Just read the Margaret Atwood piece from the Globe & Mail today on the Harper cuts. Its a good read on a frustrating and critical subject, please check it out here

For more information about the cuts, a great site can be found here

Back to Ireland, well actually Scotland. I tracked down a new catalogue release of the artist Joan Eardley. I have enjoyed her work immensely for quite some time now and haven't found a whole lot of information about her. So I was thrilled to find out that the National Gallery of Scotland just had a retrospective of her work and published a new book on her. Her figurative work is gritty and harsh and falls in the vein of social realism, but it also captures some really delicate moments beautifully. Her landscape work is where Eardley starts to play with abstract expressionism and you have to spend some time really looking at the paintings. Unfortunately all I have is the catalogue to look at for now. I will have to get out to the gallery while I'm here.

I just came across Art Review magazine's new (well its new to me) online version of their periodical. here
Its really quite amazing. I will always prefer to physically read a book or magazine but the selection in Galway is, well its horrible actually. I have really been spoilt in Guelph. So to be able to digitally turn the pages of a magazine that I cant get here is the next best thing I suppose.

Went for my first ride yesterday. As a result I must commend the cyclist of Galway for their bravery. I was forced (yes I admit it, out of fear for my life) onto the sidewalk. I abhor cyclists that ride on the sidewalk. It drives me nuts. But in this case due to the narrow-ness of the roads and the large trucks that used this artery out of Galway, I felt it was necessary. Once I was into the country-side I felt quite a bit more safe and the ride turned into an adventure. The back roads (paved ones only this time) are a feast for the eyes. Walled Fields everywhere. I will post some pics shortly (i forgot to bring my camera) I felt that the first ride was a tester :-)
Anyway, thats all for now.
cheers.