times. and, of course, thanks to all the not so wonderful things that remind us to try harder and be ever grateful.

baby birch

i've had joanna newsom's sawdust and diamonds on a pretty consistent repeat since the summer. like much of her music, there's a wonderful mixture of childhood fairy tale and honest hardship, with a measure and manner that, for me, transcends notions of "song" or "musician" or "artist" and just lies comfortably in the undefinable. and where its not meant to simply entertain, but requires time and attention. its a quality in which i always hope to develop in my own work, especially with emily's story. which is why i'm mentioning it here. i would generally find a great deal of inspiration in music. but i don't think there's anything else i've listened to lately that makes me want to simultaneously pick up a guitar, a pen and a brush, with equal eagerness. in days of random playlists and the background drone of headphones (a habit in which i'm continually guilty of indulging) i find great joy in doing nothing else but simply listening to her music. lately baby birch has been the one to take many welcomed 10 minute chunks of my day. in fact, i was going to post some pictures, but instead i'm going to listen to it again now. with full attention....