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'Bliss' [1991]
People say this always makes them smile. I
get more comments about this than anything else. Would you believe
that I used a mirror to get that facial expression? You would? I'm
only 34!
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'Heavensent Harlequin' [1994]
This was created specifically for our company's
identity - it appeared most prominently on our business card and
as an animated sequence on the showreel. Looking back I see no connection
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'Punch' [1994]
This began with an idea by TV Graphic Designer
Jill Simpson for an animated RTE television 'Pres'
piece she was conceptualising. It was for the new TV Summer Schedule.
In the end it wasn't used but I got to do additional work on the
illustration which became increasingly menacing - I'm glad I put
in the free work - look what I ended up with in my portfolio.
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'Rocket' [1996]
Shortly before I plunged headfirst out of
Illustration and design as a business and into web media, I started
loosening up and experimenting more - especially with textured grounds.
I suppose I thought I'd nothing to lose! In this case it was probably
roughly spread white emulsion paint on thick card with a course brush.
When dry it's a fascinating surface to work on. Later I think I used
Acrylic Gesso Primer.
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'Wavy Haired Girl' [1996]
Once again - the looser style on gesso. I
was excited that I seemed to be on the brink of a freer, more individual
style - ironic that I then went off an changed career! Perhaps when
you sense the inevitable you lose your inhibition.
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'Mankind United' [1996]
This was a cynical article about why people
are motivated toward acts of generosity and caring, the selfish gene
etc. I find Richard Dawkins very interesting so I enjoyed this commission
immensely. I really got creative with it...
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'Albert' [1995]
I thought I'd do something of a famous person.
This was inspired, I recall by Philip Glass and Robert Wilson's Opera,
Einstein on the Beach. Hmm, I must find that album and give
it a spin... Albert looks a little nervous here - perhaps it's the
little mushroom cloud in the corner. He's not sure if he should 'fiddle'
whilst the world burns?
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'Mr Johnson' [1995]
Another person, famous in Blues circles at
least - did you see that dreadful film 'Crossroads'? Robert Johnson.
I played Rural Blues music for years in International Blues Festivals.
It seems that Robert arrived at the crossroads in Mississippi and
made a deal with the Devil - sold his soul. He was an ace guitarist
and singer. To this very day [and perhaps forever] his songs will
be slaughtered by bad electric blues bands. Sometimes, being the
greatest influence can have it's down-side. In this picture he seems
to be holding back or fanning the fires of hell with his guitar.
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The Giant Atomic X-Thing from the Planet
ARRGGGHH! [2002]
I was doing some illustrations for a Coke/Ster
Century Cinema promotion and I had some fun with this unused [un-called
for?] one whilst awaiting feedback [which was excellent]. This is
the only thing I've ever done which still makes me laugh every time!
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'Future Sex' [1997]
This was for a Sunday Independent Newspaper
article about drug and VR enhanced sex in the future. The dull procreation
part of the process taken care of with AI.
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'The Generation Gap' [1998]
Interesting job this. Checkout magazine ran
an article about GM food technology - so from the depths of my mind
I dragged this disturbing eugenic/tomatostein image. Topics raised
in the article included pig genes in tomatoes. I was about
to say that I didn't...
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Mouth [1997]
A strange one; I was reading a lot about Francis
Bacon [the painter] at the time and his erotic fascination with the
mouth. He had a book of etchings of diseases of the mouth that he
bought in Paris [eughh]; and he...
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'Is your husband a Psychopath?' [1996]
Interesting article that I illustrated for
the Irish Sunday Independent Newspaper. Errol Flynn was cited as
a classic example of the 'Socially-adjusted psychopath'. Here I was
venturing into the combined Academic and Collage mode...
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'MVSCVLO' [1996]
Slightly disturbing image inspired by the
Italian Anatomist Vesalius. I had prepared an experimental
ground - tissue paper stuck messily onto card with PVA glue hoping
that the result would inspire me. It did. The texture of the hard-set
tissue was reminscent of veins so I began to sketch with coloured
China-Graphs [an oily pencil used in Film editing] I went back into
it with gouche and watercolours which happily refused to sit on the
oily rendering as I expected. The result was more disturbing perhaps
than the black and white Rennaisance etchings and a little less comical.
How can you laugh at a full colour flayed man? Interestingly...
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'TnaG article' [1996]
Sunday Independent article about TeleNaGael;
and its 'propping-up' with RTE generated revenue [the State TV station].
TnaG is actually a pretty good channel. They show old good
movies and lots of good documentaries about Irish History, ancient
crafts & culture like Currach building...
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'Lessons in Elitism' [1995]
I'm still proud of this piece, it seems
to be chock full of good ideas. I can't help thinking that this was
one on which my wife pitched in with the concepts...
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