Goodbye 2020 - here's to a different New Year!
2020 is coming to an end
It’s come to the time of the year where I write my annual blog about all that has happened and all that I am grateful for in the past year.
This year has been a strange one……and I’ve uttered these words so many times throughout the year that the I am beginning to wonder what I even mean by “strange”. Anyway in no particular order here are some of the things that I’ve done in this strangest of years (click on links to read further about some of them) with highs and lows.
Made plans to move to Malaga, Spain in early 2020 to paint for a year!
Packed up, sold art and sent to collectors, and then arranged storage for all of the rest of my artworks
Started organising the logistics of showing my art in Los Angeles in April 2020
Visited Malaga in February and rented an apartment starting from March 2020
Bones got his pet passport
Got locked down in Ireland so my plans to move to Spain were put on hold
Plans to exhibit my art in a physical show in Los Angeles were cancelled
Painted the massive “Phoenix Rising” while on lockdown - it got an awesome response when I shared it on Social Media!
Sold “Phoenix Rising”…….through Instagram - that was a first!
Worked remotely from home on Architectural projects……strange - but very workable!
Attended my first “Zoom Dinner Party” - great fun, thanks Gerry for organizing this!
Moved to Malaga, Spain
Set myself up in my art studio in Malaga
Invited to participate in “Savage” Group Exhibition in In-Spire Gallery, Dublin
Received my first commissioned order for an art work - completed it and sent it to the collector in Ireland
Launched a range of art merchandise products available on my website
17. Bought a BBQ grill when we moved to Spain and have cooked dinner *and breakfast!) on it every day!!
18. Was invited to be part of a Group Show in La Casa Amarilla Gallery in Malaga, Spain
19. Tasted roasted chestnuts for the first time
20. Started learning Spanish……and am continuing to struggle on
21. Solo exhibition “Seven Spanish Angels” was shown in conjunction with DesignYard Gallery in Dublin, Ireland - the response was very positive and sales were good
22. Was interviewed on Marbella TV about my art along with two articles being published in the Sur in English.
23. Guest blogs were a new addition to my website - I’m always looking for more guest bloggers so contact me if you want to write a guest blog for publication on my website!
24. Had a fantastic quiet Christmas and even swam in the sea on Christmas Day!
Loads more things happened throughout the year and I will add them in to the above as I think of them. It was a strange year to be sure and I did things that I never thought I would, including selling my car in March and becoming car free!
Looking back and all things considered, it has been a bad year for the world but I feel positive about the future (the first vaccine was given in Ireland today to a 79 year old lady from The Liberties) and I generally had a really good year…..BUT I am very much looking forward to the new year.
Roll on 2021!!
Custom Nikes by PIGSY
Do you know that you can design your own pair of custom Nikes?!
“Nike By You” allows you to design your own unique pair of Nikes with custom colors and personalized text.
Here’s the custom PIGSY Nike, Version 1 and 2, that I created (and then a bonus of the 3rd version of PIGSY Nikes that I created in Feb 2021).
PIGSY Nike Version 1.0
Nike Air Max 1 By You , Custom Men's Shoe in Style: CN9671 - 991
Here’s the specified colors that I used to create my customised Nike’s:
Base: Sail
Swoosh: Magic Flamingo
Lining: Blue Void
Airbag: White
Mudguard and Quarter: White
Outsole Forefoot/Heel: Blue Void
Custom text on the back of the sneaker says: PIGSY
PIGSY Nike Version 2.0
Nike Air Max 1 By You , Custom Men's Shoe in Style: CN9671 - 991
Here’s the specified colors that I used to create my customised PIGSY multi-colored Nike’s:
Base: Sail
Swoosh: Rain Forest
Lining: Rain Forest
Airbag: Magic Flamingo
Mudguard: Ember
Quarter: Magic Flamingo
Outsole Forefoot/Heel: Medium Brown Gum Rubber
Custom text on the back of the sneaker says: PIGSY2
Design Concept
Seemingly the original designer of the Air Max 1 (Tinker Hatfield) was inspired by the Centre Pompidau in Paris (by Architect Renzo Piano) to design a shoe that showed the air cushioning technology to the outside world.
Edit 6th Feb 2021 - PIGSY Nike Version 3.0 have arrived
Nike Air Max 1 By You , Custom Men's Shoe in Style: CN9671 - 991
Nike Air Max 1 By You Zapatillas personalizables - Hombre
Here’s the specified colors that I used to create my customised PIGSY multi-colored Nike’s:
Base: Sail
Swoosh: Magic Flamingo
Lining: Rain Forest
Airbag: Magic Flamingo
Mudguard: Rain Forest
Quarter: Rain Forest
Outsole Forefoot/Heel: Medium Brown Gum Rubber
Custom text on the back of the sneaker reads: PIGSY3
Designing a custom pair of Nikes
Designing your own Nikes is a lot of fun! yYu can customize the colors of the base, quarter, mudguard, swoosh, airbag, midsole, midsole treatment, outsole along with being able to add your own text to the back. Unfortunately you are limited to a certain amount of digits so I was unable to write “PIGSY” on one show and then the same on the other. But I still think it looks pretty cool to see “PIGSY” written across the two Nike shows, with “Pig” on one shoe and then “sy” on the other to make the full word of my name “Pigsy”. By writing a number on the Nikes I can also keep track of which version they are and what order I bought them in. There is so much variety and you can have a whole lot of fun on the Nike site, customizing your own shoes.
I think the PIGSY version 3’s in the Rain Forest Green are my favorite - what do you think?!
Let me also know in the comments below, if you have ordered your own custom Nike shoe and what color combination you chose along with what personalized text you added.
Art life in Malaga, Spain
Art life routine in Malaga, Spain
It’s been nearly 5 months since I arrived from Ireland and started working in my art studio here in Malaga. I’ve settled in to a great routine in Spain, which you can read about in this blog post.
The first thing I had to get used to when I arrived in Malaga was the different working hours in Spain as compared to Ireland. I’ve adapted now and we changed our whole lifestyle to encompass the different working hours. Back home in Ireland we tended to eat dinner about 7ish but now here in Spain we eat about 9pm or so.
So my routine is now working out as follows>
Morning Art Life
We start every day with some self directed Spanish language learning on the internet - we do a combination of Duolingo, Spanish Dict Interactive Classes and Dr Danny Evans (The Language Tutor) on Youtube.
We then have breakfast about 11 or maybe a little later and either take Bones the dog for a walk before or after breakfast.
Afternoon - the Business end of Art
Art Website and Blogs etc
In the afternoon, both my wife and I look after the business end of my art work. Enid updates my website, I answer emails and then update social media along with doing other items as they arise.One big project that I worked on was bringing my art archive fully up to date - this took a bit of time but is done now and so I only have to tip away at it now. Over the past while, I also had an online solo exhibition with Designyard in Dublin and a group art exhibition with La Casa Amarilla here in Malaga, There was both administrative and physical work (paintings to be framed, etc.) to be done for these art shows, so this all kept me extremely busy in recent times. I find Artmoi very useful for my art inventory.
Other art business includes the marketing and promotion of my art which is a huge area - but luckily Enid has a diploma in Digital Marketing along with having lots of experience in this from her time working in public libraries.
Evening - the Art of Art
And then it is down to the real business of art: studio art work. I head to the studio about 3pm every day and stay there til about 8/8.30pm. Sometimes I leave a little earlier if I have chores to do like packages that need to be sent in the post. The Post Office is open until 8.30pm and I find that it is quietest after 7.30pm so I like to go then. I discovered the quiet time after queuing for over 30 mins outside the Post Office a few mornings! But no more queuing when I go later in the evening.
Enid tends to meet me when I am finished work (particularly now the Christmas lights are up on Larios) and we have a little walk around the city before we go home for dinner. When we arrive home we have a drink while making dinner on the bbq (which we have used every single day since we got it about a month after arriving in Spain). The bbq I chose is an electric Weber and I find it brilliant - very easy to use and makes perfect food….or maybe it is the chef that makes the perfect food!!
And then there are the other things that we get up to that also have to be fitted in on different days
Padel Tennis in Malaga
I play padel in the Atico Padel Club which is on the roof of the O2 gym near the city centre (just across the river). It’s a great club with a relaxed atmosphere. Along with playing some good games of Padel, I also get to practise my Spanish and mix with lots of people. It seems like Padel is popular in lots of countries and I have met lots of people with different Nationalities in this club. They all speak Spanish a lot better than me!!
Spanish Lessons (Online and in person)
Speaking of Spanish, we do two Spanish lessons with a teacher per week. One of the classes is currently being ran online due to Covid restrictions. Hopefully we will resume meeting in the Hotel Anihita in the new year for a face to face lesson on Tuesdays. Then on Wednesday we do a face to face lesson in No Piqui Cafe in a group of 5 learners with teacher Clara of Speak and Learn. An hour long class passes quickly and while is very inspiring and helps me a lot, it also highlights how little Spanish I know and how my progress with the leaning is slow. But I’ll get there - poco a poco!
Enid’s volunteering job - Cudeca
On Saturdays from 10am until 2pm, Enid volunteers in a local charity shop which is ran by Cudeca. This gives me a bit of free time on a Saturday morning so I tend to have a relaxed time which involves a slow saunter with the dog and maybe stop off in a local cafe for a coffee. On the way home from the walk I buy some bread in the panederia and then I go home and browse the internet over breakfast and catch up with what is going on in the world!
Sundays in Malaga
For us everyday is a work day so we tend to follow a similar routine on Sundays too, except that we fit in a visit to a museum or attraction on this day. You can see some of the museums we visited in past blog posts that I have written.
And so that’s my general routine here in Malaga but I also get up to different ad hoc things that come up like what we did last night !! Read below for more!
Lights on Calle Larios
As mentioned the Christmas lights are now up on Calle Larios and in other parts of the city. They are absolutely spectacular and as I said we like to make it a thing to walk on Larios every evening and enjoy the lights. It’s very much a family activilty here in Spain for families to get out in the evening and enjoy the lights and music. The weather is mild and given the Covid situation it feels very safe to do this as everyone is keeping their distance and wearing masks. In past years, Calle Larios has been very busy at this time but the light and music shows have been toned down this year. There is also a large police presence to crowd control if it got overly busy.
Last night we got up to something fun on Calle Larios. My wife’s sister in the USA is working on a facebook project called “Me and my Tree” where she is compiling a collection of people dressed up in their party best (even though most are not going out and some are even in places that are on lockdown) posing with a drink beside their Christmas tree. Even though we aren’t putting a tree up this year, my wife Enid definitely wanted to partake in this fun Christmas project so she put on a party dress and I took some pics of her beside the tree at the top of Calle Larios on Constitution Plaza.
“Me and my Tree”, a global Facebook project created by Amy
Enid’s twin sister, Amy, came across some vintage 1960’s pictures of glamorous ladies in sparkly dresses posing beside their festive trees. She thought it would make a great activity for her friends to do in 2020 and so put the word out on Facebook that she was looking for people to join in and send her their pics of themselves with their tree. She has created a collection of pics on facebook.
If Amy decides to share the photos from the collection on her blog I will put a link to them all. But for the moment, please do enjoy the pic of Amy beside her vintage looking white Christmas tree covered in colored baubles.
And below arethe pics of my wife Enid with the beautifully lit Christmas tree on Calle Larios that Amy has included in the facebook album of her “Me and my Tree” collection of photos for 2020.
Round up of recent PIGSY press
First up, PIGSY got a mention in Social and Personal
Social and Personal is Ireland’s ruling fashion magazine, established 1934
Here’s the text from the mention in Social and Personal magazine in the Lifestyle Section -
“Dublin's DesignYard has a very exciting online exhibition of artist Pigsy's latest work, featuring more than 20 vibrant pieces ranging in price from eur1,300 to eur24,000. The show titled "Seven Spanish Angels", runs from November 28 - December 12, and each piece will ship directly from Pigsy's Malaga studio free of charge worldwide.
Born on the north side of Dublin, Ciaran McCoy, is an award winning architect of (ODKM Architects) who borrows from his architectural knowledge to create his diverse expressionist artwork as his alter ego "Pigsy". Featured in this new collection, the painting here is called "I Went to Mass" (eur4,800).
See the show at Designyard.com”
“I Went to Mass” - featured artwork from PIGSY’s exhibition “Seven Spanish Angels”
And the second mention that PIGSY’s art got in the press was in the events listing of the Sur in English which is an English language newspaper that is widely read on the Costa del Sol here in Spain.
Sur in English - Seven Spanish Angels
PIGSY Online
Until 12 December www.designyard.com
Malaga based Irish Artist Ciaran McCoy (Pigsy), has an online exhibition of 26 of his colourful contemporary paintings entitled Seven Spanish Angels
Virtual Reality
2020: Virtual Reality
If there was words to encapsulate what it has been like for most of us living through 2020 it would probably be something like most of us feeling like we are living in a virtual reality. There have been benefits to the way life has gone (goodbye 2 hour commute) but there are some negatives too with many people experiencing the newly coined condition “Zoom Fatigue” or just purely missing the social connection with family and friends.
As an artist I have still been actively going to my studio and physically working through the creation of artwork. But then I was hit with the conundrum of how to get the word out about my art and also how to market it. Every October, for the past few years I have had a solo exhibition but this year was going to be very different because a large scale busy art exhibition was not going to be a possibility due to Covid. So instead, I mixed it up and held an online exhibition in conjunction with DesignYard Gallery in Dublin.
PIGSY Online Art
The online and virtual aspect of the art exhibition was a new phenomena and it had me wondering how it would play out. I wondered who would see my art and how it would be seen along with whether it would be enjoyed as much as at a real life exhibition. As we know there is always a great buzz on opening night of an exhibition with loads of visitors thronging the gallery to enjoy a glass of wine and be the first to see an artists new body of work. Add in, of course, the fact that art show openings are also great social events (which is what makes them so enjoyable) where you generally bump in to at least one person that you know! So with all of this in mind it really was a concern of mine as to how the online art event was all going to play out.
So I need not have been concerned. My art got seen by many and the response was great! With videos shown all over various platforms including Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter it was enjoyed by lots of different people who really engaged with it and gave great feedback. In actual fact I think it was seen by more people than who might visit an actual physical exhibition along with playing to a very different audience.
Art Collecting from your couch!
And after that the outcome of the online art event happened, and this is where I think the real positive is. Art was bought by collectors. Albeit the sales happened in a different way to a physical exhibition, in that an online exhibition never closes and it runs for 24 hrs. One piece of art sold at 1am on Friday night here in Spain and in regard to this one I imagine the collector and his wife looking at my art over a glass of wine in front of an open fire after a busy week of work for both of them. They may not have ventured out to a physical exhibition preferring to stay home and relax (and with lots of places on lockdown and most restaurants closed there probably is not a whole lot of reasons to be venturing out) - however, the online exhibition gave them the option to relax in their home but also, as bonus, the opportunity to enjoy art safely in the comfort of their own cosy home surroundings. A great result for them, for sure!
Art direct to your doorstep
And then the next thing that will happen for these art collectors is that in a few weeks they will receive a large brown box in the mail direct to their doorstep which they will unwrap to find their very own PIGSY art work, in the flesh, ready for hanging in their chosen spot. A great end to a virtual art experience that started from their couch and whereby they will receive the real life art piece which they can now enjoy in physical reality for generations to come!
Stay connected to me
In these disconnected times, stay connected to me so that you can see all of my art news. You can stay connected with me on Social Media or alternatively sign up to receive my newsletter (see the subscribe button below).
You can find me on these Social Media links:
I look forward to connecting with you!
Guest Blog: Reflections on PIGSY in Key West
Guest Blog by Patrick O’Herlihy
Reflections on PIGSY Art in Key West, Florida
I am pleased to present my latest guest blog. This blog is by Patrick O’Herlihy who lives in Key West, Florida, with his wife Amy who is a long time admirer and supporter of my work. Patrick writes an insightful blog post and it’s great for me to hear about about how one of my artworks is getting on and how it is impacting on the life of the collector. I really enjoyed reading Patrick’s blog and I hope you do too!
I didn’t purchase a PIGSY. I married into one. Two, in fact. “3 Times Broken” and “Frisbee King vs Captain Outrageous” both grace the walls of our home in Key West.
I wouldn’t say that PIGSY’s style would necessarily be my first choice. I was always attracted to more pastoral portraits. The thought of someone like Charles Lamb painting on a lake in Connemara, that would be more up my alley.
Funny how things can change.
“3 Times Broken”
“3 Times Broken” hangs in our living room. At times, I find myself putting the phone away, turning off the television, and just staring into it. Not at it, but actually into it.
Conversely, sometimes it’s staring at me. Or at least I think it is, this wild, loud, beautiful design, confronting me with questions I wouldn’t usually ask myself, challenging me to look into my inner self.
FIX ME.
What needs fixing?
ONE WAY TRAIN.
To where?
STUPID BOOK DIDN’T HELP ME.
What kind of help do I need?
And most hauntingly, SORRY ALL.
What am I apologizing for?
Considering getting a PIGSY?
If you were thinking of getting a Pigsy for yourself, go for it. It’s so much more than a bold combination of vivid colors and unique design. If you shut your mind off and just enjoy the outer beauty of the painting, it’s already a win. But if you keep your mind on, and truly dive into the piece, it’s so much more.
by Patrick O’Herlihy
Edit - Nov 2021
PIGSY art work is now available in Effusion Gallery on Duval Street, Key West, Florida
"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
I made a limited edition 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!
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 The Designyar’s website 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
"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.
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.
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
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.
“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!
"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.