It has been a busy couple of months, to say the least!April got off to a sweet little start with the OFFSET festival at Bord Gáis. I had the opportunity to attend Friday's day of events and not surprisingly, it was filled with lots of inspiring creatives and their work. Stephen Kelleher commenced the day with an outstanding presentation and insight into his work and life as a designer. Robert Ballagh amazed the audience with his impressive portfolio and all round modest personality to boot, and Morag Myerscough blew me away with her wonderful colour installations. The day ended with lots of laughs for Mr. Bingo- a real treat to see what this guy has done! As usual, walking away from OFFSET, one feels a slight envy seeping in (lets be honest!) but overall an inspiring, uplifting and reassuring day to be an artist, designer and maker. Creative brains unite!Barcelona was the next highlight of the month. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to visit ELISAVA design and engineering university in Barcelona on a staff exchange. All of the staff at ELISAVA were so helpful, especially Andreu and Paolo who gave me the grand tour of the Library and college campus there. Meeting with some of the postgrad students, as well as the first year Product Designers was a really enjoyable experience, and interesting to see the similarities between NCAD and ELISAVA.Just from visiting MACBA, The Picasso Museum, as well as numerous of the smaller art galleries and design houses; the city was bursting with food for thought...as well as food for devouring! Amazing city to visit- thank you Barcelona!:)As Co-Founder of a new artist collective, Studio Blasta, I have just finished a mammoth project with two other artists and designers, Anita McCarthy and Bláthnaid Ní Mhurchú for Crumlin Children's Hospital. The project is a collaboration between Google and Vision branding to redesign the infamously dark and dreary "Long Walk" corridor in the hospital.It has been a tough few months to try and get all of this design work together, along with all of our own busy home and professional working lives; but we got there! and the work is being installed by Vision this week. We're hoping to launch the new 'Magical Corridor' on Wed 1st June to celebrate making this space a more creative, imaginative and fun space for children, their family and the staff at Crumlin Children's Hospital. We're hoping there will be lots of smiles on this newly imagined corridor!And finally, i'm on the last stint of preparation for the solo exhibition 'Bardo' at The Arthouse in Stradbally on June 12th. This is surely a day to relax and celebrate all of the hard work put into the residency and traveling up and down to the studio last year. 'Bardo' is an exhibition of new and unseen paintings and a sound installation, about life, death and renewal. The exhibition will be opened by Jenny Haughton, lecturer at IADT and Public Art Co-ordinator of the Grange Gorman Development Agency. Light food and refreshments with be served. Press release and invites to follow in the coming weeks.
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