12 - Artistic Community - Paul Donovan

March 14, 2025

Today I met Paul Donovan for coffee (which turned into brunch) and a lively, art-focused catch up. Paul is an accomplished and dedicated sculptor and painter, as well as a busy family man. In recent times that has meant supporting grand children with letters and drawings throughout lockdown. And in earlier years, it meant 5am starts everyday, to maintain his art practice alongside full-time teaching (art to 16-18 year olds).

Due to space and physical constraints, Paul has recently begun to explore painting again, after decades of focus on his sculpture. He is aware of a need to go deeper than in the early days, to push further in one area and commit to it.

I love the energy and vibrance in this piece.

I'm also very intrigued by Paul's considered and experimental approach to problem solving in his work. For example, during some of the live figure drawing sessions we both attended, he would observe without putting pen to paper until the breaks. Then, he would draw from memory. I'd like to try this. It's totally in opposition to my approach. I have a tendency to avoid memory work. It would be interesting to get a good brain work out.

He also advocates daily practice, especially of whatever is your main 'thing'. As I am currently drawing, that would be daily drawing. If only for 5 minutes. I listened intently to this, thinking of this daily blog writing. Whilst that means a daily focus on what, why and how I work, it could skew my attention away from the crucial stuff (which right now is pen to paper). Having said that, I can lay down the pen for years and pick up where I left off. So for me there can be gestation and growth in any case.