Hi! Hope you are all keeping well. Here's a wee update of my goings-onsies.
On the easel ...
Experimenting with cold wax medium!
Experimenting!
I'm working on a mini collection of portraits using cold wax medium. I've been wanting to try this for a while and this is my maiden voyage. So far I love how creamy and matte it makes my oil paint but after only a couple of hours I have to clean off my palette as it gets too dry. I'm enjoying the experimentations. It's challenging how I think and work.
'Cardigan' | Oil on board | 50 x 60cm
Completed - 'Cardigan'
This self-portrait captured a moment in time for me. My purple hair has been replaced by short blue hair now. I both loved and hated how difficult the cardigan was to paint and at times the task felt Sisyphean. Glad I persisted though.
"An introspective piece, Sinead seeks the familiar with a comforting woollen cardigan as the world outside turns upside down. It exposes her vulnerability and at the same time her resolve, pieced together by thousands of impasto brushstrokes and bright chromatic colours."
The colours in my painting were inspired from William Leech's 'The Sunshade' (picture to the right). I've always loved this painting and when I found the cardigan in M&S it just had to happen!
Too Shiny?
I recently completed this oil portrait of model 'Yan Yu' which has a lot of shadow and found myself frustrated with the shine of the oil paint. Makes it difficult to take a photo. This led me on a quest for matte-ification (not a real word lol) and I may have found the answer with cold wax (mentioned above). Only time will tell.
Many people like oil paint for the shine as it can create depth in the shadow areas but I must follow my instinct. There's just a certain texture I'm seeking that I haven't quite found yet. The quest continues ...
'Yan Yu' | Oil on board | 30 x 21 cm
Teaching ...
I've become quite the regular at the Schoolhouse for Art. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings you'll find me sipping my Earl Grey, trying to abstain from almond croissants from Ohso in the beautiful Enniskerry village. I'm very grateful to be able to do this and I really do love to teach.
Over the past 8 months I've had 95 students! OMG!
The classes are hybrid (in-person and online spots are available) and there is something for every ability.
"I'm enjoying it so much. Painting for personal joy is my new thing now. The challenge of working with oils is made so much fun by this brilliant course"
- Kate Bedell
Talking ...
I'll be doing a small presentation and sitting on a panel at this years UCD Neurodiversity Celebration Week on Wed 23rd March.
"We are pleased to invite you to join the UCD community for Neurodiversity Celebration Week. On Wednesday 23rd March we are very pleased to welcome Ms Siena Castellon as our keynote speaker for the afternoon. Siena is the founder of Neurodiversity Celebration Week and is currently studying at Stanford University. Following Siena’s presentation we will have two panels focusing on neurodiversity after graduation and in the workplace with speakers from Google, the Arts, Medicine, and Goldman Sachs."
Exhibiting? Selling? Commissions?
Not right now. I'm deep in project mode but stay posted.
Other Shiny Things ...
Wow! Well done for reading this far!
I cut my hair A LOT, and also it's blue. I became a Rosemary & Co. Affiliate! I took part in some research with the University of Sussex, I'm officially a synaesthete! I bought a djembe drum. Also I watched all four seasons of Star Trek Enterprise and actually enjoyed it!
These are the voyages ...