Studio

Our shared studios have be allocated. I have ample space, a pair of easels (Lindsay, my studio partner, is studying photography and foresaw no need for an easel), and several drawing boards. I covered my table in brown paper and purchased the bare necessities: compressed charcoal, brown paper sketchpad, recycled white paper sketchpad, 4B and 5B drawing pencils, cheap eraser. It is enough to start with before specific projects take form.

Double easels and big drawing board at the ready.

The before shot.

In down time between faculty and grad student portfolio presentations, I explored Newtown Castle. The stone stairway spirals up, and has worn through in places. That is, there are actual holes through which you can see the steps circling below. Views of the Burren peep through the arrow slits and windows on every side.

Newtown Castle.

The other Irish Studies students (which is to say, every other undergraduate) and I enjoyed an introductory lecture this evening. Tomorrow we will be bussed up from the alkaline limestone of the Burren to the acidic mountains, sheep lands and bogs of Connemara. Fingers crossed for puffin sightings.