Art trip to Dublin
I’ve been using just oil paints for a month. I’m not ditching the acrylics or inks, but wanted to grasp a feel for this new buttery greasy feeling paint with new techniques, experiments and stronger deeper paintings. But I have found I’m working just like I did with acrylics and inks. Am I meant to just use acrylics and inks as I can get the effect I want or will oils give me a new repetoire and more subtlety and depth to my work? I felt like I needed to see some great art for inspiration and when the invitation to Don’s cousins book launch in Dublin landed in my inbox, it felt like Dublin may be the perfect place to find it.
Cheap flights, a cheapish (nowhere is cheap in Dublin) hotel with a great location so we could walk everywhere. we arrived with a list of the major art galleries and museums.
Don spent a lot of his late teens and early twenties here, so it was a trip down memory lane for him. The major sites haven’t changed, but the city has grown and very much become a tourist destination now. The last time we both visited was eight years ago with Annie Kent. My memory of it for one short day, was of intense disappointment at the drab and grey of the city with very high brick buildings, so this time I went with no expectations.
This time Temple Bar felt vibrant and colourful with some great eateries and the Grafton Street area still felt authentic. Dublin is easy to get around using the tram or on foot with several bridges crossing the Liffey.
The National Gallery had incredible works on display and so varied for it’s timeline and style. Loved the modern portrait exhibition there and although not my thing, learnt from it.
The highlight, The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) was quite a walk so I might suggest the tram to the nearest stop. It had fabulous gardens and changes exhibition frequently. The current exhibition of ‘Coast Lines’ featured several Cornish artists. Just to see the scale of work and get up close is always worth going in person. Art really feeds the soul
We also revisited Dublin City Gallery and worth a visit any time to see the permanent glass encased studio of Francis Bacon. Has to be seen to be believed!
The colourful streets of Temple Bar