Eoin Mac Lochlainn, visual artist

Art and art blogs and all that crack

Well, I was talking to someone the other day about blogs and social media and all that, and how there are so many online courses about it these days and I was explaining how I just use a WordPress template and how it’s so simple to add my own copy and images and…

Johnny, 40 x 40cm, oil on canvas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oops, no, it’s not always as easy as it seems 😦

How do you find it?  I generally write stories about the art world here in Ireland. I wonder if there are other subjects that you’d like to hear about – how Johnny up there manages to walk on the ceiling, for instance, or… or would you miss Scéalta Ealaíne if I didn’t write at all?  Anyway, I’d love to hear your views… all the best for now, eoin

 

6 comments

  1. Eoin, there are always those times of questioning if anyone is listening and if there is any sense in keeping on with writing a blog. Is this one of those for you?
    Even with easy wordpress, it is a commitment and requires work to formulate thoughts, take and process the photos, upload and label them, answer comments etc.

    Facebook and Twitter are active places for a certain type of exchange, I understand (I don’t participate in either). And about 2 years ago, I noticed that deeper responses, & attention spans for the longer texts of to blogs fell off as these social media gained in popularity. I was despairing that blogs were now passé.

    But I see it like this, who do you write your blog for really? For me, I write it as a sort of public journal to share my insights and work process. I get a lot of clarity simply out of the writing process, not to mention some of the comments. I have a few loyal followers and occasionally some less frequent visitors who let me know they get something from my insights and tips.
    And I treasure conversations like the one we’ve been having via mail.
    So I would rather have two or three quality contacts online than join in the hyped up superficial popularity contests of the social media.
    And I value people, in a time of 140 characters or less, who are still sharing authentic content with depth on their blogs.

    A friend said that one timely new role for artists is to help people with the huge overload of information. Yes everyone can create online- we have free zines, photo sites, galleries, but which ones are good? He sees it as a new task for artist to stand for quality in all this overload. I think that good blogs do this.

    So, yes I would miss your voice. You may be speaking about Ireland, but it is through an artist’s eye and you are also sharing about what it is like to be an artist there, – find it really interesting.
    What I’d like more of,? Well, I’m curious about the art retreat you are on,(are you?) and what your art means to you, and what kinds of challenges you come up against. Sarah (oh geesh, this was going to be a short one)

    Like

    Reply

  2. Ah Eoin, of course we’d miss your weekly art musings! Hope all going well in Cill Rialaig! I heard earlier that Wexford artist David Begley will be on residency there this week. Enjoy!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a Reply, I'd like to hear your viewpoint.