"Delete Files" as part of the recent "Seven Spanish Angels" Online Exhibition

“Delete Files”

Original Artwork 650mm H x 810mm W Mixed Media on Canvas

Presenting “Delete Files” an original artwork which was in my recent “Seven Spanish Angels” Exhibition and is now SOLD.

An art piece about anarchy, taken from a positive perspective rather than a negative one.

“Delete Files”, a punk poem by PIGSY

FXXX off cloud
Cause I live in the cloud
I'm a cloud you dig
FXXX off cloud FXXX
A torn in the nettle baby
Clouded mind of thinking where things seem real but are false
Now do I live in a world that's boring me? I'm boring because I'm done . I'm slow minded with a quick mind, in a world that I want to be dead in. FXXX off cloud

Shipping Art Worldwide

My art ships worldwide - this piece “Delete Files” is heading to a collector in Ireland directly from my studio here in Spain. Once sold, it got packed the day after it returned from the frame shop and then was sent straight to Ireland. It will probably arrive in time for the new owner to hang it on their wall in time for Christmas!

I always love to see how my art looks hanging on the walls in homes and different settings. When the new owner sends me a pic of this piece hanging up, I will share with you!

Advice direct from the Artist!

Have you got a space in your home that is crying out for an original artwork? Contact me directly for a chat about what you are looking for and I can assist. As you know, I am an Architect as well as an artist so I am happy to talk about what will work best in your space in regard to proportions, color, aesthetics, interior design and also in relation to your lifestyle and your likes and dislikes!

"PIGSY's work goes virtual" by Tony Bryant

Tony Bryant writes about PIGSY

Sur in English, 27th November 2020

Journalist Tony Bryant writes “Malaga-based Irish artist Pigsy (Ciaran McCoy) will host an online exhibition of his work from 28 November until 12 December. The artist, renowned for his large colourful paintings, will exhibit the body of work he has produced since arriving in Malaga earlier this year”………see full story here

Contemporary Art Exhibition

To view the video of the online exhibition “Seven Spanish Angels” by PIGSY, click here

“PIÑA y más allá” at La Casa Amarilla

“PIÑA y más allá” (Group Art Exhibition) at La Casa Amarilla Gallery in Malaga, Spain

La Casa Amarilla, Calle Santos, Malaga

3rd of Dec 2020 - 10th of Jan 2021

Opening Wednesday 3rd of December at 12pm

La Casa Amarilla’s Group Show opens today at 12pm. It’s a real life physical exhibition (remember those!). It’s an incredible collection of art with some of the best Malaga artists participating and it gives everyone an opportunity to buy art for Christmas gifts this year. The exhibition is made up of a physical exhibition where each artist was invited to submit one art piece while additionally there is a virtual exhibition where each artist submitted three artworks for inclusion. 2020 is definitely the year to support artists so please have a look at all of the available art in this exhibition (or exhibitions local to you) and make a decision to buy art for gifts this year.

As I mentioned, it is an incredible line up of artists and I am very proud to be included - particularly because I am so new to the art scene here in Malaga!

“This Situation is Muy Fragil”

The physical PIGSY piece that I have submitted and will be on display physically along with 3 others that will be shown virtually is called “This Situation is Muy Fragil #01”. It’s 52cm w x 52cm h in size and is mixed media on board in frame (framed here in Malaga). This along with all of the other artists’ paintings and art pieces will be on display until the 10th of January. Get in to enjoy these amazing works and to choose and buy a contemporary artwork before they are all sold out.

ARTISTS:

Aida Florido

Aranzazu Guma

Almaro

Bran Solo

Carmen Moreno

Carmen Campos

Cristina Savage

Cayetano Romero

Chema Lumbreras

Dalmacio Sos

David Burbano

David campaner

Efrain ortega

Eryk Pall

Esperanza Gomez-Guerrero

Hanna quevedo

Ismael Kachtihi del Moral

Irene Cruz

Juanjo Fuentes

Javier Bottle

Javier Roz

Julia Holtman

Joo eun

Jose Adrian

Lydia fernandez

The Rulla

Luis Alhama

Le Petit Kaiser

Maria Gkaliata

Miguel Martos

Misskafeina

Mister Kaikus 

Maite vroom

Mati Moreno

Matilde Júbia

Marta O Nilsson

Merche Ber

Nicko baills

Pablo Caro Revidiego

Pedro Ocana

PD (Pedrosa)

Philip McQueen

Paula Ortega

Pablo Rodriguez Guy

Paco Aguilar

"Pigsy"

Pilar Bandres

Rebecca Uliczka

Raul Navas

Ramon Paredes

Roy Laguna

Saul wes

Sergio Natty

Sebastian Navas

Tina Sanchez

Vicente Holgado

Yolanda dorda

Xavier Montsalvatge

PIGSY is SOLD!!

Edit: 8th December - “This Situation is Muy Fragil” is now SOLD!

Check out the not red dot, but yellow dot, that La Casa Amarilla Gallery (well it does mean “The Yellow House” in English!) uses to mark sold art.

There are three further PIGSY pieces that are being sold virtually in this exhibition in Malaga. Contact La Casa Amarilla Gallery Director David Burbano for further details.

2020: The year of staying safe outside

Word of 2020: Pandemic

Merriam-Webster and Disctionary.com have announced that the 2020 word of of the year is, not surprizingly, “Pandemic”.

The word “Pandemic” has been around for a very long time coming from the Greek language but for 2020 it obviously saw a resurgence in common usage along with newer terms like “social distancing”, “corona baby”, “covidiot” and “superspreader” and given the amount of searches online for “pandemic” it was chosen as the word of 2020 over the other newer words.

Product of 2020

And so if the word of 2020 is Pandemic, my choice for the product of 2020 is the humble enamel cup. As we attempted to stay safe from Covid-19 in 2020, many of us moved our socialising to the outdoors where the virus spreads less easily in comparison to badly ventilated indoor areas. It is in the outdoors what the enamel cup comes in to it’s own as it is easily transportable and it means that if you get an invite from a neighbor to call for a cup of coffee in their garden, you can bring your own cup. Enamel cups are also fairly sturdy and unbreakable and as mentioned in this article in Image Magazine enamel crockery is the perfect choice for use in the garden or park “If you don't like bringing your good crockery outside, then enamelware is a great alternative, as it's both sturdy and retains heat well”.

Enamel Cup Style

Enamel cups have been around for yonks and are a staple on camping trips or in picnic baskets. However, given the year we have been having I think it is advisable to buy an enamel cup with something extra that has a bit of style or pzazz if you are going to invest in one for your “al fresco” activities. And what’s got more style than an enamel cup printed with an original artwork by PIGSY?! It will definitely be a talking point when you take it on the hiking trail or enjoy a cup of coffee with friends in their garden.

Special Edition PIGSY art mug

To celebrate the election of President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris in the recent USA presidential elections, I made just 46 of my “Phoenix Rising” artwork available on an enamel mug. They are practically sold out now, so with only a few left it is the time to order one.

Other than the “Phoenix Rising” mug there is also the option of the “Squash Soldiers” mug which features a print of an original artwork that is now hanging in the prestigious Fitzwilliam Tennis Club in Dublin, Ireland.

There are other versions of the enamel art mug which you can see in my store.

Delight in small things

2020 has been a tough year for many but already there is good news about an imminent vaccine with the Pfizer Covid vaccine getting approval for use in the UK and there are plans to start rolling it out from next week. But in the interim, stay safe and delight in small things like enjoying a coffee in the outdoors in a special mug - but don’t forget that a mug like this will probably work perfectly for mulled wine too!!!

"Seven Spanish Angels"

An exhibition of art work created by PIGSY in his Malaga Studio

Online Exhibition Presented by DesignYard from 27th Nov - 12th Dec 2020

“Seven Spanish Angels” 1850mm H x 2993mm W

The centre piece artwork in the virtual exhibition of PIGSY’s latest body of work painted in Spain is titled “Seven Spanish Angels”.

This painting represents a show of respect from PIGSY to seven of the great Spanish artists. A nod, to inform all Spanish artist’s that PIGSY has arrived to create artwork on their home soil. The two indicators of hierarchy in the painting are ‘The Man P.P.’ ( Pablo Picasso) and New Man PIGSY (PIGSY himself). The other artists referenced, left to right, are Antoni Tapies, Joan Miró, Miguel Barceló, Luis Buñel, Jorge Randi, Salvador Dalí.

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso is placed beside the main portraiture of PIGSY as an acknowledgement of his stature with the figure of ‘Pablo Picasso’s ‘Susana y Los Ancianos, Niza, Verano 1955’ piercing through the mind of the central figure which is a reminder to the artist to always respect and learn from those who went before and to look to them for guidance when needed. All the other artists are reflected by their works in the painting through PIGSY’s inner mind.

The angel shows the equation 7 - 1 = 6 because one artist is still alive and showing Spanish art the true path. PIGSY figures that he is a + 1 but is not the 8th Spanish artist.

For full details of all of the pieces that are in the online show case, please visit Designyard

Click the Youtube video below to see the “Spanish Angels” Online Exhibition!

"Crypto Clast" 1618mm x 1000mm

"Reception" 1925mm x 2150mm

"DE FACTO LEADER" 1145mm x 1460mm

Seven Spanish Angels : PIGSY Exhibition News!

“Seven Spanish Angels” presented by Designyard

Created in the Malaga studio & Curated by Ronan Campbell 

Pigsy’s latest body of work will go on exhibition on www.designyard.com in a show called “Seven Spanish Angels”

Preview

27th November 2020 @ 6pm – email info@designyard.ie for early access

Show Dates

28th November – 12th December 2020

UPDATE - See the video of the “Seven Spanish Angels” Online Art Exhibition here

Creating Art in Spain

I’ve been working away here in Malaga since I left Ireland after lockdown at the end of July. It’s been an intensive few months and my production levels have been off the charts. Living through this pandemic has made me realize what a release creating art is and I’m really pleased to be able to show you all that I have been working on in an online format. With the creation of art being a release for me, I hope that the viewing and enjoying of my art is a release for you and takes your mind off some of the tougher scenarios that are being presented to us all at this time. And then in 2021 we will begin to show physically again with visitors being welcomed back in to galleries all over the world and you will get to see my work in person.

But until this time, please do enjoy immersing yourself in my new Spanish body of work!

- PIGSY

Exhibition Preparation in Malaga - Visiting the frame shop

Art Exhibition Preparation - Group Show

I’m currently working towards a Group Show that will be held here in Malaga at La Casa Amarilla. There is two parts to it. One is the actual real-life physical exhibition (remember those!) and the now familiar virtual exhibition to go alongside. Each artist has to submit 4 pieces, some which will be in the physical exhibition and others in the virtual exhibition.

In order to prepare for this showing, I selected the 4 paintings to be exhibited which I then had professionally photographed.

Framing PIGSY Art

The next step is to have the paintings framed. So I visited the frame shop today to discuss my framing requirements. I’ve written about how I like my work to be framed in a past blog andI was interested to see if I could replicate the same aesthetic here in Malaga as I specified at home in Ireland.

And so I set off for a walk through the streets of Malaga with a piece of art. Everything is so convenient here in Malaga city with just about every business that you could need available in the city and the director of La Casa Amarilla had given me the details of the framer which was only a few streets away from my studio.

After having a great chat with the framer we decided upon a style for the frame after having a good browse of his full selection - not quite my usual look but very close! I also got a quote for the work which I was agreeable to. It will take about a week for the framing work to be done and then they will be all ready for the exhibition in December. It’s my first exhibition here in Spain so I’m looking forward to it!

Here’s the details of the Frame Shop:

CRISTALERIA MALAGUEÑA.

Calle Carretería 29,

29008, Málaga

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"Mind on My Monet" - Guest Blog by Yadi

Guest Blog: Mind on My Monet

I’m delighted to present my first guest blog by art blogger Yadi of the uber popular “Mind on My Monet” instagram account in which she explores the art galleries of London along with her son Milo. I’ve enjoyed following Yadi’s instagram where she shares photographs of her son viewing the amazing art that they visit together. When I look at these instagram pics it makes me feel like I’m looking at art through the eyes of a child and as such it gives me a new dimension to it where I enjoy the art in its purest form without the baggage of adult life. I hope you enjoy “Mind on My Monet” instagram as much as I do!

About: Yadi of “Mind on My Monet” Instagram

Hi I’m Yadi, originally from the U.S., and now a mum of two in London. I previously studied photography, which is what brought me to London, and now I’m a full-time art enthusiast. I’m very lucky I get the chance to share my passion for all things art with my kids, and that was the main motivation for my Instagram page. I’ve come across other parents who were intimidated to take children inside commercial galleries and art museums, and I wanted to dispel the myth. London has access to some of the best art in the world, most of the time for free, so I use my page to encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of this.

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Children’s reaction to art

One of my biggest joys is seeing my son’s reaction to the art and exploring how he feels towards it. Children let you know right away why they love something (and very often why they don’t!). They also have a natural ability to be inquisitive. Milo eagerly wants to know more about a piece that catches his eye, and that is how our conversations normally begin.

Contemporary art and children

In terms of tips for other parents wanting to take children to art museums, start with the larger ones. For example, Tate Modern is a perfect place to start in London. I always say keep it light and fun. Contemporary art is great for this, as it’s easier for children to engage with. I also normally let Milo take the lead, let him find something he gravitates towards and see where that might take us.

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Thanks Yadi for your blog with words of wisdom and fantastic photos of Milo enjoying the contemporary art - I think your work on instagram is invaluable and it will help encourage many other parents and guardians to visit art galleries with their children and enjoy them as much as you do with your son!

Please do leave a message in the comment box below if you enjoy exploring art with the little ones in your life.

-PIGSY

On the tiles......in Malaga!

Spanish Traditional Tiles in Malaga

Not surprisingly tiles are everywhere in Malaga given the history of tile production over thousands of years in Southern Spain.

From mosaic tiles to more subtle plainer tiles they add so much character and pattern to the city.

Mosaic Factory Malaga

Near to my studio there is a wonderful Tile shop that does a modern take on the traditional tile - and they even have a facility where you can design your own personal mosaic pattern. See the Mosaic Factory instagram for more. They are based in Tangier since 2002 and have showrooms in Paris, London AND Malaga!

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Tiles in my Art Studio

In my art studio I am standing on a protected tile floor that was featured in the recently published “Malaga Patterns” book and accompanying exhibition by Nielo Muñoz. It’s a beautiful historic floor with amazing tile work (and I should know as my father was a master tiler in Ireland and I worked for him when I was young!).

As you all probably know at this point I am not an neat artist(!) so in order to protect the tiles I covered them up with a protective flooring to keep them clean and paint free.

I took a few pictures to show on this blog before I covered them up.

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As you can see the tiles are very traditional. The whole studio is very traditional Spanish with 3 large shuttered full floor to ceiling height windows that open up to 3 interconnecting balconies. I feel very lucky to paint here and am glad I am in a space that has a Spanish feel to it and is not some anonymous warehouse outside of town.

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As you can see in the above pictures the tiles are now covered up. It maybe looks less authentically Spanish now but at least the tiles are fully protected for future generations to enjoy!

Malaga Patterns

To read more about Malaga tile work, see Malaga Patterns Instagram with a beautiful book available also (all of the text is in both Spanish and English so it is very accessible!). The book is for sale in the Carmen Thyssen Museo Giftshop and the independent book store “Mapas y Compañia”, in Malaga.

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Malaga Patterns by Nielo Muñoz

Celebrate the US Presidential Election with the "Phoenix Rising" Art Mug

Congratulations America on your newly elected and 46th President: President Elect Joe Biden

Joe Biden & Kamala Harris

To celebrate the historic victory of President Elect Joe Harris and Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris, I have made a special release of the “Phoenix Rising Art Mug. It is now available in a limited edition run of 46! You can order today and once they are gone they are gone….

“Phoenix Rising”

The mugs are enamel and a perfect size for all. They are printed with the vibrant art work “Phoenix Rising” which was painted by PIGSY in lockdown in Dublin, Ireland. It is a painting that expresses positivity and hope for the future. It truly is a celebration of the fact that better days are on the horizon.

2020 Election Souvenir

This mug is a great memento of the 2020 US Election and can be kept as a collectible……or you can decide to take it with you when you are heading out on a hike or a camping trip - or just enjoy it out in the garden at night while unwinding and looking at the stars and drinking a hot cup of coffee!

2020 has been a tough year on all of us. But we will push through the challenges and things will get better. The historical results from the US Presidential election is evidence of this. We are strong, we are resilient and we will rise up!

46 Available!

To celebrate this historic victory I have made 46 of “Phoenix Rising” art cups available in a special edition. To order your “Phoenix Rising” art mug, contact me.

To frame or not to frame!

Framing and hanging artworks

Framing Art

I get asked a lot whether my artwork should be framed or not. Generally speaking, there are some of my artworks that I think benefit from framing. If this is the case I tend to specify an off-white tray frame with a shadow gap that always shows the side of the artwork and allows the painting to be read (this is one of my signatures - the majority of my paintings wrap and continue on the canvas around the canvas frame, i.e. the side of art works is an important part of the story within the painting). While if I haven’t either specified or actually framed an artwork it is then really a personal preference of the new owners as to whether they want to frame it or not. Sometimes collectors have a particular view on how they like to showcase their full art collections and can have a preference for a collective look and so because of this they frame all of their artworks with a particular frame style. I never have an issue with this!

Custom and Bespoke Frames

If you decide to frame a stretched canvas artwork, you will need to get a custom frame fabricated in a frame shop. In Ireland, I bring my canvas’ to FrameXperts in Ranelagh and they make my frames to my exact specifications. They are based in Ranelagh village, next door to Nick’s Coffee and are on instagram. I have yet to source a framer here in Spain but I plan to in the very near future as I have some large pieces on canvas that need to be stretched on to frames.

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“Phoenix Rising” a large scale artwork that I specified a frame for, which was then made by Angel in FrameXperts in Ranelagh (Dublin, Ireland)

I have never used glass to the front of any of my framed art works as I feel that this might have a glare and could decrease the viewing of the piece but it's your call on this and a framer/glazier can probably advise further on the best glass if you have a preference for a glass front. I also like viewers to get up close and personal to my artworks and again a piece of glass may prevent this. However on the other hand you may have a specific reason for putting glass to the front of an artwork due to its location, so again it is a personal call.

Hanging Art

This is an art in itself! But on a standard wall I normally hang a painting at 1.5M to the center of the painting. But honestly this all depends on the location and positioning of the painting in a room. I have given guidance in the past to collectors of my works when they have bought a piece from me and have gone visited with them in their home to discuss where is the best place to position the painting in particular rooms. Alternatively, if you have a lot of art it might be a good idea to hire a professional art hanger who will not only guide you on how and where to hang specific pieces but will hang them for you. This in my view is very helpful and could prevent holes in walls where art is hung crooked!

Positioning art and location

I advise considering carefully where to place artworks and to never hang paintings above a radiator or close to an area that may cause the painting to warp or get damaged. Direct sunlight for example can cause damage over the years. Hanging paintings in dark rooms near light switches also is not advisable because paintings can easily get knocked and damaged while someone searches for the light switch. A lot about positioning art is very common sense but some time does need to be given over to it, to ensure that your artwork is placed in the best and safest place that shows it in its best light. Other than that in regards to positioning a painting, I always advise to choose the location with your heart. Sometimes the best place for a new artwork is your favorite spot in the house - in a cosy den or above a chair in your library, or in your living area where you spend most of your time. In other words don’t hide your art away in rooms that you rarely use and remember to install some new lighting to direct at the piece if you want to show your art work off to its best effect!

Before framing

After framing

Hung & looking great!

"A Star is Born" (Recently Sold)

Friday Focus: “A Star is Born” by PIGSY

“A Star is Born” - 650mm x 900mm Mixed Media on Stretched Canvas

Today I am focusing on an artwork that has recently gone to its forever home in Ireland.

A mother’s love

“This art piece by PIGSY examines the endless love and goodness that all humans possess as they enter into the world. The artist recognizes how we are all born stars, regardless how society tries to tarnish this utopian state of being. We start with the endless possibility of love, goodness and perfection, but some souls lose their way when faced with the harsh reality of the world. The artist thinks back to the moment when he was born and realizes in that brief moment before the world started to take hold of him that he was “a star” or a perfect being. He wishes that this moment could have lasted forever. Additionally the painting is an homage to the artist’s mother who saw him as being perfect from birth, and kept that value all through his life – as most parent’s do with their children.  Beyond this, PIGSY references opportunity for all, from the get go, and that there is the potential to achieve so much beyond what we think we are destined for. In essence it is an artwork about the possibility of life and the strength of the human spirit in times of adversity”. 

Art for the Heart

PIGSY Art finds “it’s place”.

It is always surprising to me, but my artworks always seem to end up in their rightful homes. I could explain it by saying that my paintings speak to the heart of the collector who should have it - but in reality given the strong presence of my work I think they probably SHOUT out to their rightful owner!

1972

Those who know my art work well have probably noticed that the year 1972 features in many of my works, as you can see it is there in this art piece too. What a great year that was!

Art Opening: David Burbano at La Casa Amarilla, Malaga, Spain

Art Opening: David Burbano at La Casa Amarilla, Malaga Spain

“Goodbye Summer” en La Casa Amarilla

As an Irish man it was very significant for me to be going out to attend a live art opening on the very day that Ireland closed down under the hardest lockdown in Europe. It felt particularly emotional because of the specific art opening that I attended.

The exhibition I attended was“Adíos Verano” by David Burbano and translated to English this is “Goodbye Summer”. Given what is happening in Ireland today, many Irish people may consider it to be the ending of the good days of Summer harking to the words of the great Irish poet Seamus Heaney “If we can Winter this one out, we can Summer anywhere”.

Curator Roy Laguna writes that “Goodbye Summer is a duel. Not only the own emotional process that follows the loss of a loved one, but also the transition from childhood to compulsory maturity and the building of character. Losing a loved one is losing a part of yourself that is never recovered. No one will be able to take their place and, even if we want to, we cannot replace their presence”, he further goes on to write, “that memory is the engine to continue, to move forward and to say goodbye forever. Other summers will come. New goodbyes to assimilate.”

“Goodbye Summer” is a powerful exhibition that will challenge the viewer particularly in times like this when we value so much the opportunity to visit art shows in real life and not virtually behind a screen. Art sometimes is more about what is just purely on view but can also be about the action of physically being present in the room looking at the art in reality. As my fellow country men are locked down in Ireland I value highly and appreciate immensely being able to attend an art opening in person.

The Burbano photographic exhibition in La Casa Amarilla is a cohesive collection of very beautiful and emotive photographs. The striking images draw you in and lead you along a trail where the final most challenging, somewhat unnerving, but most powerful image is. From concept to detailed execution this is an extremely sophisticated and though provoking exhibition by David Burbano.

“Adíos Verano” is open until 29th of November in La Casa Amarilla on Calle Santos in Malaga.

"Musings" by PIGSY

Punk Poetry: “Musings” by PIGSY

The meaning of life the universe and everything that is confusing and frustrating me
I try to understand
I seek solutions to problems that form within me
Created in my mind by me only
I can erase these can’t I? I created them

Working and Creating Art in times of Covid

Creativity during the Covid Crisis

Life goes on they say. And it is true, life does go on. Sometimes not life as we know it but life does go on.

Interruption

We can now see that Covid 19 has been the great disruptor of life in 2020 and has changed the face of the way we live. Plans have been changed or thwarted, livelihoods have been put on hold and personal agendas have been skewed. For example, one has to feel empathy for couples who had been planning 2020 weddings for the past few years who, if allowed to hold the wedding at all, must reduce attendees dramatically along with hosting a socially distanced shell of a ceremony, which has only a passing resemblance to what their original event was to be. But of course all of this all pales in to comparison knowing that there are families who have lost loved ones to this disease.

PIGSY Plans

For me, I had planned a much earlier move to Spain to paint fulltime. I originally intended to be fully moved by the end of March however lockdown in Dublin put paid to that plan and I eventually was able to travel and move out to Malaga by the end of July.

Additionally I had a showing planned in Los Angeles in April 2020. That also came to an end with the advent of Covid. Unbelievably at the beginning of March I was still under the illusion that this would take place. It took time to realise that Covid was going to interrupt most plans and there was not going to be live art showings for sometime.

Every October for the past 5 years I’ve held a large solo PIGSY exhibition or event. This year not so. Again it is all thanks to Covid. But as I said at the top, life goes on. I’ve already been approached with a proposal for a showing in February 2021 here in Malaga in Spain and so I will begin to work towards that. I’ve also been really busy doing loads of other arty and creative work (particularly in regards to the business end of things). Life goes on and the art business does too!

Archiving Art Success

The business end of being an artist is definitely not as fun as the creative part but it is crucial. Over the years I’ve created and amassed a large amount of art (I paint fast!) in many different formats including sculptures and 2D works. Archiving all of these pieces is so important and it is something that you need to commit a lot of time to. Now that I am working full time as an artist I have the time to give over to archiving my work and am bringing my archive fully up to date. Coupled with the fact that I am now working more so therefore creating more work so again this reiterates how important it is to stay on top of this element of work.

Art Website Work

Again this is more of the business end of being a professional artist but in this evermore globalised and connected world it is so important for artists to have an up to date website which showcases their work. I started to redesign my website back in March when Ireland went in to lockdown. Now I am working on adding and updating content (blogs, video and artwork) along with setting up the PIGSY merchandise store and also doing some work on SEO etc.

Art Studio Time

Of course the biggest thing that a professional artist needs to do is work in the studio in order to create a body of work. It can sometimes be hard to fit that in here in Malaga with everything that is going on and all of the other work that needs to be done. Also on top of all of this I am learning to speak Spanish so I need to do work on that too!

But days are long here. I found that working the 9 to 5 is probably not the best thing. Here days start early with businesses opening early and then closing for a long lunch and then reopening in the late afternoon and staying open much later than back home in Ireland.

We have got in to a nice groove of going for an early coffee and then doing some business work with me heading to the studio from about 3pm until 8pm. And then we eat dinner about 9pm which is a big change from back in Ireland where we ate dinner much much earlier.

With my studio only being a short 5 minute walk from my apartment it all works out nicely and I get to paint and create loads. Within a very short time when I arrived, I was feeling reenergized and invigorated and have been making some awesome pieces - the light helps a lot!

Art Exhibition Planning

I’m always aiming towards my next exhibition and now having a date in early 2021 for the next PIGSY showing I have plenty of work to do. As well as creating a body of work for the exhibition there is all tof he incidentals additional to an event that needs to be planned. My last large scale event was the PIGSY Art & film Screening in Fitzwilliam. I always like to think about extra details for my events and at this event I created a signature cocktail “The Pigtail” which was enjoyed by all of my guests along with extra special canapes created by the club chef. Watch this space to see what I come up with for February 2021!!

Art Marketing and Promotion

I’ve been working on my PIGSY art brand for many years now and luckily there is huge brand awareness in regards to my art. This is essential at all times but definitely more so in a time like this. My style and brand is extremely distinctive and very recognizable. I have built a large following of collectors of my work over the past few years and they appreciate hugely what I do and will want to see what I am up to and what I next produce. I am so very grateful to all of them and love sharing my work with them. I also love to introduce my work to those who are not familiar with the art work of PIGSY - it is through my brand that I can do this during these times of Covid.

PIGSY Art Merchandise

I have been designing a range of “art wear” products featuring my art over the past few months. It was something that I wanted to do for a long time as I’ve always thought that many of my edgier artworks would work really well on T-Shirts but also because I have been asked by so many people if I would print my artwork on to merchandise. Well I always aim to please, particularly for fans of my work, so I launched a collection of PIGSY art products quietly last week on my website and it is great to see them selling now. The enamel outdoor cups, in particular, are proving to be very popular! If we weren’t living with Covid I would have been able to hold a large scale launch party similar to some of my past exhibition openings with a DJ and cocktails and a large crowd invited to a live showing of the “art wear” pieces in the collection. But for now a virtual launch did the trick with the t-shirts, bags and mugs available to buy by contacting me in order to make a special order.

Keep going and stay positive

As I started out saying in this blog, life goes on. As we can see Covid has brought great disruption but it has also brought positive changes. Families have got to spend more time with each other, we have learnt to bake bread and we have looked out for and helped each other.

Stay strong and keep going

This will end and we will prevail. Let’s support each other, shop local and support the arts (it’s never been more important for us to create at this time) and remember Art always Helps!

"Sitting" by PIGSY

“Sitting” by PIGSY

Sitting in the same sit in the kitchen

took a hierarchy

Full Fridge

Come home make a ham, cheese,

lettuce, tomato and coleslaw roll,

Fresh bread from Clarke’s.

I sit in the same sit.

So did she.

Nicole King interview with PIGSY for Marbella Now

Marbella Now : Nicole King interviews PIGSY

Hosted by Nicole King, “Marbella Now” is the go to TV show on Marbella Radio & TV to find out about everything that is happening on the Spanish Costa de Sol.

Given my recent move from Ireland to Malaga, I was delighted to be invited to be a guest on Nicole’s show to talk all about my art.

The interview was filmed last week in Marbella and broadcast today.

It was fun to see behind the scenes of a TV station and how it all works - Enid my manager (and wife) especially enjoyed seeing all of the workings and was very happy to be allowed to watch the interview being filmed backstage. She even got a selfie at the end with myself and TV show host Nicole King.

Behind the scenes pics

Super TV Staff

All of the TV studio staff were so welcoming and professional, from the back room staff that I had been emailing leading up to the interview, to the amazing Anna Scott from The Makeup Room, studio staff on the day and of course the lovely Nicole King! Thanks also to Sam and Anita.

Talking Art

It was great to see Pigsy artworks on the screen while I talk during the interview. You can also see I wore my new Fontaines DC t-shirt that Enid’s mother kindly sent over to me from Ireland - it looks cool on the TV screen ;-)

All in all a fun day out with a pleasant journey from Malaga to Marbella. I always enjoy chatting about my art and I hope you all enjoy watching the interview!

Studio Visit

If you are in Malaga make sure and get in contact and visit me in my studio to see more of my expressionist work including the recently completed (and massive!!) “Seven Spanish Angels”!

Got "Merch"?!

It’s here! The PIGSY Art Merchandise range is launched!

Are you looking for unique Irish art gifts for family and friends this Christmas?

The “PIGSY Art Wear” collection is now available to order on my website. Products range from t-shirts to tote bags and also include a special edition of the large scale art piece “Squash Soldiers” (on display in Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, Dublin) printed on an enamel camping mug.

Each “Art Wear” piece is printed with a PIGSY artwork selected by me. Some of the original artworks are now sold out and no longer available to buy. However, by selecting a product from the range you can enjoy the art piece every day when you wear a t-shirt or drink from the coffee mug with art being integrated in to your life.

PIGSY Art Mugs

Two enamel camping mugs have initially been designed for the collection, One features the artwork “Squash Soldiers” as a print on it while the other is printed with “Cyberpunks”. The vibrant enamel cup is perfect for use in the outdoors (could be great for next year’s festival season) and can be carried in a backpack without the risk of breaking. No matter what pastimes you like, this is the mug for you. It’s practically unbreakable so is fantastic for taking it out on your boat or on hiking trips and it is way more environmentally friendly to use it over a festival weekend rather than drinking from throw away plastic cups. Additionally the squash player design on the “Squash Soldiers” cup makes it the ideal gift for squash players and it would even make a great gift for your squash coach on their birthday or at Christmas!

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PIGSY Art T-Shirts

I’ve chosen some of my popular and striking artworks that make a cool fashion statement vividly printed on a t-shirt. Both pieces pictured below were featured in my solo shows in Dublin, Ireland. Cyberpunks was part of the “No Nostalgia” exhibition in Fumbally Exchange, Dublin. The other artwork is “I Find you Fascinating” which was the centre piece artwork in the “I Find you Fascinating” Exhibition in The Kemp Gallery, Dublin. t-shirt

PIGSY Art Tote Bags!

The tote bags are proving to be popular pieces in this collection. They are eco-friendly and save the need to use plastic bags when shopping or going to the beach etc. A cloth bag is always a good option for carrying library books too. There are two tote bags available in this range - click here for further information about these items.

Shipping World wide

With world wide shipping , now is the time to start thinking of the approaching holidays and order Christmas Gifts or Stocking Stuffers for the art lovers in your life!

Shopping for art gifts

With lockdowns taking place all over the world there is higher volumes of online shopping which is leading to slower shipping and fulfilment of orders. If you are planning on buying art gifts this year it is advisable to start early.

For Colder Weather: Sweaters and Hoodies

With colder weather approaching I have introduced a sweatshirt and hoodie in to the range. Hoodies are available in a variety of colors and are printed with the special artwork “Mo Laoch” which translates from the Irish language to “My Hero” and features Irish author James Joyce as the central character.

If you are more of a sweatshirt person I have chosen the art work “Captain Outrageous vs. Frisbee King” which was inspired by Key West, Florida as the feature print. It is also available in multiple colors - click here to buy.click here to buy.

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Special Requests / Limited Edition PIGSY Art Mugs

From time to time, I will introduce a limited edition art product or a Pigsy special request item. Pictured below is the “Phoenix Rising” enamel art mug which was commissioned by special request. “Phoenix Rising” was a large scale painting that I created during the first pandemic lockdown in Ireland. The printed mug is really awesome and I hear that not only is it a great mug to drink coffee from but that it also works for wine!!

Want to see more Irish Art products - go to the PIGSY Art Merch store here.

Edit, Feb 2022 - all of the PIGSY art merch is now special order. Contact me for further details.

How to set up a "Home Cinema" in your back yard!

Have you ever wanted to watch Movies in the Garden?

Here’s how you can set up your own home movie theatre in your backyard in a few easy steps!

When I lived in Ireland I always thought that having a home cinema in your back garden was something very cool. However with good weather being fairly unreliable I never went ahead and set up one in my garden.

However, when I moved to Malaga in Spain I figured that it would be the perfect opportunity to go ahead with my plan and set up a home movie theatre on my balcony - or as a balcony is called in Spain, my “terrace”. During these covid times I am not venturing to the cinema and so having a home movie screen means that I am not missing out on watching films but I am also social distancing at home and therefore keeping my circle of contacts very small. Home entertainment definitely seems like a wise choice at this time. Also here in Malaga the weather is perfect for sitting outside in late at night. It is September now and still very warm.

The terrace in my apartment is perfect for a home cinema set up. We live on the top floor (atico) and there is a gable wall of the apartment next to us, that is in a perfect position for us to use to project movies on to.

Home Cinema Location Choice

The terrace in my apartment is perfect for a home cinema set up. We live on the top floor (atico) and there is a gable wall of the apartment next to us, that is in a perfect

Look how the projection looks like when the sun goes down!

We are currently watching “Narcos” and the outdoor projector is definitely giving us that “big screen” experience at home.

Here’s how I set up home cinema experience on my terrace and the steps you can take in order to set up your home movie theatre (indoors or outdoors).

Follow through the steps I outline below to set up your own outdoor movie theatre in your garden or on your terrace!

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5 Steps to Set Up your Home Cinema

1. Scope out where is the best place to project on to. You are going to need a large blank wall (preferably white), but if you don’t have a blank wall you can buy a projector screen and use that.

2. Consider how you are going to power your projector and laptop set up. If you don’t have an outside plug you are going to need to use an extension lead or power strip with a long cable.

3. Buy a projector. I bought mine on Amazon and it was delivered ridiculously fast. I ordered it about 3pm on Friday and it arrived the next day at 9.30am. Projectors can be really pricy but I budgeted about 100 euro and decided upon the Vamvo Full HD 1080P Mini L4200 Projector with Dolby.

4. Think about speakers. The projector I purchased has built in speakers which worked perfectly. However, my apartment is above a really busy street with bars and restaurants below so it is NOISY! I am going to try using an additional blue tooth portable speaker that I have and look at connecting it by cable to the projector. Depending on your situation, you may not need additional speakers and the built in ones on the projector may suffice.

5. Set up is very easy. Firstly it is a matter of plugging in your laptop and projector and then connecting them together with an HDMI cable.

6. You will then need to look at positioning the projector in order to have the screen the size you need on the wall.

7. Finally once you have something up on the screen you can use the manual lens focus to get the screen in to focus.

Choose snacks and wait for the sun to go down!

It’s that easy to set up your own home movie entertainment system - all you have to do now is decide on what chairs to use (I like a lounger with a light blanket), what snacks to eat and then wait for the sun to go down!

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Benefits of a Home Cinema

If I haven’t sold you already on the Home Cinema concept, here’s a list of some of the benefits

1. You can watch what you like when you like (although if you have set up outside, you will need to wait until it gets dark. If you went for an indoor set up you can just pull the curtains!)

2. You can make your own snacks and just pause the movie when you go for a refill of popcorn in the kitchen

3. The family pet can enjoy the film too!

4. You don’t need to get a babysitter if you have little ones in the house - just pop them to bed promptly and set up the cinema in the front room

5. You can watch a film over two nights if you get tired halfway through it

6. You can have a beer or wine or even a cocktail while watching your movie…….a signature cocktail could be created for when you are showing a film or you could even create a specialty cocktail while watching particular films eg. 1920’s cocktails for The Great Gatsby

7. You can lounge and wear your pyjamas and get cosy under a blanket

8. You can talk during the film

Have I missed out on any other benefits to watching movies at home? Let me know in the comments section below!

My top picks for "the best of" Malaga

Visit Malaga

Malaga is a wonderful city to visit and enjoy a vacation in. It’s very accessible, arty and pet friendly. When you visit Malaga, you can head straight to all of these great cafes and restaurants, which are my recommendations for what I think is “the best of” Malaga City.

• Pastries, Cakes & Breads

Julia Bakery on Calle Carreteria for the best pastries and cakes. Their orange and chocolate brioche is divine and big enough for two to share. They also do a good coffee and a great selection of bagels for breakfast.

Edit - Feb 2022, Unfortunately I heard that Julia Bakery is now closed.

• Coffee

In no particular order, (1) Dulces Dreams is in a chilled out setting on Plaza de los Mártires Ciriaco y Paula and does a great cup of coffee in this beautiful micro square (2) Avokate on Calle Granada while I also enjoy (3) Mia Coffee Shop next door to Dulces Dreams.

• Tapas

Casa Lola has the best Russian Salad and is great for a relaxed dinner of tapas. There are three different locations of this restaurant but we prefer the one on Calle Granada the best.

• Pasta

Spagos on Calle Caldereria does the most amazing fresh pasta with choice of sauces. It’s available both sit in and take away

• Pizza

Madí on Calle San Augustin is our go to for pizza (and their pasta is excellent too). We received the recommendation from an Italian guy and I guess if anyone knows good pizza it is Italians!

• Churros

Churreria La Malaguena on Calle Sebastian Souviron has an authentic old fashioned feel to it and it’s the place to go for churros. They have no menu so order a coffee and pitufo for breakfast and you will be sorted!

La Malaguena - Pitufo and Coffee

Churro and Cafe Cortado

• Ambiance

Cafe Populus on Calle Alamos is where we are doing our Spanish Language Classes with Clara of “Speak and Learn”. It is in the beautiful Anahita Boutique Hotel and we sit out in the open roofed (but enclosed) terrace space for our lesson where we meet with teacher Clara. It is a beautiful space and very tranquil and quiet.

• Hot Chocolate

Casa Aranda on Calle Santos (across from my studio) feels like it has been around forever - it’s an institution in Malaga and has been in existence since the 1930’s. It’s the type of place that I imagine Picasso probably enjoyed a churro and hot chocolate in. It’s a must visit to partake in the same.

• Breakfast (Desayuno en Malaga)

Recyclo Bike Cafe is a cool spot - have a breakfast while your bike is in for a service!

Desayuno in Recyclo Bike Cafe in Malaga

Omelette

Let me know in the comments below if you visited any of these great spots or if you have any other Malaga recommendations.

Alcazaba in Malaga City

The Malaga Citadel a great historical site to visit that is not mentioned in the above post.You can find details of my visit to the walkway designed by OAM Architects here on my blog - it’s a must visit!