My journey into illustration (Part 2)

In my first blog post I was telling you about how I got into drawing - you can read it here.

Thanks to arriving in Dublin and the fresh start that the city brought me, I re-connected with my old self and took the plunge to enrol in an Illustration Bootcamp, with Adrienne Geoghegan. The final part of the course involved a real exhibition in Dublin - how exciting, how nervous I was but how much energy that was giving me!

The illustrations I created for the Film Base exhibition in Dublin truly gathered the essence of my first-time expat experience in this ever-evolving city. Each drawing is a visual representation of the moments that brought joy and laughter to my new day-to-day life in the Emerald Island. Funny moments that would make me laugh, the silly stuff that becomes an inner joke between friends or just for yourself to get back to when you're a bit low in mood.

As an expat in Ireland, these illustrations may resonate with your own experiences of navigating a new culture and embracing the unique charm of this amazing country. And even if you haven't been an expat in Ireland, I hope these drawings simply bring a smile to your face, regardless of your background.

I would love to hear your thoughts on these illustrations. Does any of the situations feel familiar? If you've been in a similar situation, adapting to a new country, how do you remember those impactful first days you lived in your "adoptive country of choice"?

Thank you for being a part of this creative journey with me! 

Ireland, the nation where tissues feel like a natural part of your hands (from the humidity and always having to blow your nose!).

 

 

Saoirse, Caolàn, Cathal, Aoife, Tadhg, Bébhínn... If you thought you knew difficult names, you haven't seen Irish names! In all honesty, I think they are beautiful, just need a bit of training to pronounce them.

I used to live in the city center, and on the way to work and I was amazed at how quick anyone going to work could be. Despite wearing nice clothes like a suit, or an office-sort-of-skirt, people would get on the runners to make it quick to their office. Better be practical... (and have the nicer-looking shoes under the desk!).

I think there's no real limit on how many times someone can say "bye" on the phone before hanging up. Bye-bye-bye-bye-bye...

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