Recent drawings
Recently I’ve being making drawings trying different mark making combinations and bringing in ink as well as watercolour. I’ve also bee trying to work on a larger scale again and have started to produced some interesting results. I’m going to continue to develop these looking at different forms and continue to play with scale, going larger again in the future. I have plans to do a solo show next year and may be showing a large series of these drawings alongside photography and physical works. More on that when it is confirmed.
Walking/drawing 29/10/14
Recent Images as I continue my research towards new work exploring making, materials and being present in the landscape.
Collecting, thinking, drawing
I’ve been getting more focus in my walks and I’m starting to get a feel for new work. Bracken has particularly caught my eye and I’ve grabbed this as a starting point for new work. 
PORTFOLIO 2014 at RHA
Really pleased to discover my work has been accepted for the Portfolio exhibition at the RHA gallery in Dublin this year.
PORTFOLIO 2014 :: OPENING HOURS
Thursday, 30 Oct: Private view, 6 – 9pm
Friday, 31 Oct: 11am – 8pm
Saturday, 1 Nov: 11am – 7pm
Sunday, 2 Nov: 12 noon – 6pm
Fence post series
When I was at Castleward I came across a fence line where the old posts had been kept and new ones just added alongside them. I found it interesting how they had all aged and weathered in different ways, some rotting away to reveal small landscapes inside with varying coloration and textures.
Signals at the Royal Ulster Academy
Very pleased that the series “Signals” has been accepted for the annual Royal Ulster Academy in the Ulster Museum. The exhibition opens in Belfast on the 17th of October.
Coast- belfast lough 26/8/14
Took a brief walk along the shoreline of Belfast Lough at Greys Point yesterday and took a few photographs. The sunlight on the water and seaweed made fantastic patterns and the light was amazing- none of these photos have any filters on them, posted as shot or with the occasional slight tweaking. Great day.
Artist Talk- Material Subversion
I will giving a talk about my work at the Queens University in the Old Staff Common Room in the Lanyon Building at 12.30 on Saturday the 30th of August. It will be a brief outline of how I approach making, my influences as well as what I have done in the past and where I see the work going. Please note this is at 12.30 not 1pm as previously advertised.
New drawings
Here are a pair of spoon drawings done recently. Using a different approach to mark making by building up successive light layers to give these a more fragile quality rather than just the knife marks I usually use. There is something about spoons that I love returning to, I think the round forms have some sort of sense of comfort, of wholeness possibly because the spoon relates the essence of eating more than other forms. As always I have numerous ideas for making – possibly a more collectable range alongside the sculptural works. I’m also considering reopening the webshop and putting my drawings up for sale, possibly with prints later as well as some objects. For now August Craft Month is in full swing and keeping me busy so I’ll be limited to drawings and photography for a while at least.
August Craft Month Interview
As part of August Craft Month in Northern Ireland the Arts Council did a short interview with me where I talk about what I am doing over the month and about Craft Month in general.
Stuart Cairns 