PIGSY welcomes visitors to his Malaga Studio / March 9, 2021 by PIGSY

Visit artist PIGSY in La Casa Amarilla

PIGSY Spanish art studio is located on Calle Santos in the centre of Malaga City close to Calle Larios

Maureen McDonnell of Stepstone Gallery, Dublin visiting La Casa Amarilla in Malaga Spain

During the pandemic Irish Artist PIGSY has been working full time as a professional artist in Malaga and is a resident in La Casa Amarilla Gallery. Pigsy’s studio is on the second floor of La Casa Amarilla which is a popular gallery in Malaga City Centre directed by David Burbano. The gallery is home to different sized art studios and hosts artists of various disciplines within. La Casa Amarilla is on Calle Santos a quiet street very near to Calle Larios and faces on to Cafe Aranda where you can stop off for a coffee and a churro after a visit to the studio. The cafe has been serving up churros since 1932 to the people of Malaga and visitors to this pleasant city!

Calle Larios, Malaga

The studio is a short walk from Calle Larios the main thoroughfare in Malaga Centro. Larios Street is a stunningly beautiful pedestrianised shopping street lined with attractive architectural buildings that at time will have you looking up rather than looking in the the shops! Most of the city is very walkable due to the pedestrianisation and also because of the size of the city which is very manageable for most to get about either walking or cycling - or you can rent an electric scooter too. The public bus is reliable and regular and can take you beyond the city if you wish to visit some of the small fishing villages along the coast (Pedregaleo is a must see), some of which are now home to chilled out fashionable, somewhat hipster, restaurants and cafes.

Art in Malaga

Pablo Picasso

Among the palm trees in Malaga City Centre, Irish artist Ciaran McCoy has rented an art studio where he paints his expressionist masterpieces

Malaga has a rich art history with it of course being the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. Today artists and art lovers alike flock to the city to visit the two Picasso museums - one based in the house he was born in and the other in the house he grew up in.

Museo Carmen Thyssen Malaga

Along with this there are numerous other museums with the Carmen Thyssen in the centre of the city (steps away from PIGSY’s studio) showcasing a massive collection consisting of classic Spanish artists including artists, such as Mariano Fortuny, Joaquín Sorolla, Darío de Regoyos, Julio Romero de Torres and Ignacio Zuloaga.

The Carmen Thyssen Museum has a really nice cafe and gift store. The cafe does a really good cup of coffee (cortado) and there is a good deal for breakfast of a mixto, coffee and a glass of juice for about 3 euro.

Pompideau Malaga

The Pomipou Centre also has a museum here in Malaga (the first Pomidou Centre outside of France). The Pompidou Centre is located down by the port can only be described as a jewel in the crown of the marina and in fact it looks like a jewellery box being a cube colored building designed by Architect Renzo Piano sparkling in the sun and inviting visitors in to an amazing collection of artwork including Joan Miro, Dali and you guessed it some Picasso too!

There are lots of nice restaurants situated down by the marina close to the Pompideau Centre Malaga so you can make a whole half day of your visit to the museum and a lunch by the marina along with maybe a walk down to the lighthouse.

The Pompideau Malaga is free in after 5pm on Sundays.

Museo Jorge Rando

Ciaran McCoy aka PIGSY surveys “Seven Spanish Angels” a massive artwork created by him in Spain

The Museo Jorge Rando reopened in Oct/Sept 2020 after renovations. It is located in an area that is a short walk from Uncibay Plaza is definitely worth seeing for both it’s extensive Rando collection and also the architecture of the museum with a spectacular corten clad courtyard out to the back of the building.

I visited the Museo Jorge Rando in October 2020 after it had reopened after renovations.

Malaga Studio Visit - Contact Enid

Contact Enid on pigsy.art@gmail.com if you are in the Malaga region and would like to meet PIGSY and take a tour of his studio and also visit La Casa Amarilla Art Gallery on Calle Santos, Malaga. PIGSY always enjoys visitors to his studio and will chat to you all about his latest work and what he is currently being inspired by.

Enid is also happy to give restaurant or cafe recommendations if you are interested in spending time in Malaga and want to relax over a glass of wine and some tapas after visiting the studio!

About PIGSY / March 9, 2021 by PIGSY

About expressionist Irish artist PIGSY

Irish Artist PIGSY

Born on the North Side of Dublin in Ireland, Ciarán McCoy is an Irish Artist and award winning architect (ODKM Architects). He borrows from his architectural knowledge to create his diverse expressionist art work as his alter ego “PIGSY”.

The mediums that Pigsy uses range vastly from everyday household acrylic paint, chalk, oil sticks,  acrylic sticks, oil paint, spray paint, charcoal  and any other medium that feels right at the time of painting. McCoy explains “I like the looseness of my paintings I don't really want to put boundaries on myself or to be neat and proper. That's my architectural life. I like to be able to express myself freely in a fast free-flowing loose way - I really like the imperfection of the process”.

Honesty & Emotion in Art

"Many of my paintings are self portraits or semi-biographical, I paint about the things going on in my head at the time of painting. People have said to me that the paintings are angry but I don't think they're angry, I'm just expressing the frustrations of someone who lives with dyslexia. Words frustrate me and fascinate me at the same time. I sometimes don't understand  the sounds of the letters, what they mean and why they don't do what they are supposed to do. Because of this I like to draw quick and loose as opposed to when I’m designing a building and it needs to be more rigid and consistent. I've also taken from street artists who have to paint fast.  I think if you're drawing fast there's an honesty to it because there is no manipulation and overthinking, it's just straight from your head onto the canvas. I love the no phoney approach to that". 

Mindset

This spontaneous approach takes away all inhibitions. "I deliberately don’t correct words that have been misspelled and I sometimes break them apart to emphasize what can be going on in my head”. He also splashes and spills paint loosely over the canvas which keeps the honest approach "for a long time I covered up the writing completely, so as to not expose myself too much to the outside world but as I got older I've stopped doing that.  I'm happy where my art is, at the moment, and  I feel that it's totally me. It's a take it or  leave it approach, I have now."

Art vs. Architecture

Live painting on the street in Kenmare for Culture Night in County Kerry

“Art is a way of expressing  myself and it’s a nice break from the normal day-to-day work  routine of an architect. The creative process between art and architecture are very different disciplines. With architecture I have specific briefs and goals that I aim to achieve. With art there are no boundaries, I just express what's in my mind at the time that I am working, and in all honesty, I'm trying to get the thoughts out of my mind and on to the canvas. I see it as a healthy process. Work and life can be stressful at times and I find going to my studio and throwing a large piece of canvas on the ground and painting helps me release all those stresses in a creative and positive way”.

Creative Process

“My technique normally involves a free flowing start to each piece as I set out the scene for the broader context of the work, followed by a slower, drawn out finish as I immerse myself into the painting and endeavor to elicit an answer to the conundrums that I face and to dig myself out of the holes that I've created for myself in my mind and subconscious”

Influences

PIGSY is influenced by artists, musicians, writers and other figures in popular culture. He sites being influenced by artists such as Cy Twombly, Purvis Young, Hawkins Bolden, Karel Appel, Jean Michel Basquiat along with enjoying the work of David Lynch, David Byrne and poet Seamus Heaney and writer Hunter S. Thompson. Musical influences include 1980’s old school Hip Hop along with musicians like Talking Heads, Future Islands, Elvis Presley and currently Fontaines D.C. and The Felice Brothers.

Ranelagh Art Studio

For the past 10 years, PIGSY has been working in his Ranelagh studio in his award winning architecturally significant house in Dublin, Ireland. His art studio is at the top of the house on the third floor and is filled with light streaming from four window lights that flood the birch ply wood clad room that has a glass floor (which he covered in a plastic coating to protect it from the paint!). It’s a light and airy space - the perfect place to create art.

PIGSY in Malaga, Spain

As of August 2020, PIGSY is based in Malaga, Spain with full focus on the creation of art. He has taken a sabbatical from his architectural practice and has embarked, with his wife and dog, on an uncharted year in Spain inspired by all of the artists and creatives that have gravitated to this part of the world before him. He is excited about the adventure ahead of him, where he will fully immerse himself as PIGSY - as a full time artist he knows that he is entering in to an immensely creative period of his life!

Art on Walls / March 9, 2021 by PIGSY

Art on Walls

Art and Interior Architecture goes hand in hand.

PIGSY contemporary artworks are bold and vibrant visual art pieces that enhance excellent interior design. Contact me directly to discuss your space and to talk about the many artworks that are currently available - or contact Designyard for further information.

In the home….and in the home office

PIGSY statement artworks spark conversation and inspiration within the walls of residential interiors. With the advent of Covid 19 and the evolution of homes spaces requiring a work space, PIGSY has seen an increase in clients contacting him for an art piece for the home office. PIGSY art helps create a positive and optimistic work environment. Most recently he has sold pieces which are now displayed internationally - Toronto, Canada and Galway, Ireland along with a piece sold in Spain - all three destined to be hung in the clients respective study rooms.

Home is where the ART is!

Art brings a feeling of well being in to lives. PIGSY’s expressionist art is a form of upbeat, positive storytelling and a marriage of color, poetry & edgy urban art. Art is a way to inject your personality and style in to your home with neutral walls crying out for a statement piece of art that appeals to the whole family. Something to note when choosing art for the home is that while color is very important it is not about matching colors to the home environment but instead it is about the colors complementing the environment.

See below for images of PIGSY artworks in their forever homes and discover the artist’s contemporary artworks and see how these works of art elevate and enhance inspirational interiors. Available in a variety of sizes and shapes PIGSY artworks work not only changes houses in to show homes but it gives each room a unique aesthetic quality that add to the enjoyment of home life for all of the family and for visitors to the home.

Home Art Gallery

Art shipping worldwide now you can buy contemporary art directly from the artist here in Spain and it will then be shipped to your home to hang art on your wall and make a house a show home with wall art that the neighbors will envy!

Art in the home also gives you the opportunity to express your personality and show off your style along with your likes. Many people choose not only to showcase single large proportioned artworks in their home but also to mix it up and have a bit of fun with their collections by creating a gallery wall. It can take some time and experimenting to get this looking right (but that is part of the fun!) and I like to map it out on a plan before the actual hanging.in order to prevent puttting nails in walls that are never used. There are also professionals who offer a hanging service who will assist with the layout as well as the hanging.

It also helps to frame you art in a similar style that gives the collection an overall cohesive look. Buying unframed art from the artist helps with this as you can then choose a frame that fits with the rest of your collection when the artwork arrives to your home. On the other hand, I sometimes specify particular frames for specific art works that I have created and each of my art collectors appreciate this as huge thought has gone in to the decision to frame the art and a lot of consideration has also been given as to what frame looks best and enhances the artwork.

Want to talk about art in your home?

Contact me directly to talk about your space and your likes and see if we can together find an artwork that works for you in your home. My artwork ships worldwide from both Ireland and Florida, USA.

PIGSY Art on walls

You can see more photos below of PIGSY art in situ in the homes of art collectors all over the world……and contact me today to discuss a PIGSY painting for your home!

How to introduce art to children: 10 top tips and Enid’s top ten books about art for Children / March 7, 2021 by PIGSY

Guest Blog: Introducing Art to Children and the top ten books about art for children

Librarian Enid Bebbington in the modern and bright Donabate Library holding a childrens book while wearing a brown cardigan

Guest Blogger Enid Bebbington (my wife!) writes about the ways to introduce art in to your children’s life. Enid also lists her top ten books choices about art for children - as a Librarian, she should know!

Bring art in to your child’s life!

After reading what a previous guest blogger wrote on the PIGSY website about her visits to London Art Galleries with her little son it got me thinking how awesome it is for us all to enjoy art through the eyes of a child. Children of course are the future of every industry and if we want art to survive and thrive (not that I think it won’t) we need to encourage the next generation to be art lovers just as much as this generation is.

However, as an art lover, I think seeing art through the eyes of a child helps to progress the craft and enjoyment of art. The engagement of a child, who has no boundaries, stimulates a conversation that in reality you don’t know where it will go or will take you. Additionally we all know that children have the biggest imaginations which could provide the biggest inspiration for artists!

With this is mind, I’ve thought about different ways that you can help and encourage the children in your life to be art lovers.

10 easy ways to introduce art in to the lives of children:

After a brain storming session with PIGSY here’s my 10 tips for introducing art in to the lives of your children

A lady wearing a green jumper and work lanyard stands in front of a library bookshelf holding a children's book

Art Museums & Gallery Excursions
Books - see the full list below!
Clothes - allow children to express themselves and their artistic spirit by letting them choose what clothes and colors they wear
Creating their own art - encourage your children to create their own art with art supplies in the home and then create a virtual art gallery on instagram in order to share it with family and friends around the world
Travel - research as a family where artists came from and then plan a vacation to this location to explore all of the places that the artist ventured around
Hang art in the home - and even give your children the option of hanging their favorite artist in their bedrooms
Make art a special treat - Sundays can be the day to visit an art gallery and then go for a hot chocolate after to look at pictures and talk about the art you just saw
Do you have an artist family member or friend? Set up a visit to their studio so your child can see how they work and what their artistic process is
Baking. Yes really! Bake a cake based on a piece of art. The Merrion Hotel in Dublin does a really great thing where they base their afternoon tea cakes on pieces of art in the hotel art collection. Really clever!
Face paint and dress up - children can experiment and explore art through these mediums

Enid’s Top Ten Books to introduce art to children & babies

“Life doesn’t frighten me” Edited by Sara Jane Boyers, with words by Maya Angelou and paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat

“Miffy at the Gallery” by Dick Bruna
“123s of Art” by Sabrina Hahn
“Andy Warhol. What colors do you see?” by Mudpuppy
“Pantone Colors” by Panetone
“This little artist: an art history primer” by Joan Holub
“Good night starry night (Peek a book book) “ by Amy Guglielmo
“Little artist board book set” by Emily Kleinman
“Keith Haring Pop Art 123” by Mudpuppy
“Yayoi Kusama Covered Everything in Dots and Wasn't Sorry” by Fausto Gilberti
“Women Artists A to Z” by Melanie LaBarge

“Life doesn’t frighten me” with Basquiat illustrations

11. I actually have an 11th, which is my favorite - it’s “Life doesn’t frighten me” which features art work by Jean-Michel Basquiat and a poem by Maya Angelou. I like it so much, that I have my own copy - it’s not just for children!!

Architecture for Babies

And here’s a little bonus book that you can add to the list. It is one of my go to books for gifts when friends welcome a new baby in to their life…….I think a book is always a good option as a gift for a new baby as clothing seems to be the preferred gift so it’s nice to give something a little different!

“Architecture for Babies” by Jonathan Litton

Final Bonus Tip - Join your local library!

My final tip for art in your family’s life is to join your local library. You’ll save a fortune on books and there are generally art activity sessions that the children can attend for free. Coupled with this many, libraries are connected to art galleries and show really great work by local artists.

And btw, do you know that Irish public libraries no longer charge fines and also have a universal card that you can use in both your home library and any other library in Ireland?!

The Ireland Funds Singapore - A Sense of Ireland / March 2, 2021 by PIGSY

“A Sense of Ireland 2021” : The Ireland Funds Singapore

1st March - 31st May 2021

Singapore fundraiser for The Ireland Funds Singapore

I’m proud to support and be part of an incredible line up of events for The Ireland Funds Singapore “A Sense of Ireland 2021”

“A Sense of Ireland” Events

An Irish Walking Tour: 14 - 28 March 2021

An Evening with……..Chef Andrew Walsh – Chef’s Table, Nua Irish Cuisine at CURE 16 - 25 March 2021

An Evening with……Loh Lik Peng, Managing Director, Unlisted Collection at POLLEN 26 March 2021

‘Exploring the Senses’ of Art from Asia and Ireland Art Exhibition 3 March - 31 May 2021

‘A Sense of Ireland’ Virtual Art Auction 13 - 28 March 2021

Irish Set Lunch at Butcher Boy 16 - 25 March 2021

Irish Afternoon Tea at Town, The Fullerton Hotel 16 - 28 March 2021

Art Events - Irish and Asian Art

The two events PIGSY is involved in are the ‘Exploring the Senses’ Art Exhibition and “A Sense of Ireland” Art Auction.

ArtXplor Gallery

The “Exploring Senses” art exhibition consists of the pop-up art gallery ArtXplor showcasing Irish and Asian art in Tanglin Shopping Centre in Singapore. ArtXplor is curated by Rosalind Lim, founder of ArtApart and Dr Stanley Quek. I have submitted multiple art works for this art exhibition and am proud to be part of a line up of emerging and established Irish and Asian artists (for full artist listing, scroll to the bottom).

The art exhibition runs until 31st of May 2021

Art Auction

The other event I am involved in is the “Sense of Ireland” art auction. I have donated an art piece for this auction and proceeds will go to The Ireland Funds. The auction launches on 13th of March with bidding closing on the 28th of March.

The Ireland Funds Singapore hosts a celebration of Ireland in March 2021 with “A Sense of Ireland”

The Ireland Funds Singapore Beneficiaries 2021

For 2021, the beneficiaries of The Ireland Funds Singapore include worthy causes such as Dover Park Hospital, Eden Senior School for Children with Autism, St Luke’s Hospital, School of the Arts Singapore (SOTA), EQUAL, Love NILS and St Patrick’s School Gaelic Football

Sold art in Singapore Art Gallery, now in Private Collection in Singapore

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Edit 5th March 2021

SOLD!

“Damned Flames” is now sold

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Artists

Repetition abstract expressionist art for sale in Singapore Art Gallery by artist PIGSY

Ada Panopio

Sandy Liu

Vanessa Tria

Li Ching Heng

Yolanda Law

Bruno Tanquerel

Meng Rui

Ignatius Yeo

P. Gnana

HAKim

Yeo Kian Hwee

Geraldine Kieran

June Fairhead

Helle Helsner

Kerry Collins

Christine Bowen

PIGSY

ADW

Bernadette Madden

John Redmond

Neil Dunne

Ivan Daly

Isobel Henihan

John McNulty

Geraldine O’Reilly

EDIT 29th March

The auction part of this Irish Art showcase is now over (see PIGSY piece that sold - Planted Irony) but the exhibition is still ongoing until the end of the month so plenty of time still to buy these Asian and Irish artworks.

“Planted Irony” by PIGSY, sold as part of The Ireland Funds Singapore “A Sense of Ireland” celebrations

A new range of PIGSY Original Artworks / March 1, 2021 by PIGSY

An accessible range of PIGSY Original Artworks

Original Art with Custom Frames

I’m excited to announce a new range of PIGSY Original Artworks. The new range is going to be introduced at my up coming solo art exhibition here in Malaga in La Casa Amarilla Gallery. The original art features a study on paper that is beautifully presented in a bespoke frame that is specified by me (my architectural experience is being used here - I have selected a simple frame with a classic aesthetic that will enhance any home) and which is then hand crafted to order here in Malaga. The framed piece below is now in transit to it’s new home in the county of Cork, in Ireland.

Accessible Art

What’s accessible about these new wave abstract-expressionism pieces, you ask? They are accessible for various reasons.

Home art gallery wall with various sized art works

Firstly, the size of these art pieces.

Many of my art works are fairly large scale and you need grand walls to accomodate them. This new range features pieces that are approx. 330mm x 420mm so they are very managable in most homes. The size also gives you the opportunity to buy multiples and create a PIGSY gallery wall in your space. Or you can easily include one of these artworks in a gallery wall that you have already created (see example pictured).

Gallery walls in homes are something fun to do and are a very effective way of highlighting the art in your collection and showing it in it’s best light. A range of art works can be brought together in a cohesive fashion - sometimes it is advisable to use the same frame for all of your art but this is not always the case and a mix of styles in both the art and the frame styles can look marvelous.

As many of us are working from home currently, art gives us the opportunity to inject some color and personality in to our surroundings and it can make our homes a positive and fun space. These art works mean that you can update your home work space and make it an area that does not feel tedious but is instead an inspirational place of beauty where you are surrounded by art works that you enjoy and make you feel good!

Accessible Price

The other thing that sets these artworks as being accessible is the price of the art work. They are keenly priced including the frame. The price point that they are available at gives you the opportunity to start your very own PIGSY collection if this is the first PIGSY piece you purchase. Or you can decide to select multiples of these pieces in order to create a gallery or statement wall of PIGSY’s as outlined above.

Shipping Worldwide

Finally the other reason that they are considered to be accessible is that they easily ship worldwide - this comes down to their size and other factors. So you can easily receive this art if you are close by in Marbella, or if you are further afield in places like New York, Dubai or Singapore. It’s not a problem. PIGSY art has shipped all over the world to places in Ireland, Canada, USA and other spots and given the size of these works they are a breeze to get to you so you can hang them in a chosen spot in your home!

abstract expressionism flowers or flores arte in Marbella

Made to order

Designer art and frame - a signed original artwork direct from artist PIGSY from Marbella to anywhere in the world

Each of these artworks will be made to order. How this works is when you select a piece it will then be sent to the frame shop where it will be individually framed with the bespoke frame that is specified by Ciaran. This process will take about 7-10 days or so. After this it will then be shipped to your country, where ever you are in the world. It will be shipped from Spain. Unfortunately Spain postage is experiencing massive delays due to Covid and reduced flights, etc. All in all you should probably factor in a time frame of about 4-6 weeks for the arrival of your original artwork (or maybe a little more time, depending on where you are in the world and whether the art piece has to go through your country’s customs).

Good things are worth waiting for!

Contact PIGSY for further information

PIGSY Original Framed Art on Paper, now available: €420

Framed size 330mm x 420mm

Get in touch with me if you want to discuss anything further and for more information on this special new range of artworks please contact me

The smell of churros and hot chocolate wafts in to my studio from the café across the road / February 25, 2021 by PIGSY

PIGSY talks with the Irish Times about his “year out” in Malaga

“The smell of churros and hot chocolate wafts in to my studio from the café across the road”

To read the full article online, click here

Where lauded artist PIGSY talks to the Irish Times about his move from Ireland to Spain as part of the Irish Abroad series - he outlines the plans they made including getting a pet passport for their dog Dr Bones McCoy and booking the dog on a fligh…

Art on walls - modern architecture with modern art by artist PIGSY aka architect Ciaran McCoy

When two tribes collide - art and architecture are always on the mind of artist PIGSY aka Irish architect Ciaran McCoy

Art in the neo-expressionist Basquiat style at an affordable price by up and coming Irish emerging artist PIGSY

Eddie Martinez comparative art by emerging Irish street artist PIGSY

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Malaga is a cycling city and is generally bike friendly

Enid Bebbington playing padel in Malaga Spain in Atico in O2 gym

Padel playing on a Sunday morning in Malaga, Spain - dressed in tennis whites

Formerly a squash player - Ciaran McCoy is now a padel player - have you tried padel tennis, the fasted growing racket sport in the world

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Seven Spanish Angels

Click play below to see the recent “Seven Spanish Angels” Exhibition by PIGSY presented by Designyard Dublin

CLIC Interviews Enid & PIGSY / February 23, 2021 by PIGSY

CLIC Malaga

PIGSY and Enid in interview with CLIC Malaga - see below

Enid and lauded Irish artist PIGSY talk about their life in Malaga while on a sabbatical from their careers in Ireland. PIGSY aka architect Ciaran McCoy also describes his art and his inspiration and influences

A blog post about living in Malaga Spain and learning to speak Spanish from scratch

Malaga marina is pedestrianised and family friendly and leads down to the lighthouse

No Piqui Coffee shop in Malaga City Centre - the perfect place for brunch near Calle Carreteria

Bones the shi tzu takes a rest near the fountain in Constitution Plaza in dog friendly Malaga

The artist and wife at the opening of the David Burbano exhibition in La Casa Amarilla in Malaga on Calle Santos across from Cafe Aranda

Enid has experience in digital marketing, web design, branding and event management which work well to promote and market PIGSY art

Eddie Martinez inspired artist PIGSY walking through the streets of Malaga with a handmade canvas under his arm

Dog friendly Malaga welcomes dogs in cafes, restaurants and shops - here is Bones the shi tzu relaxing outside Starbucks in the centre of Malaga

Back entrance to the Picasso museum in Malaga as visited by architect Ciaran McCou

Renzo Piano designed Malaga Pompidou centre an excellent art resource at the marina in Malaga opposite Hard Rock Cafe

Enid talks about her favorite authors including S.E. Hinton, Judy Blume and Bill Bryson. She has also enjoyed “Autobiography of us” by Aria Beth Sloss and “One” by Sarah Crossan. She is also a big fan of Elin Hilderbrand who, Enid as a librarian rat…

Funky and fabulous affordable art gifts for art lovers

Budget conscious art collectors can now buy PIGSY products at an affordable price

Why have art on walls when you can have art in your hands in this cheerful and vibrant art mug

Beautiful and practical Irish design face mask for your health and safety during Covid

Enid writing about her volunteering in the Cudeca Charity Shop in Plaza de la Merced in Malaga - Cudeca Foundation is a Spanish charity that provides cancer services and resources to patients. They fundraise through a variety of ways including takin…

Pictured is “I’ve Given Enough” a painting featuring a Spanish Bull Ring that was created in Malaga, Spain by lauded Irish artist PIGSY

Pigsy art work is influenced by artists such as Purvis Young, Cy Twombly, Karel Appel, Jean-Michel Basquiat,. I am also influenced and inspired by street/urban/graffiti art & music such as Hip-Hop, New Wave, Punk classical and Jazz. The much lau…

PIGSY solo art exhibition in Malaga, Spain will be in La Casa Amarilla Galerie (on Calle Santos) on March 27th 2021

PIGSY Art Exhibitions

To keep up to date and see when the next PIGSY exhibition is, click here

Moderne arte by lauded Irish artist PIGSY in Malaga, Spain

Excelente espacio de arte emergente en Malaga, Espana - a hub for contemporary and experimental art

Hyper expressionist artwork in the style of Basquiat created by up and coming Irish artist PIGSY

Key West: A drinking town with an art problem / February 22, 2021 by PIGSY

Guest Blog: Key West - A drinking town with an art problem

Guest Blogger Amy, an Art Lover and Collector (Yes, she has a few PIGSY art works!) and a Florida transplant living in the tropical paradise of Key West writes about culture and arts in Key West.

When most people think of Key West, they think about Sloppy Joes, Spring Breakers and partying on Duval Street. However, as someone who lives in Key West I can attest that there is way more to do beyond drinking on Duval and a lot of it is cultural and literary activities. In this blog post I’m going to tell you about some of the arty and creative characters that at one time or another have spent time in Key West.

Key West means different things to different people and not all of us like to do the same things while on vacation so along with the above I’m going to list some of the amazing art galleries and cultural centers in Key West if you want to take a break from barhopping!

Famous Authors with a Key West connection

Tennessee Williams

Pulitzer prize winning playwright Tennessee Williams is known for writing “A Streetcar named Desire” and “The Glass Menagerie”. He lived in Key West for over thirty years and is thought to have written the final draft of Streetcar in the La Concha Hotel on Duval Street. His house was on Duncan Street and this was where he wrote “The Rose Tattoo” which was adapted in to a film in 1955 and starred Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani. To find out more about Williams, you can visit the Key West Tennessee Williams Museum on Truman Avenue which contains many Tennessee Williams artifacts including his typewriter!.

Carson McCullers

Carson McCullers born 1917 was an American novelist who published her first novel in 1940, titled “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” which was widely acclaimed and is still very popular and much read today. It’s an American classic to my mind. Carson McCullers was friends with Tennessee Williams and spent the Spring of 1955 with him here in Key West. McCullers died in 1967 at the very young age of 50 in Nyack, New York.

Truman Capote

Spent Winters in Key West staying and working on his writings in the very well known Pier House resort built by Key West native and developer David Wolkowsky. Capote wrote “Answered Prayers” in Key West.

Ernest Hemingway

Possibly the most famous Key West resident, Hemingway lived on the island in the 1930’s in his house on Whitehead Street which is now a museum. Initially he lived for a while, in what is now the Casa Antigua on Simonton, but, at the time Hemingway stayed there it was the Trev-Mor Hotel. He, and his then wife Pauline, were awaiting delivery of a Ford Roadster (a wedding present from Pauline’s Ungle Gus) but when delivery was delayed the car company said they would put them up in the hotel while they waited two weeks for the car to arrive. They fell in love with the island and stayed a further two years in the hotel and then went on to buy their house on Whitehead where Hemingway wrote numerous works, in the second story of the Carriage House on the property, including “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “Green Hills of Africa”. Born in 1899 and married four times, Hemingway died by suicide in 1961 but his legend lives on - not only through his novels but through the stories of his legendary drinking ability, boxing bouts and fishing trips. His house on Whitehead is a must visit in Key West and the tour guides have a dearth of stories to regale visitors on tours of the property……not to mention that you can catch sight of the 6 toed cats that can be traced back to Hemingway’s own 6 toed cat which are deemed by sailors to be a good luck charm.

Shel Silverstein

Not only a children’s writer, he is known for his cartoons and songs. He penned the Key West themed song, “The Great Conch Train Robbery” which was inspired by his girlfriend who drove a Conch Train tourist attraction in Key West. The Conch Train tour is a piece of Key West history having been showing tourists the island since the 1950’s!

Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop (February 8, 1911 – October 6, 1979) was an American poet and short-story writer.

Judy Blume

It is a little known fact that the amazing Judy Blume lives on the island. A Key West resident for the last fifteen or twenty years or so, it's probably not a big surprize to learn that she is a massive contributor to the development of the arts, literature and culture on the island; she opened a book shop within an arts studio (where she works a couple of days a week! Well did, anyway, prior to covid). She, and her husband, George Cooper founded an arthouse cinema on the island - The Tropic Cinema.

And I've met her!!!! And she is wonderful, of course. So generous with her time and thoughts. She spoke with my sister and I for about twenty minutes - on subjects varying from why she opened a bookshop in Key West ("it was needed"), to abortion laws in Ireland, to asking us (ASKING US!!!!) what we thought of the U.S. cover of her latest book versus the European cover - and telling us how she preferred the European cover and how the process works of deciding on the covers etc etc.

Gore Vidal

Known for his writings, a commentator on culture and politics, Gore Vidal was openly bisexual and many of his books had LGBT characters.

Michael Mewshaw

Fiction and non-fiction writer Michael Meshaw (best known for his sports books, including “Short Circuit” and “Ladies of the Court” which both cover the topic of professional tennis) lives in Key West during the Winter time and spends the other time elsewhere travelling in Europe. His novel “Year of the Gun” was made into a film of the same name by John Frankenheimer in 1991.

James Leo Herlihy

Another friend of Tennessee Williams, James Leo Herlihy is the author of “Midnight Cowboy”, “All Fall down” and the “The Season of the Witch” and set many of his writings in Key West. Born in Detroit in 1927, Herlihy living on and off in Key West from the 1950’s to the early 1970’s and it was in the guest house of 709 Baker Lane that he wrote Midnight Cowboy in 1965. Herlihy died in 1993 in Los Angeles.

Wallace Stevens

Hailing from Pennsylvania, Wallace Stevens was a modernist poet born in 1879. He spent around 20 winters in Key West and penned the poem “The Idea of Order at Key West” in 1934, after publication of which he began to receive great recognition and by the 1950’s he would become to be widely regarded as one of America’s greatest contemporary poets and would be awarded a Pulitzer for his poetry. Stevens died from cancer in 1955.

Famous Artists in Key West

Winslow Homer

Born in Boston in 1835, artist Homer Winslow was a painter in the realist style, as well as being an illustrator. Homer was a landscape painter but is best known for his marine subjects. Having travelled in the States and also spending time in England, he spent many of his winters in different parts of Florida (including places such as Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West) and the Bahamas and also Cuba. He enjoyed the warmer weather (and fishing) in these parts and while in these areas he painted scenes of the sea and fishermen, mainly in watercolor but he also worked in oil throughout his life and also worked as an illustrator for the popular magazine, Harper’s Weekly. His 1903 “Key West, Hauling Anchor” is a timeless depiction of a sail boat in blue waters with vibrant billowy white sales. Homer died in 1910, aged 74, in Maine.

Mario Sanchez

Mario Sanchez was a Cuban-American artist born in 1908 and from the 1930’s he lived in Key West in the area called “Gato’s Village” which was the cigar-making neighborhood. Sanchez’ work specialized in wood carvings that he painted in vivid colors. The carvings generally portrayed everyday scenes of life in Key West. Defined as a folk artist he is considered one of the most important Cuban-American folk artist of the 20th century. Mario Sanchez died on 29th April 2005.

Wyland

While you may not know which artist painted it, you probably remarked on it, if you passed his amazing large scale marine based art work on the building that is currently the Key West Waterfront Brewery and was formerly the Key West Market down at the bight which is an apt setting for this mural featuring life size wales. Famous for his monumental whale paintings on public buildings (and even a gigantic art work on the hull of a Norwegian Cruise Liner ship), Wyland is a passionate environmental conservationist and is actively engaged in environmental outreach and eduction.

Ferron Bell

Bell is a really interesting artist that created works that can’t help make you smile when you see them. Along with appreciating his talent at creating art I really appreciate his wit, humor and cleverness in creating puntastic and quirky paintings. Bell was a self taught artist and died in Miami at the age of seventy in 2013.

Captain Outrageous

Captain Outrageous (1940-2007), with areal name of Norman Taylor, moved to Key West in the 1970’s after a career in Finance.

Richard Peter Matson

Born in Brooklyn Matson studied at the The Cooper Union Art School in New York City, followed by graduate studies at Yale University’s. After working in the field of advertising he arrived to Key West in the 1970’s from New York and lives and paints here now.

I actually attended the opening of his wonderful art exhibition “You don’t know Dick: The lesser known works of Richard Peter Matson” at the Custom House Museum in 2019. It was a really excellent and well presented exhibition showcasing the wide range of his exemplary talent - ranging from his oil paintings of houses, to his beautiful portraits, to his ads of the 1960s' during his career in New York city, working for J Walter Thompson, to his 1980's tongue in cheek greeting cards to his intricate decorative eggs.

Calvin Klein House, Key West - as photographed by me in 2019

Other Key West Notables and Celebrities

President Truman and The Little White House in Key West

Further Key West notables include President Truman who practically encamped to Key West for his Presidency and set up house in the “The Little White House” in the now Truman Annex. His wife was a fan of fishing and he was a fan of poker so the Key West lifestyle seems to have suited him! You can now visit The Little White House here in Key West and tours of the site are led by very knowledgeable guides who do a great job of recreating life in The Little White House during the Truman term.

Calvin Klein and his unique Key West House

Designer Calvin Klein also owned a house in Key West in the 1970’s. It is a very distinctive looking house at 712 Eaton Street. Previously called the Richard Peacon house it now seems to be referred to as the Octagon House.

Top Gun Actor Kelly McGillis

Actress Kelly McGillis left her mark on Key West, having set up a bar called “Kelly’s” in what was the original Pan Am Ticket Building in Key West. It has now changed ownership and currently a bar, restaurant and a brewery, with the possibly more apt name of “First Flight”.

Margaritaville shirts worn by Key West twins

Singer Songwriter Jimmy Buffett

You don’t have to be a “parrot head” to love the laid back island lifestyle music of Jimmy Buffett! And while in Key West you can visit his Margaritaville Restaurant on Duval Street and enjoy some great food and music. Here’s my twin sister and I in our Margaritaville shirts which we bought years ago in the store on Duval Street. They are practically vintage at this point!

Artist PIGSY and Key West

“Captain Outrageous vs. Frisbee King”Featuring the subject of the art work doing that ubiquitous and widespread Key West thing of cycling freely down Duval Street without a care in the world! — “Captain Outrageous vs. Frisbee King” by PIGSY
Featuring the subject of the art work doing that ubiquitous and widespread Key West thing of cycling freely down Duval Street without a care in the world!

And of course being that this is the PIGSY art website, I have to, of course, write about the connection artist PIGSY has to Key West. He first visited the island on his honeymoon in 2001 and then returned again in 2005 where he fell hard for the place. So hard, that he bought a vacation home to which he visited, from Ireland, numerous times until he sold it a few years later. Even after he sold his vacation home he continued to visit up until 2020 when Covid stymied travel from Europe to USA.

While on visits to Key West, PIGSY was inspired and conceived numerous artworks, including “Captain Outrageous vs. Frisbee King” and “Duval Flag”, which is an homage to the “Sea to Sea” rainbow flag which created in 2003 ran the length of Duval Steet in order to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the rainbow flag. “Duval Flag” was donated to the Key West Business Guild. PIGSY uses all of the places he has visited in the world as inspiration for his paintings, as a keen sailor he has travelled in the Greek and Turkish Isles as well as sailing around Elba off Italy - he also sailed in the Caribbean visiting islands like Bequia and Mustique.

PIGSY available in Effusion Gallery

PIGSY artwork is proudly represented in Key West by Effusion Art Gallery, centrally located on Duval Street. Find out more about Effusion Gallery, Key West here.

Harrison Gallery on White Street in Key West, Florida - artist PIGSY rides by on his bike and peers in the window of the art gallery

Art Galleries in Key West

Studios of Key West

533 Eaton St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Anna Sweet Art Gallery

513 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Zazoo Fine Art Gallery

622 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Key West Pottery

1203 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Gallery on Greene

606 Greene St. Key West, FL, 33040. United States

Harrison Gallery Key West

825 White St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Gingerbread Square Gallery

1207 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Custom House Museum

281 Front St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Key West Pottery Gallery on Duval Street (near the Southernmost)

Key West Art Center

301 Front St, Key West FL 33040, United States

Art@830 Gallery

830 Caroline St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

LIK Fine Art Gallery

400 A Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Gallery 111

1012 Truman Aveenue, Key West

Key West Gallery

601 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Art on Duval

714 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Effusion Gallery Duval Street

PIGSY art work is now available in Effusion Gallery at 701 Duval Street, Key West 33040, Florida.

See below for new PIGSY artworks available in Effusion Gallery in 2023.

“I went to Mass” by PIGSY, available in Effusion Gallery an Oliver Cole Art Gallery

“Who’d be a martyr” by PIGSY, now available in Effusion Art Gallery on Duval Street, an Oliver Cole Miami Art Gallery

“Super-Confidence” artwork by PIGSY now available in Florida in Effusion Gallery, an Oliver Cole of Miami Art Gallery

“Up-load” by Ireland’s foremost contempory artist Pigsy, available in USA through Florida Art Gallery Effusion, an Oliver Cole Art Gallery

And to see more about PIGSY’s art, you can watch the short video of his most recent art exhibition in Dublin, Ireland

Mirador de la Acazaba - Malaga / February 15, 2021 by PIGSY

Back at the Mirador de la Acazaba

One of the best sights of Malaga

View of Roman ruins in Malaga city near the alcazaba

To celebrate St Valentine’s Day and for a nice activity to get up to in the morning we took a wander up the walkway and viewing point of the Alcazaba in Malaga at about 11am yesterday. The walk up to it on the corten walkway is serene and then the vista when you get to the top is absolutely supreme. It is fast becoming one of my favorite spots in Malaga and I highly recommend it if you are sightseeing in Malaga. We really enjoyed our time at the top and took in the full view and looked at all of the different sights, along with trying to see if we could see our own “casa”.

The photo here shows the view from viewing point on the Alcazaba which as you can see includes a view of the Roman ruins which include a theatre right in the centre of Malaga city.

Mirador de la Alcazaba : Visitor Information

Mirador de la Alcazaba - entrada gratuita, horario de verano: Junio a Septiembre 10am - 8pm y horario de invierno Octubre a mayo 10am to 5pm

Afterwards we strolled down at a leisurely pace and looked at the Roman ruins when we got to the bottom.

For information, tt’s free entry in to the Mirador de la Acazaba and it seems to be open seven days a week with Summer and Winter opening hours.

Winter hours are from October to May and are 10am to 5pm, while Summer hours run from June to September where it is open 10am until 8pm.

In order to get in you need to walk up to the steps to the left of the Visitors Centre (near El Pimpi) right next to the Cine Albeniz.

When we visited on Sunday, it was quite busy with lots of families and couples visiting the top. I’d imagine it is a lot quieter midweek - as it was when we visited a few weeks ago on a Wednesday afternoon.

Here’s some pictures of the Mirador de la Alcazaba, Malaga from our visit yesterday:

The stairway to the viewing point is an architectural gem. I’m a big fan of corten steel but I am also very impressed by the patterns in the laser cut steel. At every turn I am wowed by the architectural details - check out the corten steel nestled in to nature with the organic growth around it!

Blue skies and corten steel at the alcazaba view point in Malaga

Laser cut steel to make shadow and pattern

Laser cut steel to make architectural screening

Corten steel nestled in to nature with organic growth

The mirador in Malaga is a must see for visitors to Spain

Old meeting new - the mirador in Malaga is an architectural gem

Architectural laser cut metal screening on the stairway

Malaga is a dog friendly town and dogs are allowed in to this visitor attraction

Happy Valentine's Day 2021 / February 14, 2021 by PIGSY

Valentine’s Day 2021

Say you Care

We’ve all had a strange time this year so if you have loved ones in your life, take the opportunity to tell them how much you care and love them. And although you may be physically distanced from them at this time, keep them close in your heart while also reaching out with a phone call, a text or a Zoom call.

And even if you forgot to send a card that you meant to send, it’s not too late to maybe buy a box of chocolates and drive to someones home and leave them on their doorstep with a note, as a surprise.

Be kind to yourself

Additionally, be kind to yourself. Take it slowly and have a day for yourself. Start the day with a special breakfast and a warm drink and savor the flavors. Get out and walk in your favorite park - enjoy small pleasures like seeing the snowdrops popping up. And then unwind over dinner with a good glass of wine followed by a chocolate dessert. Rid your mind of negative thoughts and delight in the present. Find a good feelgood movie to watch or read your favorite book. Basically have a “You Day” this Valentine’s Day.

Art Heart Bombardment

“Muy Fragil” - art about love and fragility - an anathema for 2021

In order to share a message of peace, positivity, hope and love, I flooded my instagram with images of “heart art”. It felt like the right time to do it given what we are going through and I hope it helps others stay upbeat and positive. This will end and we will be able to get on with our lives the way we used to.

But in the meantime, love is universal and love doesn’t have to change just because things around us are in flux. And if we feel a little “fragile”, know that there is always someone who cares and can help. Reach out…….someone will be there.

Hope

There is hope and a lot to be positive and optimistic about.

As you know my art work is neo-expressionist and I paint in reaction to what is going on around me. The news about the vaccine has given me great home and it spurred me to create this piece of work. The vibrancy of color in the piece reflects the hope and positivity that we can feel. So for today, I say be happy and most importantly LOVE!!

Share the love

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog today and if you like the sentiments or my art, please share the love and send on to others to read or share on your facebook or twitter. It would mean a lot to me!

And where ever you are in the world, have a great day!!

About Home Art Studios / February 12, 2021 by PIGSY

Home Art Studio

As both an architect and an artist, I was very happy to collaborate with Real Estate Company Redfin and other artists on an article giving advice for creating a home art studio in your house. You can read the Redfin article about home art studios here.

Benefits of a Home Art Studio

Glass roofed room along with a glass floor designed by architect Ciaran McCoy in his Georgian Dublin home in Ireland

As I was gathering my thoughts on what my top tips are for designing a home art studio, it got me thinking about what the benefits are of having an art studio in your house. For me, it’s been hugely beneficial as I tend to get fits of inspiration at varying times during the day and it means I can go straight to the studio and work immediatly when I get the impulse to.

Cost Saving

Although, I have always tended to rent additional studio space as well as having a studio at home, if you do decide to forgo the external space for a home art studio, it is definitely a way to save money. For me, I do like to rent a studio space in a shared area as I think it is worth paying a monthly cost in order to meet other artists and see their ways of doing things, along with possibly getting the chance to collaborate with other artists.

Better for the environment & sustainable

Depending on where your studio is located you may find that you need to use the car to get to it (this can be dependent on both the distance and also if you have to carry heavy supplies to your studio). So what is the closest location for a studio where you don’t need to use your car, but of course a home studio. Not commuting to your studio in a car is great for the environment……and good for your sanity too!!

Working from his home art studio in Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland - Irish neo-expressionist street artist PIGSY, currently based in Spain

Home Entertaining

I’m sure there are loads of other benefits to having a home studio, but one of the things I liked to do pre-covid was to make my home studio a really sociable space. I’d often have guests over for canapes and cocktails and a visit to my home studio. It always added something special for my guests when I was hosting them in my home!

Top Tips when designing your own home art studio

So if I have convinced you about the benefits of a home art studio, here’s my top tips to consider when designing the space or designating a room as an art studio:

1. Ventilation

Ventilation is really important so it is best to locate your home office in a well ventilated room that has large windows or doors that can be opened to let more air in. I use a lot of spray paint and oil paints and the fumes can be overwhelming at times. So being able to open a window at low level on one wall and at high level on the opposite allows natural cross ventilation. This method is cheaper and works better than mechanical ventilation. It's important to consider the neighbouring building along, the prevailing wind direction which in turn will position the windows within a design. A simple electrical fan at high level can help with the cross ventilation but I always try to eliminate this to save on cost and try let nature do it's thing.Some studios I've worked in have had dedicated rooms for spraying but this is more suited for stencil artists and the rooms can be badly ventilated so is a room that you don't want to spend time in.

2. Light

Diffused Natural Light! This is obvious but I'm always surprised with the amount of art studios that are designed as an afterthought with no light or the windows being located on the wrong aspect. Choose an area of your home that has an external wall or can be roof lit. Make sure that the windows or roof lights are good for diffused (north facing) natural light for the location of the art studio. Locating the window in the correct position i.e. on the north face (depending on where you are in the World!) means that you will get good light without glares and it means that the sun won't damage paintings that lie around in the studio for months or sometimes years which is common in most art studios.

3. Protection

Real estate article by Redfin - creating your own home art studio

Protect your wall and floor coverings. My home art studio is in a room that has a glass floor and is clad in birch plywood. I covered the glass floor and the birch plywood with a roll of plastic laminate that I change every year or so. But you can also use a tarpaulin to cover the floor and protect from paint. Protecting your wall and floor surface means that they will be pristine if you go to sell your house (and this will protect the home value). I find this good from a creative perspective too because sometimes I just want to start afresh with a new mindset (almost like starting a new canvas) and having a removable protective cover means that the walls don't cost me lots of money to repair when I want to strip down the studio to start afresh . It is also a fast process so I don't waste time on DIY when I want to start anew.

4. Whiteboard Wall

Create one wall in your home art studio as a full white board ( I use a blackboard myself because I like to write an idea and then rub it out So its a private message to myself it also reminds me of school which triggers memories). You can then use the whiteboard to brainstorm your next project or to jot down ideas as they come to you! Very practical but important.

5. Work Table

Architect top tips for art studio design in your home to protect your home value

I love to have a large table where I can sit and mix paint and explore sketch studies. This is a luxury but if you have the space it's worth it. A design point is not to locate the table when it prevents you from executing your workflow without thinking. I paint on the ground as well as the wall so it's important that the table doesn't get in the way of throwing the canvas to the ground.

6. Fixings

Fix hanging battens to the wall at different heights for different size canvas. Make sure to leave one wall completely free or make sure that the battens are easily removable. This allows the artist to afix/roll out an unstretched canvas to the wall . I also use two old chairs to sit a stretched canvas on.

7. Group Items and organise

I'm a messy artist. What that means is that I paint fast and discard brushes, paint cans and any materials I'm using when done with them so as not to stop my flow of creativity. However, When I tidy up before I start painting or after that I group items in locations on the floor or wherever. This means that I generally know when an item is so I can find it fast so as not to stop my creative flow when I am in a state of concentration.

8. Temporary is better than permanent

When creating an art studio in your home it is best to install temporary structures in to the space. In order to protect your the value of your home, it is best to have non-permanent features in special rooms like these. Temporary features mean that particular spaces can be quickly and easily changed from one use to another depending on the requirements of each home owner. For example the room that is now my home art studio was used as yoga studio at one point by my wife. All of my art materials and equipment were easily cleared out in order to change it from an art studio to a yoga studio…..and then back again to a art studio. It’s best to have flexible spaces to make the most of your home and to protect it’s value in the future.

Architectural art studio in Ranelagh, Dublin in Ireland - the home to architect and artist Ciaran McCoy

PIGSY’s Home Art Studio

The above are all common sense and easy to achieve once you understand what way you yourself as an artist works. Some items are specific to the way I work, but I think, in summary, what you need is ventilation, light, organisation and storage.

As you can see from the photo of my studio, I designed my space with tons of light and ventilation. I was building my art studio from scratch as I fully refurbished my formerly derelict Georgian property in Dublin, Ireland. Because it was pretty much a tear down and re-build, I could design it fully for my needs. I clad the studio in corten steel which over time turn a beautiful organic orange earth color. The roof is full glass and then there is more glass on the floor. This is where the protective covering was needed! I covered the glass floor in protective plastic sheeting and I also put this protective covering on the birch bly wood walls. In essence, your own personal needs will dictate how you create your own home studio.

Good luck with it all and happy creating!

Thanks for visiting my blog, do get in contact with me if you have any questions about my art.

Alcazaba Walkway and Roman Ruins in Malaga / January 29, 2021 by PIGSY

Citadel Slope and Roman Ruins: Designed by OAM Architects, Malaga

Significant historic building in Malaga with architecural walkway by OAM architecs

Buried in the landscape of the slope of the Malaga Citadel is a superior example of architectural design by competition winning OAM Architects of Malaga. It’s a walkway that leads to the Alcazaba with views of the Roman Theatre. Constructed of Corten Steel, it is both earthy and elegant and sits sympathetically in the terrain. It is a magnificent piece of architecture and a must see if you visit Malaga. Because of the unobtrusive interruption on the landscape it is difficult to see but it can be accessed by steps to the left of the Roman Theatre Visitor Centre. As you climb the steps of the structure you can’t help but be in awe of both the honest creation itself, as well as the marvelous setting and the incredible views as you approach the top. At the top it is calm and quiet and Malaga city centre spans out below with views as far as the eye can see. Spring time is probably the perfect time to take a visit to this site as during the warm Summer you will feel the steps as you summit!!

Interest at every angle

In all honesty, I don’t think it is possible to take a bad photo of this structure. It delights at every angle. It’s a stunning example of a sensitive architectural intervention on a significant and historical tourist site. This is design that the public realm deserves and you will feel an air of tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of the city when you visit. It’s quite magical and very alluring.

I’ll leave the photos below without any further words as the images themselves do the talking……

Malaga fortress walkway with views of the city and cathedral

Malaga tourist sites the famous alcazaba with architectural walkway

Perforated corten steel to provide monumental shadows and interest for visitors

Unique corten shadow play with punched metal patterns

View of the cathedral in Malaga from the Alcazaba walkway

Combination of blue sky and attractive weathered corten steel

Architectural walk way constructed in Corten in Spain on the Malaga Citadel

Weathered corten steel is a thing of beauty and a brave choice but always looks stunning in the public realm

Views of Malaga from the walkway above the Roman Theatre visitor centre

21 Years in Hell: Marilyn Manson by Perou in La Termica / January 24, 2021 by PIGSY

Ralph Perou: 21 Years in Hell

For over two decades, British photographer Ralph Perou has been photographing Marilyn Manson. His exhibition 21 Years in Hell is a collection of these photographs exhibited in La Termica, Malaga since October 2020.

La Termica Malaga

Cycle on Brompton Bike in sunny Spain, stopping for a cana and a glass of wine on the way home

La Termica is located just outside of the city of Malaga past the Russian Museum. It’s a beautiful building covered in traditional Spanish tiles and was used as a hospital and a school for children in need in the past. Now it is a cultural centre and “cultural container” and offers art residencies, workshops, training and support to creators and entrepreneurs.

Having seen that the Marilyn Manson exhibition was closing during the week, we decided to make a visit to see it last Sunday.

It was a really sunny day, just perfect for a cycle particularly when there a cycle lanes for most of the way there and back. One of the cycles lanes led past a nice bar which we saw on the way to the photography exhibition so I made a mental note to myself to suggest to Enid that we should stop for a caña of beer and a glass of wine as passed on our return journey home. The featured picture shows you what she thought of that idea!!

Images of the Perou / Manson Photographic Exhibition

The exhibition was truly stunning. Perou’s work is phenomenal in that just about every photograph looked like it should be featured as an album cover. Marilyn Manson of course is a work of art in himself in that he seems to use his body as a canvas in which he paints himself with make up or covers himself up with striking clothes, or alternatively he takes off his clothes and exposes his body (or canvas) in it’s raw state.

All in all the energy that is exuded from the photographs and the exhibition as a whole is pure electric and they give great insight in to the world of Manson. From looking at the works, I would imagine that Perou and Manson have a very familiar relationship with one another and that they respect each other greatly. They allow each other do the thing that they do best and the results are apparent.

It was a riveting exhibition of superior work. I’m very glad I got to see it before it closed.

Here’s pics of the show for you to enjoy:

PIGSY Instagram

To see more PIGSY art pics and also to see what I am getting up to here in Malaga in Spain, follow me here on Instagram - it’s where you will find all my best stuff!!

Support artists world over and buy funky affordable wall coverings

Following in the footsteps of George Campbell / January 20, 2021 by PIGSY

Irish Artist George Campbell

George Campbell, was a Belfast born Irish painter who lived generally between Spain and Ireland up to his death in 1979

Interestingly when in Ranelagh in Dublin, I lived on the same road that Irish artist George Campbell lived on. I knew about him and his art but what I didn’t know was that he also lived in Malaga, in Pedregalejo to be exact. It was only after I moved to Malaga that I discovered about how he spent a lot of time in the El Palo area of Malaga and also that there is a roundabout named after Belfast born “Jorge Campbell” as he is known around these parts.

Ranelagh

At about 37 mins in the below video, you’ll see Leeson Park Avenue / Florence Terrace which is the street in Ranalagh where both myself and George Campbell lived on…….about 40 decades apart!

Pedregalejo, Malaga

Pedregalejo was George Campbell’s adopted home.

I visited Pedregalejo a few times on my bike and I like it immensely. Now it has, what I would describe as a hipster vibe to it, while in the video it is described as being somewhat bohemian. I can understand why George Campbell was attracted to live there and it is somewhere I would like to live if I was to move out of Malaga City Centre. Of course, now that it is “hipster” and gentrified, it seems quite expensive to rent a place.

Pederegalejo in Malaga has a Spanish Irish connection with Irish artist Jorge Campbell or otherwise known as George Campbell

Valentines Presents - it's time to make plans for what you will gift to the one you love! / January 7, 2021 by PIGSY

Valentine’s Day 2021

Small art gifts to say I love you for Valentines Day

With Christmas behind us and many people world over currently in lockdown while we wait for mass vaccination to protect us from Covid, Valentine’s Day gives us something to plan and look forward to. Although it tends to be marketed towards people who are in relationships, I prefer to see it as a day to spread love all around. Last year my wife, set up a bowl of heart shaped candy chocolates in her workplace for all to enjoy and this is the type of small thing that I think should be encouraged so we can all partake in this celebratory day. Particularly given the past year I think it is important to let those we love know how much we care for them. Small token gifts (or a piece of heart shaped candy!) can do that.

With the above in mind, I am highlighting some small art gifts that would make perfect Valentine’s presents for those you love and care about. Or it might also be something nice for employers to send to their staff that are working from home as a small token to show they are thinking of them! Small things like this will help us get through this tough time and will also let us know that there are brighter days ahead. 2021 should be the year that we are kind to ourselves and also to those around us that we care about.

A little heads up, postal delivery delays are currently ongoing due to covid, so if you are going to go beyond the traditional flowers, chocolates and wine route (which are always nice!) for Valentine’s Day, it’s time to think about gifts now and order well in advance.

Special Valentine’s Edition PIGSY Art Mug

“The Kiss” artwork printed on special edition Valentine’s art mug - it’s a different gift from the traditional flowers and chocolates but needed in 2021

Featuring original artwork “The Kiss” printed on a funky enamel art mug

This special edition mug for Valentines Day 2021 is printed with an original artwork by PIGSY titled “The Kiss”. The original art piece sold as part of PIGSY’s solo art exhibition “I Find You Fascinating” but you can now enjoy this art work in your home as it is now available for a short time early in 2021.

The art mug is hard wearing and ideal for use outdoors when meeting up in a physically distanced manner with friends or neighbors. It’s a neat size for packing in backpacks when our on the trail and it helps enjoy the perfect size coffee - not to big or small. Of course it always helps if you add a little drop of Irish Cream liquor to your coffee too - which some of past buyers of PIGSY mugs have been doin!.

Along with “The Kiss” there are other art mugs available, including cups featuring “Cyberpunks”, “It’s a Jungle Out There” and “Captain Outrageous vs. Frisbee King”. See the PIGSY store for more - and start building your collection of PIGSY mugs today!

Tote Bags - available with two art prints

PIGSY art prints are available on totes in two different colors. “It’s a Jungle Out There” is available on the light straw colored bag with “Bright Light” being featured on the black tote bag. “It’s a Jungle Out There” is an artwork that was sold as part of PIGSY’s solo art exhibition “I Find You Fascinating” while the original art piece “Bright Light” was part of the “Nostalgia” solo art exhibition.

The tote bags are in two different sizes (see here) and are ideal for using on trips to the grocery store or the library.. Handy and convenient, using a tote bag means that you can cut down on your use of plastic bags if this is one of your goals for the new year. The art tote bag by PIGSY is a perfect Valentine’s gift - particularly if you add a fancy box of chocolates in to the bag, or even better a piece of jewelry!!! Who wouldn’t love to receive that?!

Affordable token art gifts to make people feel special

iPhone Cover - phone case printed with PIGSY artwork

The final suggestion for a Valentine’s gift this year, is a phone cover which as we all know is really useful (particularly if you have learnt this the hard way after dropping a phone with no cover). The PIGSY iPhone cover is an attractive phone case that is printed with the art work titled “Duval Flag”. It is bright and attractive and along with making an art statement, it most importantly protects your valuable phone while also holding a piece of PIGSY art in your hand! You can see full details about it here.

“Duval Flag” original artwork was created while PIGSY was in Key West, Florida and you can see the influences of this place in the artwork. The original art is now in private collection in Florida, USA.but you can now enjoy this artwork in your day to day life with a phone cover that you will have on your phone at all times.

Bright vibrant face mask with vivid art work

Show you care with art - the ideal gift for Valentine’s Day 2021

Given the year that is in it, a gift of a face mask to your loved one is a way of showing you care. There two face masks in the PIGSY range and they are fun and funky and really vibrant. And although we are all probably sick of wearing masks, these masks printed with art are really uplifting for the soul given their bright rich color and the thought and themes of the art itself. Why were a boring white surgical mask when you can wear a thing of beauty and show art to the world when out and about in a face mask.

Beyond the traditional!

If you are thinking of going big and beyond the traditional token gifts this year for Valentine’s Day you may be considering an original art work or a limited edition print as a really special gift. Art is always appreciated and it is something that will give enjoyment for years to come. If this is something you are considering, get in touch with me and we can have a chat about PIGSY art and discuss your thoughts on an extra special Valentine’s Gift. But don’t delay - as I mentioned, there are postal delays worldwide and shipping is slow from Spain.

Big love for art

Check out the photo below of a recently sold piece - the reaction of the collector is awesome!

“We fucking love it” now that’s a reaction to this original art - it looks spectacular hanging on this well lit spot in its new home

Goodbye 2020 - here's to a different New Year! / December 29, 2020 by PIGSY

2020 is coming to an end

“I Went to Mass” Original artwork by PIGSY available for shipping worldwide from Spain where he has an art studio in Malaga

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.

1. Made plans to move to Malaga, Spain in early 2020 to paint for a year!

2. Packed up, sold art and sent to collectors, and then arranged storage for all of the rest of my artworks

3. Started organising the logistics of showing my art in Los Angeles in April 2020

3. Visited Malaga in February and rented an apartment starting from March 2020

4. Bones got his pet passport

5. Got locked down in Ireland so my plans to move to Spain were put on hold

6. Plans to exhibit my art in a physical show in Los Angeles were cancelled

7. Painted the massive “Phoenix Rising” while on lockdown - it got an awesome response when I shared it on Social Media!

8. Sold “Phoenix Rising”…….through Instagram - that was a first!

9. Worked remotely from home on Architectural projects……strange - but very workable!

10. Attended my first “Zoom Dinner Party” - great fun, thanks Gerry for organizing this!

11. Moved to Malaga, Spain

12. Set myself up in my art studio in Malaga

13. Invited to participate in “Savage” Group Exhibition in In-Spire Gallery, Dublin

14. Received my first commissioned order for an art work - completed it and sent it to the collector in Ireland

15. Launched a range of art merchandise products available on my website

Art celebrating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris winning Presidential election in USA in 2020 - Goodbye Trump

16. Created a special edition mug of “Phoenix Rising” artwork, to celebrate the election of Joe Biden in the USA - they sold out very promptly!

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 / December 18, 2020 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

Nike by you custom runners in a unique shoe box and wrapping

Image of personalized text on Nike Air Max customization sneaker, text says PIGSY

Custom designed Air Max show by Irish artist PIGSY with personalized text and colors

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

"Nike By You" customized multi-colored Air Max created by artist PIGSY

Customised Nike Air Max with Rain Forest Swoosh

Personalized text on my customized Nike Air Max - text on back of 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

Magic flamenco swoosh nikes on green custom shoe

Custom nike for you with Magic Flamingo swoosh

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 / December 17, 2020 by PIGSY

Art life routine in Malaga, Spain

An artist living in 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.

The business end of things of being an artist here in Malaga, Spain - living in Spain as an expat and running my art career. Beyond the creation of art, the artists needs to catalogue and inventory the art along with working on the financials and ar…

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.

Creating art in my studio here in Malaga, Spain the home of Jorge Rando and the great Pablo Picasso

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

Enid and I on the rooftop if the O2 gym in Atico Padel club getting ready for a Sunday morning Padel tennis game

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!!

Poco a poco little by little I am learning to speak Spanish with Speak and Learn classes in No Pigui cafe in the centre of Malaga

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!

Artist Pigsy on Calle Larios with his dog Bones, visiting the Christmas lights on the Malaga street is very much a Christmas traadition for Spanish families and tourists

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.

Amy in her 1950’s Florida home posed beside her vintage mid-century modern looking Christmas tree along with her Moscow mule cup in hand

“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.

Enid photographed by the Calle Larios Christmas tree here in Malaga, Spain wearing dress from Dunnes Stores and shoes from Marks and Spencers

Enid in Malaga on Calle Larios all dressed up nicely for Amy's "Tree and Me" facebook project which is a collection of glamorous ladeis posing with a drink beside theiir Christmas tree

Artist Pigsy took a photo of his wife Enid beside the large Christmas tree on Calle Larios in Malaga in Spain for her sister's facebook album of ladies posing in a party dress

Artist Pigsy's wife in a red party dress holding a Pigsy art cup in front of the giant Christmas tree in Malaga Spain on Calle Larios

The famous Christmas lights on Calle Larios in Malga City centre with Pigsy's wife Enid posing with her Pigsy art mug

Full view of Enid wearing Savida dress from Dunnes and shoes from Marks and Spencers for facebook photo project

Round up of recent PIGSY press / December 16, 2020 by PIGSY

First up, PIGSY got a mention in Social and Personal

Social and Personal is Ireland’s ruling fashion magazine, established 1934

PIGSY article about his art and exhibition featured in Social and Personal lifestyle section with a picture of his art on a wall above a grey couch with small side table to the front. Art certainly enhances the wall in this home and lifestyle

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

Gesturalist artist Pigsy presents Seven Spanish Angels - a body of contemporary art work that was created on the Costa del Sol in Spain

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