Been Along Time

It has been a while, but I am back to update.

Whats been happening

Mostly 2016, good year so far,
Did have some sad news, lost our beloved collie Chilli in June. Amazing how a family pet becomes such a part of the family. He's badly missed



Outside of that it has been a pretty eventful year., Taking in Art, Collaborating, Curating, Facilitation, a little travel and creating.

Visited Family in Spain in March and took boys alone to the Picasso Museum in Malaga. Then I was privileged to have been working with The Pushkin Trust,  working in Russia, Moscow, Kostroma and Youroslavl (World Unesco Heritage Site) in May, facilitating workshops, exploring Art, Architecture, Education and Creative writing, Amazing experience.
V Day celebrations.

Commemorations also in Dublin at Easter, then a world wind French tour in July, from Normandy to the Vendee, Nante, Paris and Rouen, taking in The Bayeaux Tapestry, D Day beaches, Bastille, Jules Verne, Joan D'Arc and all that Paris offers, overshadowed by the terrible events in France during the summer but a fantastic experience for the boys.




Organ Donation
Last Year Organ Donation Week saw a 2 artworks installed in
Altnagevin and Fermanagh. This year a further smaller pieces completed the series of 4.

 Giving hope, gifting life,' I to IV.

One of the 2016 Installations

The 2 smaller pieces are in situ outside the consultants offices in both Altnagelvin, Derry and SWAH, Fermanagh, Hospitals

Have been involved in a couple of Exhibitions this year but one of the highlights is the ongoing collaborative approach with CAAKE.


 
Process, Mixed Medium, No Jury No Prize, Dunree

CAAKE

One of the high lights of the year was working collaboratively with CAAKE. 

It started with a residency at top of the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland and ended in a live performance installation in partnership with R-Space Gallery in Lisburn. The group consisted of 6 artists and performers from around Northern Ireland and England where their conversations and actions reflected upon their concerns through individual practices coming together in collaboration as a form of physical research
  

The CAAKE Project final performance and installation at R Space — with Brónagh Corr - McNicholl, Gail Mahon, TJ Murphy, Bridget Madden, Rachel Gomme and Sandra Denise.

You can explore this through the link to the short film commissioned by CAAKE which introduces some of the artists and performers comments and thoughts about working in a collaborative group throughout the process of the project.


 Hope you enjoy

Follow CAAKE on facebook, twitter and instagram
https://caakeproject.wordpress.com/

Email: caakeproject@hotmail.co.uk

Been Along Time

It has been a while, but I am back to update.

Whats been happening

Mostly 2016, good year so far,
Did have some sad news, lost our beloved collie Chilli in June. Amazing how a family pet becomes such a part of the family. He's badly missed



Outside of that it has been a pretty eventful year., Taking in Art, Collaborating, Curating, Facilitation, a little travel and creating.

Visited Family in Spain in March and took boys alone to the Picasso Museum in Malaga. Then I was privileged to have been working with The Pushkin Trust,  working in Russia, Moscow, Kostroma and Youroslavl (World Unesco Heritage Site) in May, facilitating workshops, exploring Art, Architecture, Education and Creative writing, Amazing experience.
V Day celebrations.

Commemorations also in Dublin at Easter, then a world wind French tour in July, from Normandy to the Vendee, Nante, Paris and Rouen, taking in The Bayeaux Tapestry, D Day beaches, Bastille, Jules Verne, Joan D'Arc and all that Paris offers, overshadowed by the terrible events in France during the summer but a fantastic experience for the boys.




Organ Donation
Last Year Organ Donation Week saw a 2 artworks installed in
Altnagevin and Fermanagh. This year a further smaller pieces completed the series of 4.

 Giving hope, gifting life,' I to IV.

One of the 2016 Installations

The 2 smaller pieces are in situ outside the consultants offices in both Altnagelvin, Derry and SWAH, Fermanagh, Hospitals

Have been involved in a couple of Exhibitions this year but one of the highlights is the ongoing collaborative approach with CAAKE.


 
Process, Mixed Medium, No Jury No Prize, Dunree

CAAKE

One of the high lights of the year was working collaboratively with CAAKE. 

It started with a residency at top of the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland and ended in a live performance installation in partnership with R-Space Gallery in Lisburn. The group consisted of 6 artists and performers from around Northern Ireland and England where their conversations and actions reflected upon their concerns through individual practices coming together in collaboration as a form of physical research
  

The CAAKE Project final performance and installation at R Space — with Brónagh Corr - McNicholl, Gail Mahon, TJ Murphy, Bridget Madden, Rachel Gomme and Sandra Denise.

You can explore this through the link to the short film commissioned by CAAKE which introduces some of the artists and performers comments and thoughts about working in a collaborative group throughout the process of the project.


 Hope you enjoy

Follow CAAKE on facebook, twitter and instagram
https://caakeproject.wordpress.com/

Email: caakeproject@hotmail.co.uk

Luke McCormack Exhibition, Altnagelvin Area Hospital

Luke McCormack Exhibition, Altnagelvin Area Hospital

Currently in exhibition at the Arts Care Art Gallery in Altnagelvin Area Hospital's South Wing, is a wonderful, colourful and vibrant body of work by artist Luke McCormack. Self taught, 28 year old, Luke hails from Belfast, but his work represents his love and memories of the countryside. Painting mostly in acrylics on canvas, it is evident that colour is one of the most important aspects of Luke's intense and vibrant paintings, the fine details combined with strong colours convey the deeply personal way Luke views the world around around him.

The artist reflects, “I believe that memory is an integral part of my paintings and by revisiting somewhere I have been in the form of painting it I am almost experiencing being there again – the very action of painting takes me back there and so my painting is as much an exploration of my memory as it is of the scene I am representing”.

Curator, Brónagh Corr-McNicholl, said “We are delighted to host this stunning exhibition in Altnagelvin, it is well documented that the benefits from displaying art in Hospitals include the reduction of stress and anxiety and an increase in positive emotions and already Luke's wonderful work has created positive feedback, as it impacts on staff and visitors alike”.

The exhibition runs to October 15^th and can be viewed in the corridor on the South Wing ground floor in Altnagelvin Area Hospital. Anyone interested in buying a painting should contact Arts Care AIR, Brónagh Corr-McNicholl, at 07928028642 or bronaghcorr@gmail.com

Luke McCormack Exhibition, Altnagelvin Area Hospital

Luke McCormack Exhibition, Altnagelvin Area Hospital

Currently in exhibition at the Arts Care Art Gallery in Altnagelvin Area Hospital's South Wing, is a wonderful, colourful and vibrant body of work by artist Luke McCormack. Self taught, 28 year old, Luke hails from Belfast, but his work represents his love and memories of the countryside. Painting mostly in acrylics on canvas, it is evident that colour is one of the most important aspects of Luke's intense and vibrant paintings, the fine details combined with strong colours convey the deeply personal way Luke views the world around around him.

The artist reflects, “I believe that memory is an integral part of my paintings and by revisiting somewhere I have been in the form of painting it I am almost experiencing being there again – the very action of painting takes me back there and so my painting is as much an exploration of my memory as it is of the scene I am representing”.

Curator, Brónagh Corr-McNicholl, said “We are delighted to host this stunning exhibition in Altnagelvin, it is well documented that the benefits from displaying art in Hospitals include the reduction of stress and anxiety and an increase in positive emotions and already Luke's wonderful work has created positive feedback, as it impacts on staff and visitors alike”.

The exhibition runs to October 15^th and can be viewed in the corridor on the South Wing ground floor in Altnagelvin Area Hospital. Anyone interested in buying a painting should contact Arts Care AIR, Brónagh Corr-McNicholl, at 07928028642 or bronaghcorr@gmail.com

Happy Christmas, one and all

Open Call- Photographic call for submissions- Call for Images

Theme - The Journey of Life through Nature

Through your generosity and the generosity of the Friends of Altnagelvin, staff in the Intensive Care Unit at Altnagelvin Area Hospital have an opportunity to bring some meaningful, nature photographic pieces into the unit. The Intensive Care Unit provides treatment and monitoring for people who are critically ill. It is hoped that the addition of these works will create a more relaxed and reflective atmosphere in the ward, improving the environment for patient, relatives and staff alike.

The Photographic Call for Submissions is an invitation callout, for images of nature that evoke a sense of life's journey. The Theme - The Journey of Life through Nature welcomes images of local woodlands, seashores, meadows, and country lanes, positive imagery that transcends life beyond the walls of the hospital ward.

The Open Call invites local digital artists, photographers and photography clubs, as well as Trust staff, service users and their families, and friends to submit high resolution images for consideration. The final works will be chosen in consultation with staff in the Intensive Care Unit.

The selected pieces will be made into canvases and become part of a permanent exhibition within the environment of the Intensive Care Unit. Whilst there is no fee or prize, the selected artist/photographer will be acknowledged on a titled plaque, in local media and through the Trust Communications. The deadline for submission is January 31^st.

There is no limit to the amount of images which can be submitted, the only criteria is that works must in some way represent or address the stated theme and all entries must be the photographers own work and have their permissions.

Please share with anyone who may be interested in submitting their work.

For more information contact

Arts Care Artist in Residence in Western Trust, Brónagh Corr-McNicholl for more information on sizes and how to submit.

Email: bronaghcorr@gmail.com with the title Altnagelvin Photographic call for submissions in subject box

Organ Donation Memorial Artworks

Artwork in SWAH Fermanagh

I feel so privileged  to have been involved in creating 2 large public artworks one for Altnagelvin Hospital and one for South West Acute Hospital in Fermanagh

I feel very privileged to have been involved in this project and I hope that the completed memorial serves as a fitting reflective celebration of the tremendous and highly emotive gift of life and hope for organ donors, tissue donors and their families

http://fermanaghherald.com/2015/09/oisins-parents-back-organ-donation-campaign/

THE parents of Oisin McGrath, the 13-year old St Michael’s College student, from Belcoo, who died as a result of a playground incident in the school in February this year have thrown their weight behind organ donation.

Nigel and Sharon McGrath donated their son’s heart to save the life of a little girl.This week is National Transplant Awareness Week and, yesterday, the McGraths were representedat the unveiling of artwork in the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen to publicly acknowledge organ donors.Asked beforehand if it had been a difficult decision to donate Oisin’s heart, his father told the Herald it wasn’t.“We just know at the time what Oisin would have wanted. You have to make these decisions at the time and you have to deal with it at that stage. In our case, we knew that this is what Oisin wanted, and that was the key behind our decision.”Mr McGrath said it was ‘poignant’ that National Transplant Awareness Week (7-13) should fall within days of Oisin’s 14th birthday.The ‘Gifting Life, Giving Hope’ artwork was commissioned by the Western Trust Organ Donation Committee.It is designed to inspire people to register as organ donors and also act as a tribute to those who have donated an organ to provide the gift of life to another person.The unveiling event was organised by the Western Health and Social Services Trust.Its chairman,

detail from Altnagelvin piece

Artwork in Altnagelvin

Gerard McGuckian, said there was no gift that any human can bestow on another greater than the gift of life.Dr Declan Grace, the Trust’s lead clinician for organ donation hoped people will pause at the artwork and remember ‘the wonderful contribution of individuals and their families who, at a time of great loss and suffering, commit to saving the lives of others through organ donation’.He added: “We want to encourage people to consider and discuss organ donation. If you want your organs to be available for donation it is important that you indicate your wishes with the people closest to you.“One donor can save the lives of several people and improve the quality of life for many more. The more people pledge to donate their organs and tissue after their death, the more people stand to benefit.”

Arts Care Fundraising 'Off The Rails" Event

Not one but 2 posters for

Arts Care Fundraising 'Off The Rails" Event
Paul Casey, Roy Arbuckle and Anne Tracey keep Arts Care right on track at a special "Off The Rails" concert and Preloved Sale Event on October 18th.
The home grown, critically acclaimed, singer songwriters, are set to deliver a fantastic night of music and song in the cool surrounds of the Sandwich Company off the Diamond, in Derry City Centre. 
Hosted by BBC personality Noel Thompson, 'Off The Rails' is a unique event which will raise funds for Arts Care in the Western Health and Social Care Trust.

Doors open at 7.30pm with a sparkling reception, and an exclusive opportunity to rummage for both ladies and gents, high street to high end fashion treasure at a fabulous pre-loved clothes sale and fun celeb auction.

Admission will be £10 at door, all profits go to Arts Care in Western Trust. Price includes entertainment, champagne reception, BYO and exclusive Op to Shop in our 'Off The Rail' sale. 


For more information contact Arts Care, 
Artist in Residence, Brónagh Corr-McNicholl. 
Email: bronaghcorr@gmail.com 
Mob 07928028642

History Wall

Some detail from the History Wall I was commissioned to create for the new Mental Health service Users hospital in Derry, Grangewood. The wall finally went up yesterday (July 28th) and thankfully it looks great :)

It does have a serious side though as it tracks the history of Mental Health services and the parlance and terms around mental health, historically not always kind. The wall serves to remind staff as to how far mental health services has come.

Here and Beyond 2014

This year again I have been delighted to have been involved in the Arts 

Care ‘Here & Now’ Older People Festival, 2014. Funded by the Public

 Health Agency, the project runs across health and social care settings 

and in the community.

The participants never fails to surprise me, no matter their age they are. Last year my oldest client was 104, this year the oldest came in at the youthful age of 92. I helped another lovely 82 year old to her car with her work, she told me her car was the red one outside the door. There were two cars, a wee red fiat and a ferrari red sports car coupe outside the door. I decided to let her lead, and yes… she jumped into the sportscar and zoomed away. Thats the way I want to roll when I'm 82!
All in all, I completed 3 projects for Here and Beyond, 

PROJECTS

1) The Glue that binds us, which was great fun, we smashed pots and painted the fragments, then glued the pieces back together, pics later.
2) some sessions at the Derry Print workshop, which saw some beautiful works and great enjoyment.
3)and finally 'Objective' which saw me creating 10 canvas around the theme. The results were fantastic, as you can see here.
The project is similar to last year in the fact that we produced canvases around the idea of self portraiture, but this time it will be about telling life stories through an image of an object. We did some creative writing and painting.
I asked the participants in advance to really think about an object to take in .
To give it some special thought, look at what they have with new eyes.
Have a lttle time to to look around at personal possesions, Is there one thing that transports them to a moment in rife?
Perhaps something from childhood? an item from there mother’s kitchen? an old toy?


I was looking for objects that means something to the participant, it did not have to be valuable or old, or not obvious, not just about your career or hobby, the connection to the memory should not be so obvious to the viewer. The image will have a deeper meaner than its surface. The Haiku might give a clue as to the memory it invokes. So the object creates a nostalgic moment, the same way a photo will spark memories.
This is the result. They also produced a painted Abstract piece relating to their object.
(Photos to follow)

I think the results speak for themselves

http://www.artscarephanihereandnow.com

Signed Limited Edition Print

LEAVING
There has been some interest in this image and I am going to print it as a signed limited edition run of 30 Giclee prints for £30 each. Mounted, for an A4 frame on fine art Hahnemuhle acid free paper I won't sell any more of these as prints after the 30 are gone. If you are interested in one of these PM me. When they're gone they're gone ;)

Links to Art in the City (a Whistle stop tour)

There is so much happening in Derry at the moment in the run up to the Turner Prize. 


The eyes of the Art world are on Derry! This is your chance to discover what is new and exciting in the art world right now.Study up on the Short List  for Turner here. 

Where to start the enjoyable, witty and lovely refreshing Grayson Perry was in town for Reith Lecture check here if you weren't one of the lucky ones in attendance at the newly refurbished Guildhall. 

If you are in town for the Turner Why not take in some of the other Art the City has to offer.

 The London Street Gallery  are celebrating the opening of the Turner Prize show with the exhibition  - No Jury, No Prize which invited all artists to submit one small work which will be shown  (there is no jury) during the three weeks of the exhibition. 

I have a piece in this called Rekindle :) Materials: Photography, book and fire

Arts Care Dedicated Gallery
Some great News too, Arts Care will have their very own dedicated Arts Care Gallery Space in Altnagelvin hospital after the success of the Older Peoples Festival Exhibition 'In Full Bloom'. 

The feedback we had from  staff, service users and Arts Care artists alike about how the older peoples work  transformed the space was indeed very positive and encouraging. 

 The  proposed gallery space will showcase not only the work of the service users and staff but  a programme  will be developed of exhibitions for the year where interested artists/groups are invited to exhibit throughout the year.

This Gallery space would be curated by myself :)

Ceo of Arts Care and Chair of Arts Care in Western Trust at
Older People Exhibition 'In Full Bloom' 

We have an opportunity to launch this proposal very shortly with a visiting exhibition by artist Julien Friers. This launch would be a joint launch with  London St Gallery's who themselves will be launching their  own project which is to temporary donate Artworks into healthcare areas and ares of need.

The upcoming exhibition will be in November, is titled ‘Rhythm and Hues’ has been specially commissioned as part of the City of Culture 2013 celebrations, and recognises some of the biggest names in the music industry including some of our own homegrown talent. Local jazz legend Gay McIntyre and actress and singer Bronagh Gallagher take their places alongside Dave Fanning, Terri Hooley and Henry McCullough in 14 larger than life canvasses celebrating music and creativity. More News soon. 

What Else?
Be sure to check out Momentous Times at the CCA and the fantastic programme of events around this exhibition. Good news for the CCA's Aileen Burns and Johan Lundh who have been appointed Co Directors of The Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane, Congratulations!

The Mark Wallinger: One (twice Turner nominee) curated by Elaine Ford exhibiiton will be finishing up next week at The Void Galley and the upcoming Santiago Sierra exhibition curated by Sara Greavu and Jonathan Cummins looks promising.

On the Subject of twice Turner nominated  'UnSeen' a major exhibition of photographic and video works by Willie Doherty.in the upper gallery beside the Void.

The Shirts,  Photo by Roisin O'Donnell

One of the big successes of this year is the Shirt Factory Project, taking its inspiration from the shirt factories of Derry, boasting a pop up museum and a themed shop and a secret garden as well as Rita Duffy, this has to get a life after this year as part of the 'Legacy' of the City of Culture. 

In Other Places
 Not to be out done there is another chance to see Hollywood: The Remake, photography by myself and Aria Fikriyah and styled by Gladrags and Handbags at Bedlam. This can be 'reseen' in the entrance of Bedlam  up unto the end of the year.

When in the vicinty take in the lovely gallery in Bedlam, Gordons gallery across the Street, and the gallery on Ship Quay St.

Still time to catch Mak9  Draw on the Walls,

and to check out The Portrait of a City around the city (funny enough) and of course the Indigionous murals and wall art (every thing can be art, ask Mr Perry). Thats only the tip of the artberg, (haven't even touched on 'The Arts' in a wider context, but enough to whett the Whistler  for now :).

I have time to sit and write this cos Kids in bed and hubby is Stage managing 'From The Camp to The Creggan' and  (Opening tonight Oct 16th, in the Forum and then Lenashee on Nov 8th in the Venue).

(Talking of sitting) After all that you can have a wee sit down on the Sofa Book  which  is  the Action Mental Health's sofa created out of books a project I was involved with facilitating whilst  watching the washing dry in the random places!

AMH New Horizons Foyle's Big Lottery Culture for All Project entitled “What’s Your Story” You can see it on tour at 

Magee UU 22nd-23rd Oct, \
Guildhall 24th-10th Nov, 
CIty Hall 11thNov-25th, 
Antrim New Horizons 25th Nov-2nd Dec and Foyle St Library 2nd Dec to 16th Dec

Out of Town

Not all the culture is in town, Arts Link Big Draw is worth a visit for all the family, also Donegal artist has forthcoming exhibition , Phillip McFadden  and of course Matisse line drawings and workshops in Limavady

Feel free to comment and add to list, whatever has been left out, I'm sure theres buckets of it.