January 2025
The last time I wrote here was halloween, the months do fly by, cliche I know. It is not that I didn't want to write, it is more that time went by so quickly and before I knew it, it was Christmas and bang, now 2025. Sometimes, I feel that there is nothing going on to write about, but of course there always is. Life's nuances might not seem interesting to me but perhaps they are to others.
Today, I am in the process of revisiting writing one of the many book ideas I have started. This is the year that I want to (will) make this come to fruition, even if it's the first draft. This/these books have been on the go for 10 years now!
When I came back from Australia in 2013 after three years away, I would go to the Longford library nearly everyday and write for hours, a chronological account of my travels, mainly about Australia and short stints in Bali and Paris etc. Those 60,000 words are still there, on a disk somewhere, as the laptop that originally stored this account has come and gone. I did print it out at the time too so there's a hard copy buried in one of the many storage boxes full of notes taken of various trips, experiences and emotions throughout my twenties and thirties. After that travelogue, I then proceeded to start another book . This was based on a period in the west of Ireland, involving a caravan and a man which I thought might be the one. There are 30,000 words in various edited versions, digital and paper format.
I have a list of book ideas which is ever expanding. It sometimes makes me think if I am in fact more the 'ideator' rather than the finisher? But I don't want to entertain this narrative. I am a writer to my core and I have been my entire life. I have been processing my emotions through words and drawing for as long as I remember - writing poetry when I was a kid, little blurbs of innocence that I am sure would make me cringe and cry to read now.
Then there is the poetry book, the never ending poetic words that are not so much your atypical 'difficult to decipher poetry' that we know from school. They are more meditative words, focused on nature, human emotions and universal themes. They only see the light of day during solo exhibitions which happens once a year.
And this next solo show is in Spain in May 2025. I have started to research English to Spanish translators that will help keep the cultural and poetic nuances during the translation process. (If anyone might know of a good translator or company, perhaps let me know below).
So with all that being said, where am I at and what does 2025 hold for me? The past year has been a positive one overall, despite the tragedies that play out on our screens daily in other parts of the world. I was honoured to have exhibited in a successful solo exhibition in Farmleigh, Dublin in July 2024. The positive feedback I got from this month helped to keep the momentum going as an artist. Since July, I have been involved in setting up gallery exhibitions in the South West during their peak season and I was working for a big fundraiser in Dublin in November for the Cill Rialaig Project which was a great success. However, I strongly believe that this unique artist retreat deserves and requires to be funded more substantially by the Arts Council to keep it going. It is a godsend to so many artists for producing books, artworks, music etc, myself included. (Let me know in the comments below if you have been one of those artists in the past?).
Speaking of artist residencies, I just finished up the year in late December, (thanks to a Kerry County Council bursary) with a very productive week at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Annamerkerig. I love this residency and we are blessed in Ireland to have the facilities such as the Cill Rialaig Project in the South West, and the Tyrone Guthrie in the North to nurture the artists of the country. They are both uniquely different but follow the same ethos of giving creatives the time and space to produce work away from life's busy schedules that might distract us from getting down and dirty with the paint brush. Of course there are others residencies too which I look forward to being apart off one day.
The week in Tyrone Guthrie saw me continuing on from the current theme in my practice of 'body memory' and allowed me to get started on a body of work for Spain and experiment with new mediums. I feel that no matter what title I put on my shows, projects, books etc, they are usually about the same theme and that is - finding home and peace within our self and with nature. I use various art forms as a conduit to deliver this message, creating through the lens of my own human experiences, that people might resonate with.
We as humans are ever evolving, and just as another year has flipped around, my interests ebb and flow. But I always maintain a sense of curiosity and a yearning to learn new things. The trick is to lean into that gut feeling and go and commit to the 'learning'. Over a year and half ago I went to India to train in yoga for a very intensive month which still influences my life today in a good way. There is power and satisfaction in pushing our limits, whatever that may look like. I work best in spurts and deadlines, allowing me to be the most productive. Give me all the hours, days and years and I often stand still in overwhelm. But give me a deadline/timeframe, then choice is taken away and the action of 'starting' is unavoidable.
This year, I feel is going to be different. I have some news to announce soon that might determine the year ahead. Putting that aside for now, here are the mini resolutions that I am announcing to myself and to any of my readers, for accountability and for maybe advice, feedback or questions that people want to share in the comments below.
Firstly, I feel it is my duty to learn Spanish to the best of my ability for this pending exhibition. I attempted this last year but like anything, there needs to be consistency and commitment. If we don't use it, we lose it.
Coincidentally, I have a trip to Spain for a week long workshop in Gestalt therapy at the end of January which hopefully I will attend, all going well. I am always on the search for new healing modalities that can improve me as a person, as an artist, and as a way of potentially giving back to others.
In terms of writing, I would love to be holding a draft of my first book by the end of the year. This again involves commitment and accountability. (If anyone has any advice on how to get this done or if they can recommend writing mentors or opportunities, I am all ears.)
In terms of painting, I will continue preparing for the solo show in Spain. With the head start I got in Tyrone Guthrie, I feel ready to dive in and see where this body of work goes, thematically and aesthetically. This will involve various stints in the studio in Longford and perhaps any residencies that I might have applied for.
Other 'lifestyle' resolutions include: read more, sing more, join a yoga class or create a yoga schedule for myself, cook from scratch more hearty meals (I have been saying this for years, that is another story), travel to new places if given the opportunity. Of course, some of these resolutions might be similar to last year, but time is not linear and neither is our life's path.
One final resolution I resonate with and I think sums up humans need to be constantly changing in order to allow for growth and that is -
'No staying in places you have outgrown.'
So to finish up, my word for this year is 'growth' - both mentally, physically and artistically. This involves getting out of comfort zones, not caring so much about what others think (this does come with age), embracing what I have and expanding my lens of gratitude, giving and receiving love, and continually reminding myself of the endless possibility we have as humans if we get out of our own way. These resolutions might involve being vulnerable, getting uncomfortable or asking for help but I am willing to do so, because if we are not growing and improving ourselves on the inside, I know that this effects how we navigate the world on the outside and our relationships with other people.
Here is to a good 2025, whatever that holds. These words are not sacred and this list might alter as the year goes on. This is a long update and thank you for reading. A question for those who have made it to the end is - what is your word for the year and do you have any resolutions, small or otherwise or do you even believe in them?
Namaste and love and light to you all for the new year. X
(Tyrone Guthrie Centre, December 2024)
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