'Reflections of Place', - Exhibition Invitation.

'Reflections of Place', opens two weeks from today in mid town Manhattan.

Destined for New York

My Paintings Crated Up & Destined for New York City. 
Wish me Good Luck!

Studio Shots

The Studio last week, in final preparation for my coming New York City Solo Show,

which is titled 'Reflections of Place'. 

(will follow with details shortly)

- Richard

Ireland of the Welcomes

To my absolute surprise a friend of mine from America called Maryteresa sent me a beautiful and moving note about her looking through a magazine with her Aunt, who suffers from dementia. 

Lo and behold they came across this article in the publication of Ireland of the Welcomes, and Maryteresa said to herself, 'I think I recognize those images'!
Maryteresa had in fact written to the magazine about my work some months ago, and there it was - a short piece entitled 'Art and Soul' with an overview of my work and practice.

Maryteresa told me, 'My aunt was able to talk a lot just using your paintings, to tell me how they made the roofs of the cottages, and what they used to paint the walls of the house with as well as what her father did with the house'.

'She was able to stay focused on this, and your paintings triggered some good old memories.

5 minutes later she was confused again, but those minutes in Ireland for her were good, thanks'.

 

This is Tomorrow - Jerwood Painting Fellowships 2013

A Wonderfully well put together article/discourse/review by Simon Bayliss - a contemporary of mine from Devon, who completed his masters degree at the Burren Cottage of Art the year before last.

Brilliantly considered piece. Beautifully written.

http://www.thisistomorrow.info/viewArticle.aspx?artId=1772&Title=Jerwood%2520Painting%2520Fellowships%25202013

Artist work above : Anthony FarouxTitle : I'm Not Right, I Just LeftDate(s) : 2013Material : Oil on canvasWebsite : www.jerwoodvisualarts.org

Black Shack among the Mangroves, Koh Kood

Black Shack among the Mangroves, Koh Kood - oil on canvas

The last of my plein air paintings, that I will post which was created this year in Thailand.
Working outdoors continues to be for me such an invigorating, developmental and informative discipline.
I hope this summer in Ireland will bring equal opportunities to develop my open air painting and take it to further fulfillment. I am certainly planning to paint outdoors in New York as much as time will permit next month! Look forward to sharing those experiences with you soon.

- Richard

Dick Hearns 1907 - 1993

In my last blog post I had talked about my lifelong connection and interest in the art of traditional boxing and martial arts. To follow up I thought to attach these images of my grandfather and his achievements as a boxer and athletics. Last year The Dick Hearns Training and Fitness Center was opened in Ballina, Co. Mayo, in honor of his achievements and great sportsmanship in many different disciplines, not least boxing.

Below is a list of his records which includes the 198 fights in which he won 173. In the 25 contests that ended in defeats, 10 in subsequent bouts proved victorious. 

I remember Papa (Dick) skipping in his late 80's. He was an extraordinarily wonderful, gentle man, and much loved grandfather.

You can click on the image to read the text in large.

A different kind of Art, Building Energy and Sean Scully.

Richard Hearns - Visual Artist - Preforms Kenpo Karate - Form One, in Thailand 2013

Yesterday I took a walk from my studio to the Hugh Lane Galley, and to my delight was greeted by a collection of works entitled 'Doric', by the renowned Dublin born artist Sean Scully.

Always on seeing paintings by Sean, I am reminded of a documentary called 'The Bloody Canvas', which I watched a few years ago. This fascinating documentary draws parallels between the worlds of art, traditional boxing and the martial arts.

You can only imagine my surprise when I discovered that Sean Scully, who is now sixty eight years of age, also practices the discipline of Karate, and has had a life long interest in boxing and Martial Arts as I have had.

Over the past ten years I have found the discipline of Martial Arts, to be extremely beneficial, both to my art practice and life in general. My time away from home in Thailand over the years has always been filled with my martial art training and painting, and this year was no exception.

Today I want to share with you this 'different kind of art practice' that I have studied.
I have found the disciplined practice of martial arts enables me to build vast amounts of energy, which then in turn filters into my art practice and my painting.

In 2005 I won first place in my category for this Form, at the World Kenpo Karate Championships.
I hope it made my grandfather proud!

Here is a link to a 'short' from that incredible documentary ' The Bloody Canvas '.
https://vimeo.com/34616636

- Richard