Shonagh Healy

I am exploring Movement through my regular walking routes. I am currently focusing on bridges and the movement of water as it passes by them.

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My vase out of the kiln after being glazed.

I’m happy with this outcome given it was done in a day. If I was to do it again I’d make sure to get the measurements correct as the top part is slightly smaller in width.

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Self Assessment

1. I have demonstrated that I am willing to try new methods and techniques in the various electives. I did struggle to try new things but I improved on them by getting out of my head and just doing them.

2. I used a lot of different materials and processes over the last 7 weeks. Including wood cutting, etching on a metal plate, working with clay and painting with acrylic and ink. I wouldn’t say I took many creative risks. I did do a larger print than I’m usually used to using wallpaper and reprinting my woodblock multiple times.

3. I did primary and secondary research. The movement of water massively influenced my work as it was the core of my idea. The artist David Lilburn also influenced my work as I was inspired by his relaxed style. I think I could’ve done with more secondary research to help my project grow.

4. My main idea that I was trying to communicate was the rush of flowing water past stationary or balanced force. I started by looking at bridges as I found it interesting but I took images of steps with water flowing past that I liked. My conceptual thinking might be best shown in my vase made in ceramics. I was unsure what to make in relation to water flowing so I chose to do the opposite.

5. I worked quite consistently through the electives missing very few days. I struggled with time throughout the ceramics elective as the process was long leaving little time to work freely.

6. I bridged together my elective areas by being informed on what I was going to be doing next and switching my thought process over and planning what to do next.

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Painting Week 2

In the morning I made some quick painting to try get some idea of what I wanted to do.

I quite liked the one and the left and right. I like the colors in the first one and how they are quite strong separately. I enjoy the light lines in the third one. I aimed to make it look like crosshatching alike the print.

I then painted on canvas in a series. It was experimental and I was happy with the outcome even though I’m not sure I like the paintings that much. It was more of a learning task.

To finish off I worked on canvas again and tried to replicate the print. I like the block color in the background but I do wish I did more crosshatching. If I had time to go back to it I would definitely add some in.

These were the images I was working from.

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Primary Research

Last week I took some more pictures for primary research (featuring my day woody).

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Artist Research:

Anselm Kiefer

Anselm Kiefer is one of the best-known names in German contemporary art and has become a towering figure of post-war art. His body of work joins painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, woodcut and incorporates text.

I find Kiefers work intriguing with the mixed media he uses. I like how majority of his paintings are raised and they come off the canvas. I think I’ll take from his work the possibility of bringing other materials or techniques into my work.

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I completely forgot to take pictures of this piece after it came out of the kiln. I was very happy with it as it didn’t crack during the process.

Here are images from it today after glazing and waiting to be fired. I would’ve loved to have been able to under glaze this piece but I didn’t have the time to.

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Week 2 of Painting!

I wasn’t sure where to start this morning. I had some images printed but I wasn’t really connecting with them. I ended up looking back at my previous work and trying to develop from that.

I did this quick painting with watered down paint. It was just thinking about my two previous works from print and ceramics.

Excited to get more done tomorrow 😊

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Walking Drawing

I gave the walking drawing an attempt. They’re not so good. I do think I’ll try to do them more though, as an exercise to not think too much and to just draw what’s in front of me.

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Live Painting

Today I did live painting with Sylvia. I found this quite difficult.

In the morning we mixed up our paint which was a mix of all three primary colors and then taking 1/3 of it and adding white and then repeating that process with the white mix.

Before break we outlined the model then filled it in. Also doing the wall and floor in the shades that suited.

After break we got into the shading.

I found this really difficult. I wasn’t quite sure of myself and I found it quite intense to figure out how to paint like this in a short time, as I’ve never painted people before.

I’m not sure how I feel about the outcome, whether I like it or not. I’m happy with myself that I came in today and did it and finished it. Even if it doesn’t look so great.

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Artist Research -

Walking Drawing Making Memory: A Ballynahinch Sketchbook

Book by David Lilburn

Today Sylvia introduced me to this book to show me that I can create an image for a picture without directly copying it. To use it as a guide. To also make a series of images to make sense of them all together.

I found this book quite inspiring as I’ve always found it hard to be carefree with my art. I always end up thinking about it too much and thinking about the final product. This book really relaxed my mind and showed me new possibilities.

I aim to take inspiration from Lilburn and try out walking drawing myself even though it seems hard in my head.

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Painting Week 1

On Monday I took some pictures out in UL to use today in painting.

I am with Sylvia this week in the church gallery and so far I have used ink to create some loose imagery.

Sylvia then showed me how to use the ink more freely and how you can then change the image by rinsing it under water.

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Artist Research - Pat Steir

Pat Steir is an American painter and graphic artist.

Steir flings pots of paint at the canvas so that the paint pours down in the same manner as water.

"I realized that I didn’t have to use the brush, that I could simply pour the paint, that I could use nature to paint a picture of itself by pouring the paint. That gravity would paint my painting with me

All of my work is a search and an experiment. I don’t consider anything finished, I think of it as all only a step along the way."

-Pat Steir, interviewed in The Brooklyn Rail, March 2011

I found the last quote very inspiring as I am often always looking ahead to what the finished piece will be instead of trusting the process.

Steir also works in screen printing creating these gorgeous pieces. I find her abstract approch intriging and I'm excited to use her as inspiration in the coming weeks.

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Artist Research - Hiroshi Sugimoto

Sugimoto is a Japanese photographer and architect. Here are a few images from his collection Seascapes. I find these images quite fascinating as he captures the stillness and being of the water.

“A sharp horizon line and a cloudless sky– here began my consciousness.” writes Sugimoto, “From there my thoughts race to the origins of human consciousness itself. The sea reminds me that within my blood remain traces of human evolution over hundreds of thousands of years.”

This quote makes me think a lot more about the history of the River Shannon which I've been focused on and its movement throughout history,

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I unfortunately missed last Thursday so I came in on Friday to try get do what I had planned. I managed to get the vase done and in the kiln in the afternoon which I was delighted with!!

I made stencils to cut out on the slab of clay to make everything even.

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Here are my pieces out of the kiln after glazing.

They came out Friday afternoon. I wasn’t satisfied with how dull the colors look but besides that I was quite happy with the outcome.

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Ceramics Week 2 Day 1

Our pieces came out of the kiln!!

Everything stayed intact and looked well.

We then applied under glaze. We watered down our pigments and lightly applied them.

We then glazed our pieces. We did this by dipping our pieces into a bucket of glaze and mixing it before dipping each time. I removed any glaze that got on the back before bringing it down to the kiln room.

Later on I started making plans for what I was going to do next. I intended on making a vase but I had to figure out what method is best.

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Ceramics Day 3

I was very bad at getting progress pictures this day but I do have the final product before firing.

I was really happy with the outcome of these before firing. I think I got them quite smooth which I thought I’d really struggle to do.

Excited to see how they look tomorrow!