I love Autumn (Fall if you’re stateside). This year, with an open studio on culture night, commissioned projects starting, visits to camera clubs, workshops and symposiums - it’s all go.

Bringing Brigid’s Cloak to Life

It is a privilege to be asked to come on board with any project. I’m incredibly grateful that the projects I have been asked to create pieces in response to are in areas I’m very passionate about.

On Tuesday, 17th September I traveled to the Cavan Burren Forest Park just outside Blacklion for a magical shoot. ‘Bringing Brigid’s Cloak to Life’ project is the brainchild of Barbara (Bee) Smith and Morag McDonald and with support from Creative Cavan, Cuilcagh Lakeland’s Geopark and the Cavan Arts office. These amazing women have facilitated the creation of a magnificent Brigid’s cloak through workshops and Heritage week events throughout the community over the summer.

My task, once the cloak was completed, was to photograph brilliant volunteer models within the setting of the Cavan Burren landscape in order to create conceptually styled photographs for display in the ‘Bringing Brigid’s Cloak to Life’ exhibition in February 2025 at the Cavan County Museum.

Camera Club Season

September marks the start of the academic year which means most camera clubs opening their doors once again for a new season. This year I’ve been asked to develop a presentation based around portraiture which went down very well with the members of Malahide Camera Club on the 19th of September. I’ll been bringing this talk around the country and internationally over Zoom in the coming months and I’m so looking forward to chatting all things photography with members of camera clubs who love photography as much as I do.

Culture Night - Bó Open Studios

The annual ‘where’s where’ in the art world took place on Friday, 20th September between the hours of 6 and 9pm. There is so much crammed into just one night but it was the perfect opportunity to throw the Bó studio doors open and invite everyone in to meet the artists, visit the group exhibition upstairs and take part in a weave for climate change expertly facilitated by artist, Una Curley.

I want to thank everyone who called in or sent good wishes because it was a fantastic night with a continual stream of art lovers who were on a pilgrimage of the holy trinity; An Táin Arts Centre (Moyà Gibney’s exhibition, Flux, and screen print demo), Mo Chara (Aoife Edwards and Colleen Eilís ran a print your own tote night with music by AEMAK) and Bò Studios.

Photo Futures Symposium

I attended the photo futures symposium at the photo museum of Ireland on Monday, 23rd September. The Photo Museum of Ireland, Belfast Exposed and the Belfast Photo Festival have come together to form the Irish Photo Network. They are running a variety of talks and events so they’re well worth keeping an eye on. I went to their symposium discussing diversity, inclusion, Ai and climate change which I found very useful for my current project research. I’ll tell you more about the project over the coming months as it develops or better still, show you through new work.

Coming up in October

Reside

Reside exhibition opening night - 9th October at 7pm in the Basement Gallery An Táin; all welcome. The exhibition will feature the work of Creative Spark Artists in Residence (that includes me!). This annual exhibition curated by Creative Spark Print Studio manager, Gráinne Murphy has become a firm fixture in the North East arts calendar, in fact this is the tenth anniversary show with an array of fresh and innovative art works created with support from Creative Spark, Create Louth and the Arts Council of Ireland.

Last month Creative Spark announced the launch of a new digital fabrication course in collaboration with the National College of Art and Design, so, as an art lover I know you won’t want to miss Reside which runs from the 10th October to the 16th November, Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 5pm in the Basement Gallery. To find out more, click here.

Next Photoshop Workshop Wednesday 23rd October - Book Here

Creative Spark Print Studios 10th Anniversary Celebration of Printmaking

As part of Creative Spark’s 10th anniversary celebration of printmaking weekend at the end of October, I’ll be giving a multi-toned Cyanotype evening demo on Sunday, 27th October, you can book tickets here. For a full list of events (talks, demos and workshops) over the weekend click here.