A new chapter began Monday two weeks ago, as I took residence in The Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA) for an 8 week period. It’s a great privilege, and opportunity to be awarded the pilot Test Space Dual Residency in the esteemed premises. Alongside myself, on a complementary Virtual Residency is Rajinder Singh (I had the great pleasure of chatting with Rajinder – a very interesting artist and gent, and Sara Dowling of LCGA in a zoom meeting last week, about our mutual practices and what we will be working on – posted on Youtube – which is available online).
The pilot scheme is intended to try to bring a new dynamic to the gallery – an engine of communication with the public through talking about art in an informal way, and providing a space and platform for an in house and virtual artist to make work, and collaborate with Limerick city based groups.
I’ll be pursuing a number of activities – drawing my surroundings in varying media, which I’m hanging up in a very casual/informal manner – a visual diary if you will. It is a great space – physically and mentally – to accelerate through the drawing gears, and affords the opportunity to discuss the merits, thoughts and approaches I am taking with members of the public.
As part of The Arts Council’s EHRD Policy and Strategy, I hope to work with Bedford Row Family Project over the next month or so, doing some workshops with this important and valuable local resource. I’ll also work with Declan Greene and Mark Sheehan on a new Skippy’s Tale animation, and hope to do a Limerick Artist illustrated book collection before the completion of my time here.
I’ll as usual add news and images of my progress here, or check out my Carl Doran Test Space Residency Facebook page and/or Instagram page.
Sincere thanks to Director Úna McCarthy, Siobhán O’Reilly, Sara Dowling and all the welcoming team at LCGA – míle míle maith agaibh!