Have you been wondering what’s going on in that big house in Killeagh? We invite the local community to stop by on Saturday 18th February from 2pm-4pm to see what Greywood Arts is all about.

Join hosts Hughie & Jessica Coogan for a cup of tea and conversation. It’s an opportunity to learn about our programming and tour the guest-accessible spaces and artists’ studios. .

Our first artist in residence, Clare Byrne, will share some material from her project in progress: Song and Dance Man (working title), a solo music-and-dance performance piece.

Killeagh has given us a very warm welcome since we arrived, and we are looking forward to meeting even more of our neighbours! Help shape our relationship with our community.

You can RSVP via the Facebook Invite here, or just show up!

For more information email greywoodarts [at] gmail.com or ring Jessica at 083 845 1750.

We are over the moon to introduce Clare Byrne, our first artist in residence. She arrives from the US in less than a week, and while we are scrambling to get ready, we’ll let you sit back and enjoy some of her work.

Clare is a lifelong dancer, choreographer, and performance experimenter, and is currently a Senior Lecturer in Dance at University of Vermont. She works closely with sound, silence, and words. New to songwriting, she will be investigating ways to re-cross-fertilize the roles of dancer and musician through creating a solo music-and-dance performance piece. Clare is exploring how the physicality of playing music translates into meaning and dance in the body, and vice versa. She’s interested in how old bluesmen and women did this, in how popular entertainers do it today, and in integrating more radical contemporary performance art approaches. There are notably few experimental choreographers working this way.

Clare will share an in-progress peek at  “Song and Dance Man” (working title) during our Open House on Saturday 18th February, from 2 – 4 pm

Clare will be teaching the Improvisation Class at Firkin Crane on Thursday 9th February, from 10 – 11:30 am 

Clare’s plan is to get nitty-gritty in generating dance material while in residence at Greywood Arts. Then, she’ll be putting together this material and other ingredients: the songs, already developed, as well as several characters that she has worked with in past and present dances – Wet Blue, White Witch, and The Folksinger – who are likely to be presences in this show, each with different moods, colours, or dynamics of movement. Clare finds an Irish affinity in her song style, content, and several of her characters, a sort of “blues-folk-style.” There has been a strong flavour of both Irish and African-diasporas’ music/movement style as part of her creative expression. Clare has Irish roots, but has never been to Ireland. She told us she has “a strong intuition that tapping into that motherland juice will be helpful for this project.” We can’t wait to see what she does.

“Oh, I think of myself more as a song and dance man, y’know…” – Bob Dylan

You can hear more of Clare’s music on her website: www.clarebyrnemusic.com

Tired. Sticky. Covered in paint and wall paper paste. That’s how we ended 2016. But also with a great feeling of satisfaction over all we’d accomplished during the year.

Slow to start. Dusty. Blistered. 2016 took it’s toll. It was hard to get back into it after the holidays. But we’re flying now. Back at top speed, and then some! We’ve been learning a lot about sanding and refinishing floors, but that’s a story for another post.

In 2016 we:

• filled 2 dump-trailers full of old wall plaster that came out of the house.

• spent days tediously uncovering a very old quarry tile floor, so we could move out of the house proper and into this back room “studio” for the duration of the renovation. We cooked on a single burner camping stove (supplemented by a BBQ grill and slow cooker) for 7 months!
  

  Quarry Tiles

  

  Tipsy!

• got Tipsy, our caravan, and did her up to the nines. We hosted three guests from the US and my mother-in-law, and they all loved staying in the cosy, flamingo wallpapered, caravan. 
• had builders on site from the beginning of June. We’re wrapping up the snag list now!

• saw our home take shape as loads of stone came out, metal studs went up, then wiring and plumbing, then plasterboard, then plaster, and finally second fixings like light fixtures and radiators.

• developed our organisations values (process!) and devised parameters for the residency program
  

• did a 5 week business course at SECAD and developed a business plan.

• joined the planning committee for the Midleton Arts Festival.

• volunteered at the Cork Young Filmmakers gala.

• got three guest rooms and the guest bath ready to host visitors. Still more to be done.
  

  Guest bedrooms in progress

  

  Guest bedrooms in progress

• turned on the heat, hot water, and electricity in the whole house on 21st December! The house had never had a heating system beyond fireplaces before.

• moved back into our bedroom and kitchen on 22nd December, just in time for Christmas.

As we reflect on 2016, it’s hard to let go of how much more there is to do. Sometimes it overwhelms me. But then we pull up the “before” photos or take someone on a tour who hadn’t visited in months, and all the work becomes visible.

I’ve learned a lot about my own strengths and weaknesses this year. I’m learning how to plan further ahead, and am finding ways to stay on task when responsible for shaping my own time. I’m trying to live more in line with the Greywood Arts values. This blog helps keep our process transparent. We must take risks and there will be failures, so I’m trying to let go of fear. It’s enormous, in the back of my mind – what if the whole endeavour fails? In reality, it’s most likely to be learning what succeeds and honing it, and learning what doesn’t work and reshaping it. We will welcome feedback from our guests. And hopefully we will grow, organically, into something we likely can’t even imagine yet.

STAY TUNED FOR: 

Announcing our first artist-in-residence

Applications open February 1st for residencies June 2017-May 2018.

Save the Date: Open House 18th February

 Before & After photos of the renovation

(sneak peek below)

Sitting room “before”

Sitting room “after”

We are over the moon to announce that applications for the Inaugural Writer’s Residency Program are now open!

The Inaugural Writer’s Residency Program is open to individuals or groups working with the written word, as well as arts related researchers, or other creative projects that require an office-type workspace. We invite applications for a minimum stay of one week and up to six weeks. There is a fee for self-catering accommodation, but workspace is always free.

• Residency Period: 18 March – 1 July, 2017
• Applications Due 15th November
• Notification by 1st December

For application information visit the Inaugural Writer’s Residency Program page, or download the PDF Application Info.

Would you like to work here?

Writer’s Den

We can’t wait to welcome your creative energy into our space!

NOTE: Residency Applications for the period 1 July – 16 December 2017 will be accepted from artists of all disciplines until 9 January, 2017.  Send inquiries to greywoodarts@gmail.com. 

I love the lore surrounding old houses.

Recently, our neighbour George approached me in the pub with a story about our own home. He had spoken with a gentleman called Vincent Fitzgibbon, who used to live in Killeagh. When the Hogan family owned our house, it was used as a sawmill that manufactured wooden carriage wheels from 1920 through the mid-fifties. Fitzgibbon shared his memories of working there in 1948-49 with George. 

As the story goes, one day a farmer approached Sam(?) Hogan to make some posts for him. A ship had sunk off the coast of Youghal, and the farmer had salvaged some wood from it. Now, Hogan was too clever to use this beautiful teak for something so utilitarian, so he told the farmer the wood was unsuitable for the task and offered to make the posts out of his own stock. In exchange, he would take the load of salvaged wood.

Apparently, this teak was used to make the staircase and front door to the house. I suspect that it also was used to make the fireplace surround in the master bedroom, too.

Maybe someday we can meet Mr. Fitzgibbon, and record his memories about the house. There is a very Irish tradition of oral storytelling, and I’m afraid writing what I remember after the fact looses much of its richness.

Have I showed you my cast iron clawfoot bathtub? I’m super proud of my bargain finding here-250 euro (new this would be closer to 2,000!) We did have to borrow a trailer and drive to Killarney, but it was so worth it.

The room pictured above will be our dining room, as well as a place where groups can meet and exchange ideas, or classes can be taught.

When we bought the house it was full – nearly to the ceiling, of the most miscellaneous objects. We could, however, see there were beautiful limestone slate floors. Among other things buried in the chaos, we uncovered a brand new BBQ Grill, and ten 7-foot tall inflatable snowmen. I bet you can’t wait for Christmas in Killeagh!

It was so full of stuff, we had no idea that there was an awesome fireplace and oven in the room!

After taking down all of the plaster, we determined that we can’t afford to dry line the room right now. Secretly, we were pleased for the excuse to leave the stone exposed. The engineer warned it will be too cold and damp, but we will wait and see. It can always be dry lined in the future, but meanwhile we will clean up the stone. I suspect the addition of new windows, french doors to the garden, radiators, and a new ceiling will make it feel cozy enough.

I’d like to use lime render plaster, the old-fashioned breathable stuff, to cover the wall where new windows went in. On the two solid walls, I’d like to do a plaster wainscotting half way up, like at Ballyvolane House. I just went to a wedding there and nerded out at getting to see how they did it close up.

Photo of Ballyvolane House Barn from Localmilkblog.com, via Pinterest

I imagine the room will be rustic, with a long table and banquette seating along the window side (or maybe repurposed church pews?) There are six metal framed chairs I found in the house that I plan to refinish for the room. We found fabulous antique wall lights, and are doing a barter for two brass chandeliers. I’d love to decorate with wooden cutting boards and spoons, for warmth.

From the messesofmen.tumbler via Pinterest

From chicanddeco.com via Pinterest

From Remodelista via Pinterest

From Restaurantandbardesignawards.com via Pinterest

From Remodelista via Pinterest

From Etsy via Pinterest

From digsdigs.com via Pinterest

Does anyone know about plastering and want to give us a hand?

The kitchen is the heart of a home. It’s the room I’ve spent the most time planning for, and it’s the part of the house I’m most eager to see come to fruition. It’s also where I’ll probably spend most of my time.

A while ago I shared my plans for the layout, but today I can share some of the decisions we’ve made and a few of the details we are hoping to acheive.

We are going with a classic looking inframe kitchen from Cash & Carry kitchens. It will come primed, and I’m planning to paint it Little Greene’s Hick’s Blue.

Lyndale Inframe Kitchen from Cash & Carry Kitchens

I really want marble countertops, but most likely we will go for the more durable Santa Margherita Victoria quartz countertops.

The Sweetest Digs has a blog about selecting their Victoria countertops, and it was incredibly helpful in making our decision. (photo below from The Sweetest Digs)

http://thesweetestdigs.com/kitchen-reno-choosing-quartz-countertops/

http://thesweetestdigs.com/kitchen-reno-choosing-quartz-countertops/

Lately, I’ve been trying to firm up which appliances we’ll be buying. The range cooker has been the hardest decision. Paint color, wallpaper and backsplash tiles have been selected. Mood Board images (clockwise):

1. Lyndale Inframe Kitchen
2. Hick’s Blue
3. Smeg’s Victoria Range Cooker in light blue is on sale this month, putting it in our price range!
4. Graham & Brown Wallpaper for either side of the chimney breast
5. Terracotta tiles (We just decided to tile the floor this week. The reclaimed convent flooring will now go in the library, as doing parquet in there is probably outside our budget). I’m having a hard time finding affordable hex tiles in Ireland, but a place here actually makes beautiful square ones.
6. Morrocan style cement tiles for the backspalsh

Ideas and inspiration (clockwise-ish):

1. I’m planning to use the copper pipes that came out of the bathroom to make pot racks.
2. Ikea pendant lights for over the island.
3. We’re planning to pick up this gamekeeper sink from Centurion Stone.
4. The pie safe chicken wire doors might be a cheap alternative to glass for the press (closet) in the kitchen.
5. Thinking about the Waterford Stanley Fionn multi-fuel stove. I love the long legs and that it has a hotplate on top.
6. We discovered a big arch behind the ugly fireplace. We’re hoping to expose the chimney breast and fix up the brick (fingers crossed) and then place the stove inside.
7. I love the rustic plank shelving used in this kitchen and would like to do similar in ours.
8. I will feel so fancy with an “American Fridge/Freezer” as they call them here.
9. I have two mid-century chairs (similar to this one) to refurbish that will go next to the wood stove.
10. Looking forward to displaying my blue mason jars on our open shelving.
11. I couldn’t part with a little red handled rolling pin when we moved, and now I have the perfect use for it as a towel bar attached to the island.

Here’s the layout again:

It sounds corny, but this kitchen is seriously going to feel like a dream come true. Especially with the french doors opening out to the river.