the aRT of jOC

Artist.

Artist is of course an umbrella term for Painter [Oils, mainly] Photographer [mobile, these days. A xiaomi 14 ultra] and musician [producer, singer, song writer]

Like most people I could draw before I could write. Unlike most people that went on for a little longer than it should have. Back in the day Dyslexia was only emerging as a real thing. The year before I left school I won a local Art Competiton. It was judged by a man call George W. Webber. A retired Professor of art. The prize for winning? George would have me do odd jobs around the house. In return he would sit a chat to me for a little while and then give me art lessons. Often ending with him sending me away a few dozen slides of famous paintings. I would have to learn off "by wrote" styles, years, artists and titles, all before my next visit.

I decided to take art as a subejct for my Leaving Certificate. My school di not have art on the curiculum but they got the papers for me anyway. I hadn't studied the course and I couldn't answer the questions. Instead I recounted the coversations I had with George.

I came away with a high pass.

I went to Art School L.A.S.D. Foundation year was a blast. I loved everything about it. I thought I would be a scupltor. But I needed to earn a living so I went for Graphic Design. 18 months later I left disalusioned. Moved to London, got a job as Graphic Designer / Layout artist / Photographers assistant. Became a musician. Worked as Sound engineer. Ran a market stall. Studied computing. Became a website builder. Learned to fix computers. Moved back to Ireland.

So here I am. Decades later. Picking up from where I left off. My only goal is to progess. To enjoy each step. To learn and to grow. And most of all ... to Paint