June might hold the longest day, but boy is it a short month...

Can you believe it’s the middle of June folks, How quickly has this year passed…for the most part I do hope its been good for you…

I’ve been very much wearing my Mammy hat of late as my eldest boy (the beautiful Sam) has just completed his Jnr Cert exams.  Is it normal folks to feel more anxious for them then they do themselves?

 I’m happy to report he felt satisfied he did his best and what more could we ask of them.  If you had any for exams reward yourselves with a cuppa tea (or something stronger if that’s your tipple) it’s a real life hurdle of pressure and outside state approved judgement, a judgement of worth.  I suppose its our first world passage of rights to becoming an adult in a fast and commercially furious world and they feel it! Every expectation, both their own and others and where here, locally, there was a tragedy that meant another boy, a lovely boy, did not live to get the opportunity to participate in this period of school life, it made it all the more poignant in our household, how fortunate we are to see our boy participate and  and how grateful we are to be here to experience it and live it alongside of him.  

​Now what do we do with him for the the summer!!!!!

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Classes...where I've been and whats coming up...

Its busy, bustling and active here in my studio I’m happy to report….primarily, as you know, I have been prepping for classes.  It’s a very busy season for me as I roll out my encaustic wax and iron starter sessions, and I have a retreat weekend coming up in An Grianan, Termonfeckin for the ICA (a place I love to visit and a marvelous group of proactive and fun women). 

Additionally I’m also prepping for an upcoming booking with Droichead arts centre in Co. Louth for my new workshop: Encaustic monotype printmaking class.  It will be my second session at the Droichead as part of their outreach program and I’m delighted to be engaging with the groups and the Arts Centre itself but I’ll tell you more about that later.

I also have the pleasure of creating a new workshop for our local council during Heritage Week, "Drawing on our heritage" is what I'm calling it and I am utilising a new way of working with wax for this workshop, trace monotype with encaustic...It took me quite some time to figure it out, (I'm not sure if I have invented this but if you know of any reference to others working in this way I'd be interested to hear -thanks ) We will learn how to adapt the elements of heat and layering of image, paper and home made wax plate with medium to get the best outcomes, and I'm thrilled to report its a goer...17th  - 24th August here in the County Museum if you're interested..check out 
County Monaghan Heritage Office for updates closer to the time for this and a plethora of other interesting workshops offers and events celebrating our marvelous heritage.

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Last Saturdays session.
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I just recently had the pleasure of facilitating a workshop at the newly renovated Clones Ulster Canal Stores here in Co. Monaghan as part of Waterways Irelands: Water Willow and Wildlife project…super day, the facilities at the Ulster Canal Stores are terrific, the new workshop/multi purpose room downstairs built just off the Clones Lace Museum (a definite must see if you love crochet and social history and heritage) is stunning, its large, bright, warm and leads out to a wonderful outside seating area and garden…I will deffo use it again, it had everything going for it, including a café upstairs and plenty of parking, pleasant staff and great coffee.  The class was quick and dirty, two fully immersive hours of technique focused on wax  flowers and landscape development.  The group left with maybe eight or ten pieces each and I had a number of requests for group bookings going forward. 

I do love these classes, at a time when I am well enough to ramp up my studio practice again I need to be earning to keep myself afloat in materials and light and heat until the exhibitions come in, and I can't think of a nicer way to do it then spend time with these good people…these classes are so joyous it never feels like work…do what you love they say….its true.
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Exciting times ahead.
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​Speaking of Exhibitions ....Curator here yesterday...big news coming shortly of a 5 person show...all female...3 Venues over the next 9 months....all will be revealed ...the excitement is building...as is the workload....and I'm dying to share it all with you....I shall be showing some 3d works from my ' Hidden Out Loud' series and all seven of my new monotypes from my 'Left of Field' series that I teased you with previously are up for consideration...and if that's not enough excitement I have confirmed a new solo exhibition for 2020 too....its great to be back in the saddle and feel the energy and strength return to a degree where I can focus on this again I'm back in the game folks.

​hurrah! x

caught on camera whilst discussing this piece in the studio today lol