Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Is it worth a second look?

Lessons about vision from an early morning walk and metaphors for life
As an artist I have come to accept that although people will copy what I do no one will make work exactly like I do, so I share and know that some of you will value my work and others will value the sharing of information. But at some stage I hope the two converge.
As an artist I continue to make work and strive to find a sustainable business model for my creative practice; increasing my sales of art, securing more commissions, devising projects and events. I hope if you enjoy or value my work you will find away to share that with those in your circle and consider purchasing some art work.
Cahore House Hotel, Wexford. Roisin Markham
This morning on my walk around Cahore Point a pheasant perched on some old tree trunks made me walk towards Cahore House Hotel. To which I normally glance and stroll on. There were a few things that struck me on this soft misty morning that was turning in to drizzle. A farmers gate free standing with no fence around it. The fence long since fallen over in the normally soggy ground that due to several weeks of fine weather I could walk over. What you don't sense in the picture are the rooks chatting, the sound of the sea in the background, the sound of wood pigeons. Yes I did think to take some video but felt it would not evoke exactly that and words would work.
The mist was doing a great job of dampening down all the colours. It was n't quiet dramatic but something else happened as I walked closer and viewed the scene from different angles.
But how does one turn an insipid washed out image into something worth looking at?
How do you respond to what is presented to you? 
How do I translate and evoke what appears to hand in such a way to show you it is worth a second look?
Cahore House Hotel, Cahore Point, Wexford. Roisin Markham
I change the parameters in which I interact, interpret and communicate.
What do you do? is this approach useful in your work or life?

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

nothing is ever wasted

a story a day proposal for healthcare art residency c. 2008 Roisin Markham.
Ideas, proposals, projects. They may seem to go away but they hover there in the fog of the mind mix. The time spent thinking, researching, defining ideas writing proposals that get rejected, that get put aside.
None are wasted. You shall see...

Friday, March 18, 2011

Glendalough, a labyrinth on St.Patrick's Day 2011 & forty shades of green

Yesterday Ireland's national holiday we headed to Wicklow to an old favourite, Glendalough nestled in the Wicklow mountains an ancient monastic site that today still holds a certain soulful spiritual mystic quality that Ireland does so well.
Glendalough, Wicklow, Ireland. Roisin Markham
I grew up in County Wicklow and have memories of walks in Glendalough as a child. In my twenties I remembering cycling out to it as part of my maracycle training. Now I hanker after Glendalough usually in the Autumn where the trees take on the changing seasons like a coloured cloak. It is nice to visit at any time of the year. Spring has n't quite made it to this part of the garden of Ireland yet. One of my friends commented that it could have been November.
It was great to go for a day into the fresh air, for it not to rain and the sun to make its presence felt. I had n't been to Glendalough for ages, it's a great spot to meet Dublin based friends for a walk, picnic and reconnecting. But I had another reason I also wanted to go to see the labyrinth. Having only recently heard that one had been created there.
Labyrinth at Glendalough, Wicklow. Roisin Markham
I have to admit to being disappointed. It looks more significant in the photo then it was. It felt like a very unfinished piece of land art. I think I will return to have a closer look when the park is less busy and see if I can find out more about who is making it, why and is it finished...
Reefert Church, Glendalough, Wicklow. Roisin Markham
This is a selection of photographs I took around Reefert's Church it sits slightly elevated before the upper lake almost hidden in the trees. I think it dates from the 11th century. The green on the grass was a tufty fluffy green moss.
Which reminded me of some photographs I took of moss in the Dublin mountains circa 2004
Moss. Roisin Markham
and some subsequent design for print I worked on around these colours.
As you can see there is something interesting going on her for my psyche I am back to the green...
I'm sitting here laughing. I did n't consciously wear green yesterday. None of us had little tuffs of shamrock attached to our jackets.
Design available as a print. Roisin Markham
Wednesday evening I started thinking "well what does it mean to be Irish" and here is my blog post digressing into forty shades of green. Well that's okay too. I do have work available that is green and fabulous in the studio.
Alchemy, Of earth and soul. Roisin Markham
Acrylic on paper, 71 x 50cm. €900 framed.
Inland ii, 2005 – 2010. Roisin Markham
Acrylic on watercolour board,78 x 58cm. €1,100
Inland ii is part of a series painted around motherhood, fertility, more particularly the postpartum space where you know or decided not to have any more children. That sense of nurturing, acceptance, loss, gratitude that I felt for experiencing the mothering space physically within myself and within my life. This particular piece goes beyond that and asks questions around space we create to nurture ourselves, others.
It is currently on it's way to auction 50% of the proceeds will go to One in Four a charity I support. If I sell it I will donate 50% of the proceeds to this charity.
 Contact me if you see something you like. Framed work can be shipped unframed, negotiated prices will include shipping. Purchasing plans can be agreed and I do have paypal. You can also call me on +353.86.1546163.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

working with people, 1:1 sessions

I've always enjoyed working with others and watching them take courageous steps towards reaching their own goals. My community arts practice revolves around creativity for boosting morale and self esteem, actually a lot of what I do in CreativeDynamix could be linked to that theme with a health side order of empowerment. 
Recently I've had a steady stream of people coming to me for one to one sessions. You might have seen me refer to them as ...illuminating personal pathways. I love them! Yes people & the work. It functions at what ever level you need it to.
I often make work or doodle when people are in session we've been finding it usually adds a layer of meaning. This was a doodle I did for a client recently during a phone session as we were talking...
as we were talking
doodle from 1:1 phone session, Roisin Markham
The 1:1 illuminating personal pathway sessions combine active listening, grounding, running energy to clear and connect, intuitive response, creative making & sharing using art materials to translate and make tangible like prototyping. Sometimes sessions have been walk & talk, involved spontaneous dancing, laughing sometimes tears as things get realised and released and sometimes there is homework!

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