At MOCA

Today I visited the newly built Museum of Contemporary Art in Bangkok.
This incredible museum space and collection is a much welcome resource to a city bulging with malls and food courts. Bangkok has been missing a well curated Museum, as my previous visits to the National Gallery and the 'Queens Museum' left a lot to be desired, to say the least.

I look forward to explore this museum on each return to BKK and will tell you more about it and its inception in the near future.

PJ Lynch Workshop at the RHA and life in BKK

Last week I attended a painting workshop at the Royal Hibernian Academy given by the renowned illustrator PJ Lynch . PJ is an amazing artist, writer and illustrator, and a wonderful communicator. I would recommend to anyone interested in improving their painting to keep an eye out for any workshop given by PJ.

The theme of the workshop was figure painting, with an emphasis on dramatic lighting.
We started each day with a different model beginning with quickly drawn gestural poses and gradually worked our way up to 'a painting sitting', which lasted a couple of hours. The models poses were evocative and costumes brilliant. And the way PJ controlled the lighting was great, as all to often at life drawing sessions the poses are boring, and lighting diffused and unfocused.

Here is a link to PJ's website. Christmas is coming soon, and anyone who has children or nieces and nephews should consider getting a copy of one of PJ's beautifully illustrated books. They are timeless and beautiful.


Myself and Boo arrived in Bangkok, Thailand three days ago, and have been busy catching up with friends and family and reintroducing ourselves to all the wonderful food and culture here. Between all the eating and sightseeing I have managed to work on a figure painting of my father, which I began at home the night before we left for Thailand.

While out for food and drinks with friends last night I found out to my delight that MOCA, the long awaited Museum of Contemporary Art in Bangkok has been opened. I can't wait to visit.!

Sending best wishes to all from Siam! - R

Self Portrait with Palette

Over the next few months I am going to hold off on posting images of the paintings I have been preparing for my next New York solo show in April 2013. I have quite a few finished pieces and works in progress for this show photographed, but will wait till sometime in late February or early March to share them with you.

On Wednesday morning myself and Boo leave for Thailand for three months. I am really looking forward to catching up with friends and family, the change of culture,  a different pace and of course the warm light. While there I plan to work on observational still life and landscape paintings, as well as some figurative studies.

I will try to post images and updates at regular intervals, say once a week.

Above is a detail from a recent self portrait I made. It contains a wonderfully rich application of paint, fluid gestural brush strokes and a strong focus.

Great News - The Ib Jorgensen Gallery

I received some really great news last week that I wanted to share with you all.

My paintings are to be represented by the Ib Jorgensen Gallery, which is one of the foremost established fine art galleries in the country.

I am truly honored to represented by Ib and Sile Connaughton Deeny (an Art Historian), and excited to work with them both into the future.

The Jorgensen gallery continues to represent the works of many of Ireland's most interesting and renowned artists of the past and present, as well as a selection of established European artists. I consider myself truly lucky and gifted to be seen in the same space as many of these artists at this stage in my career.

The Jorgensen Fine Art Gallery is now located at 14 Hibernian Way, just off Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

Lone House

Lone House, 2012 - oil on linen canvas - sold
Private Collection, Connecticut, New York

This quite startling house was for me, an image of abandonment and loss. Its quiet modern design sits incongruousness in the surrounding landscape. I felt it carried this tremendous felling of desolation and loss. A desert plain of absence.

Horse and Rider, Fanore

Horse and Rider, Fanore - oil/panel - 7"x5"
Composition in yellow and purple.

Majestic Cluster

Majestic Cluster -oil/panel - 7"x5"

Path through a Tree Grove

Path through a Tree Grove -oil/panel - 7"x5"

Another recent plein air sketch in oils. Below is an image of this study in its frame.