NIAMH O'CONNOR
  • Gallery
    • FIRE AND ICE
    • Twenty Twenty Vision
    • HIDDEN ...out loud
    • Encaustic 3D
    • Left of Field
    • Original Prints
  • About
    • Contact Form
    • Interviews & Video
    • Press & Publications
    • Curriculum Vitae
  • Commissions
  • Shop
  • Classes

Home from Switzerland

12/3/2020

0 Comments

 
Hi Friends,

Hope this finds you well, so if you know me at all you know I've been banging on about this amazing opportunity to exhibit in the ultra exclusive Gstaad region of Switzerland.  Well it was as simply AMAZING!

Miriam Fitzgerald Juskova, Fran Halpin and I set off last Thursday with travelling partners Mark Kelly (sexy groupie number 1) and Lorraine (Fran's sister and Sexy groupie number 2)! 

​ For fun and because we were proud of the opportunity to represent Ireland, in this truly international exhibition, we geared up!     ***Go Team Ireland***
We travelled in great form, lots of excited chats and fun had as you can see but we were going to do business and stand up for inequality in the arts world as was the remit of the show, arranged, curated and fashioned by organiser Leticia De Prado and her team at Artsfemin. 

The surrounding were crazy gorgeous, seriously!  Huss Hotel Gstaad is simply stunning as is the region it sits in...Saanen the local town is picture perfect in every way at the foot of the snow dusted alps.

Night one, after checking in and turning quite a few heads in this exclusive enclave with our Team Garb and after a very long day travelling we decided to join DJ Erick in the bar along with several other artists who had also arrived for the exhibition opening (in total 50 of the 55 artists where in attendance from across the globe) it was wonderful to finally meet our fellow exhibitors, we also met and mingled with a Google team party from Zurich thanks to my brother and his ability to make friends every where he goes in minutes!

We retired after a while to "wait for it" our own igloo for a quiet nightcap before turning in!!
Picture

 On Friday, after a Monster Breakfast, I had opportunity to spend a short amount of time with my sister Nyree, Declan her husband and their gorgeous daughters who live in Switzerland and who made the three hour track to come support me...(love you x) we headed into the beautiful town of Saanen, a picture perfect chalet town of quaint coffee shops and high end retail..after a short visit I had coffee in town with the other artists and Yuhdi Menuhin!? (he established a renowned music school here) before tracking back up the beautiful winding path to Huus.  We headed our separate ways to spruce up before reconvening for, a quick chat and lippie check - then we were on.

The venue was a buzz of excitement, glamorous, bustling and busy!  With opening speeches by organiser Leticia of Artsfemin and French Princess Hermine de Clarmont-Tonnere, the mixing and mingling went well into the night with a presentation of the catalogue and a certificate to each of the artists involved.  Those that know me will understand how difficult I find it to take pictures during an event so I have included only a small selection here. 

I met so many amazing people over the course of the three days exhibiting during this event, so many new talents to follow on Social platforms, to share and learn with, and a handful I shall stay in contact with for many a year!  The only downside of this international exhibition is the aftermath - Corona was just hitting us as we left, and as I am immuno-suppressed I did take precautions with hand-washing and gels but the severity of it only really impacted me on my return...for a few days now I have been suffering a chronic sinus infection and after a call from my doctor am on a weeks lockdown with antibiotics to beat the band - And today the schools and childcare facilities closed down until the 29th March! 

 it doesn't dampen the experience of travel and experiences like this with family, friends - new and old, the opportunity to do this type of work is never wasted and is always a learning curve and as I carry on in my creative journey I do hope it shall continue, and did I mention the PRESS was Great! - Go safe my friends, and thanks to all in Huus, Artsfemin, Gstaad and Solothurn for such a memorable experience.

​ x N

Even more Swiss photos.

SAFEHOUSE and my Catalogue Interview

Irish National and Local Press


Picture

​I would like to take a minute to thank Monaghan Enterprise Centre, for assistance through their T.A.M.E. program and particularly all the team in my local LEO office. Thanks folks x Niamh. 

0 Comments

Hi Folks, painting residency and exhibiting overseas!

4/2/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture

Hi there Arty Friends,

I'm happy to tell you all  I've been painting ... A LOT.... I started back at the paints prior to Christmas, splashing acrylics about in a bid to loosen up, to find some new flow to my work and to challenge myself to working in a different way but influenced by how I normally work with Encaustic.

Its been a revelation to be honest..layering hand made collage and monoprint over intuitive  super expressive marks, playing with tones and hues and then moving into the more decisive and questioning part of the painting has really opened up some different conversations for me...I tried to further the challenge by reducing my palette, both in terms of paint and collage and with thanks to a very intensive (self imposed I might add)  yet pleasurable week on an artists residency at the amazing Tyrone Guthrie Center I feel some real progress has been made.

Just as well says you as I prepare for two solo exhibitions in the Autumn/Winter season..but more on that later...

I have a few classes coming up shortly, another retreat weekend for the ICA at An Grianan and an encaustic print making demo at Creative Spark on behalf of AAEX, a gig Im very much looking forward to, as I get to share my techniques with my peers. 

But my primary concern this month is exhibiting in Switzerland from the end of the month, a visit I hope to extend by visiting with my sister and her family, two birds one stone and Im hoping its going to be a great experience...its definitely a learning curve transporting large scale works abroad but Im hopeful with the advice we have been given all will be well..It is going to be a great show, 55 international female artists descending on the glamorous town of Gstaad facilitated by Swiss arts led group Artsfemin and supporting WFWI charity....showcasing work from across the globe and supporting one another and I am delighted to be joined representing Ireland by my friends and colleagues Miriam Fitzgerald Juskova and Fran Halpin...please wish us well and follow our social media feed for the daily updates.


​
For now I shall leave you a little video of my work in progress time at TGC and the terrific time I had in starting 15 paintings, some on paper , some canvas...more to be done ...Bye for now. xx N.
1 Comment

THE POST CHRISTMAS CATCH UP!  Bumpy but back at it!!

9/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Hi Folks,

So late as it is, this is my first blog of 2020, and as such  I want to start off by saying I hope this decade is the best yet for you all. 

​The end of 2019 was a little bumpy here as my poor mam was desperately unwell post knee surgery and contracted MRSA, it was a worry for sure...she has really been through the mill but is rallying well just with one or two continuing complications...it made us all very quickly access how lucky we really are..its a very true statement that your health is your wealth, as well I know.... thankfully with mum on the mend, kids back to school and hubbie to work I can return to the studio, Christmas was a quiet affair, we all had the awful bug in the run up to the big day so to say we enjoyed our quiet family Christmas at home is an understatement.
Picture
Me mam in her hay-day, just look at those Pins...great legs, now got new knees!!

AAEX - INSTALLATIONS EXHIBITIONS. Nov 2019.

If you follow me on social media you will already know about my involvement in the wonderful AAEX Installations show prior to Christmas in Dundalk, Co. Louth.

AAEX or 'Art As Exchange' is a professional arts group of approx 30 like minded individuals bringing attention to North Louth and subsequently the entire North East region through their engaged public art.  AAEX teamed up with curator Anne Mager from 'The Corridor' to explore alternative exhibition spaces in Dundalk,  with the help of several supporting partners we secured a large vacant shop on Clanbrassil Street and satellite installations at The Demesne, the Longwalk Shopping Centre, the route from the Train Station through to Park Street and the County Museum.  The exhibition ran from 15th Nov - 29th Nov and culminated in a wonderfully attended and lively engaging panel discussion hosted by AAEX, Anne Mager and Marcel Krueger 'Where is the art in Dundalk'

I was delighted to reconfigure my spirit bowls (Series: Ballast Full of Hope) and build a site specific display in a very dark anti-room off the main exhibition space in Clanbrassil Street for this event.

My installation entitled 'Abundance' comprised  a collection of delicate hand cast pure wax bowls, vessels, arranged amidst black draping and reflected in mirrored glass, to express the infinite possibility in us all…Abundance. Was there to be found and yet one must seek it out….

This was a thrilling vibrant and enlightening group to work with, I am very excited for any future association with AAEX and honored to be among them…to find out more about the group and amazing line up of artists check them out on social media here, see the jam packed catalog here.

For now, here is a wee video compilation of the event I made and a look at several of the amazing installations that made this such a vital and versatile arts event.

I will check in here again very shortly with a little news about what the first quarter of this year has in store for me...stay tuned and stay well, until then.   x N.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Latest News

    Author

    Contemporary Visual Artist working in mixed media/encaustic based in the drumlins of Co.Monaghan. Ireland.

    Archives

    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017

    Categories

    All
    Aaex
    An Grianan
    April
    Armagh
    Art
    Art And Studio Chats
    Art &Health
    Artist Talks
    Arts Community
    Artsfemin
    Arts Platform
    Blog Posting
    Blood Transfusion
    Booking
    Canada
    Challanges
    Charity
    Chine Colle
    Claas
    Class
    Classes
    Clones
    Collaberations
    Co.Monaghan
    Content
    Creative Spark
    Curated
    Curator
    Deidre Hierlihy
    Demos & Workshops
    Dundalk
    Duo Class
    Encaustic
    Enniskillen
    Enniskillen Castle
    Equality
    Exhibition
    Exhibitions
    Facebook
    Facilitating Group
    Fem_art
    Fermanagh
    Fermanagh & Omagh
    First Glimpse
    Fran Halpin
    Fresh From The Studio
    Friends And Colleagues
    Fundraising
    GAA
    Gabrielle Flynn
    Gallery
    Global Exhibition
    Groupshow
    Group Show
    Gstaad
    Hambly & Hambly Gallery
    Health
    Hidden Out Loud
    Hosting
    Incognito
    Ink
    Instagram
    Installation
    International Exhibition
    Invitation
    Jack & Jill Foundtion
    Learn Encausti
    Learning
    Left Of Field
    Lithography
    Location
    Louth
    Metoo
    Miriam Fitzgerald Juskova
    Monaghan Arts Network
    Monotype
    New Art
    New Series
    Niamh O'Connor Art
    Niamh Teaches
    Omagh
    One Of A Kind Works
    On The Road
    Opening Reception
    Original Art
    Outreach Programme
    Packing
    Painting
    Pinterest
    Politics
    Poly Plates
    Press Coverage
    Printing Press
    Printmakibg
    Printmaking
    Print Making
    Process
    Professional Artist Exhibit Together
    Recommendations
    Residency
    Retreat Weekend
    Safehouse
    Sharing
    Shifting Walls Exhibition 2019
    Small Works
    Social Media
    Solas Art Gallery
    Sponsored Class
    Strule Arts Centre
    Suggested Reads
    Summer Schedule
    Switzerland
    Taster Session
    The Everday
    Touring
    Travel
    Tyrone Guthrie Centre
    Ulster Canal Stores
    Upcoming
    Video
    Visiting Artist
    Waterways Ireland
    Wax And Iron Painting Classes
    Wax Painting.
    Wax & Pigment Original Prints
    Where To Next
    Workshop
    Works In Progress
    Works On Paper

    RSS Feed

    Want a studio update once a month, subscribe here

    * indicates required
    / ( mm / dd )
    Email Format

    Please select all the ways you would like to hear from Niamh O'Connor Visual Art:

    You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website.

    We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

​Gallery:
FIRE & ICE
​Twenty Twenty Vision
Hidden Out Loud
Sculpture/Installation​
Encaustic Original Print
​


About:
Contact Form
 
Press & Publications
 Curriculum Vitae
Commissions
Shop:
​FIRE & ICE

​Paintings on Canvas & Paper
Wax & Pigment Prints


Classes
artistniamhoconnor@gmail.com

​IMAGES COPYRIGHT 2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NIAMH O'CONNOR.
  • Gallery
    • FIRE AND ICE
    • Twenty Twenty Vision
    • HIDDEN ...out loud
    • Encaustic 3D
    • Left of Field
    • Original Prints
  • About
    • Contact Form
    • Interviews & Video
    • Press & Publications
    • Curriculum Vitae
  • Commissions
  • Shop
  • Classes