The Flying Dutchman at IMMA

– and a new direction

In early March, I painted The Flying Dutchman at IMMA in Dublin for the Paint the Opera competition, and I was absolutely delighted.

It was a completely different vibe to my usual work – more dramatic, more theatrical, full of atmosphere. Getting to attend the opera opening made it even more special, like stepping into another world for the day. I won Third Prize, which felt like the perfect start to the year – a little nudge to keep experimenting and trust my instincts.

Bloom – my loose style

in a very detailed world

At the end of May came Bloom, and this was a big one for me for a few reasons.

I applied to the Bloom Botanical and Floral Art Exhibition for the first time. Botanical art can be very detailed and precise, and if you know my work, you will know I am not the person who stays politely inside the lines. My style is looser. Sketchier. I like movement. I like the feeling of the thing, not just the exact description of it.

So when I received a Silver award, I was genuinely shocked and delighted. It felt like my way of painting had been welcomed in a space where I thought it might not quite fit.

And of course, Bloom also meant my stand, like every year. Long days, lots of chatting, lots of people stopping to say hello, and that feeling of being right in the middle of it all.

Graiguenamanagh

June brought a plein air workshop in Graiguenamanagh with Oide Creativity, and I was teaching art teachers, which felt like a real honour. The first day was wet and wild, the second was absolutely beautiful, proper painting weather. I loved showing everyone how much you can achieve in just a couple of hours outside. And later in the year, that same place came back around when I won Second Prize for my painting of the bridge at the Town of Books Festival – I was properly chuffed.

Mount Congreve

– invited, judging, and paintings I  love

Mount Congreve Gardens was a big thread through the year.

I painted there, exhibited there, and for Art in the Gardens I was invited not only to show work, but also to be one of the judges. That was a real honour. It is one thing to be included, it is another to be trusted.

I also loved my paintings from there. Some days, you just feel like you are seeing clearly. The colour is there. The shapes make sense. The whole thing feels alive.

Dublin Plein Air

three days in the thick of it

Then came Dublin Plein Air, and I joined for three days across Balbriggan, Ardgillan Castle and Malahide.

If you have ever done plein air competitions, you will know it is part painting, part endurance sport, part mental game. You paint fast, you make decisions quickly, and you learn to let go of perfection.

I won First Place in Balbriggan, which I was thrilled about. It was one of those moments where you feel seen. Not for being polished, but for being brave enough to put your work up, again and again.

Doneraile Art Fest

the weekend that still makes me smile

If I had to pick one weekend that sums up the joy of 2025, it might be Doneraile Art Fest.

It was my first time joining, and I absolutely loved the place.

I went all in on green, painting the way I genuinely saw it, and something clicked.

I won First Place on both days, and People’s Choice on the first day too. The days were judged separately and anonymously, with different judges who did not know the names behind the work. That part really mattered to me. It meant the paintings stood on their own.

I came home from that weekend exhausted and quietly buzzing, thinking: maybe I am on to something here.

Demos, exhibitions,

and AITO!

In July I was invited to do an online demo for Art School Live, organised by Eric Rhoads. That was a big step for me. It was my first demo with them, and I painted in gouache. A different kind of pressure, but the good kind.

In August, Art in the Open happened, which is always one of my favourite times of year. I joined for a couple of days and I was also a judge for the Quick Draw. I just love painting every day. My favourite was Clonegal on Thursday, but honestly there were so many good moments. It is the kind of event that reminds you why you started doing this in the first place.

Two painting trips

West Cork and Corfu

I also managed two painting trips this year, and they were such a good reset in the middle of everything else. West Cork came first, and it was mostly wet days, the kind where you are constantly weighing up: do I brave it or do I wait it out? I braved it. I painted in Bantry, Rosscarbery, Baltimore, Kinsale and Glandore, and came home tired in the best way, with a stack of studies and notes for future studio pieces.

And then Corfu. I kept it simple – we drove around for a few days, and I painted whatever I felt drawn to in the moment. No big plan, just stopping when I liked the view and getting it down on paper. I honestly loved everything about it, and I came home feeling full of new colour ideas.

Late Summer 

a studio release, and a shift in how I work

In November I did my first artist talk with the Gorey Art Collective. I remember being nervous, but also grateful. It felt like another first.

And then I launched a studio release called Late Summer, a collection of floral paintings, vibrant and full of colour. It felt like bringing a whole season into the studio, bottling that bright feeling before the year turned.

By the end of 2025, I had won six awards across competitions and exhibitions.

And I will be honest – it brought up a weird mix of pride and imposter syndrome. There were moments where I felt like I did not deserve it.

But I also cannot ignore what I can see in the work. It is getting stronger. I am solidifying my style. I am finding my own path through colour and mark making and mood.

And that is the thing I am most grateful for. Not the prizes, but the sense that I am becoming more myself on the canvas.