Painting Tour

In July and August, 2011, I am planning to cycle around Ireland, all of the historic 32 counties, painting as I go, with the route determined by social media – where people volunteer to host me in return for one of those paintings.

Blog

This is also where I’ll blog the trip including, if I can manage it, some audio and video clips. I’ll continue to use my regular account on twitter to tweet the trip and, I imagine, my regular account on Facebook to neglect it. Photos will appear in a variety of places depending on whether they are taken by my little phone (picplz, twitpic) or my camera proper (flickr, pix.ie). And so verbose am I that there may even be a book – or at least I plan to capture enough words for one.

Painting Tour: Hosts & Commissions

Roughly, the route will go from Dublin clockwise around the island back to Dublin, but as the 32 counties are not lined up in a convenient circle the route will involve some serious zigging and some frivolous zagging. I expect to have a significant number of hosts before the trip starts so will have a reasonable idea of the general route come Friday, July 1st, but I also expect to be soliciting hosts as I cycle and the sun is setting which will pretty much finalise the route.

Commission & Sponsor

Apart from hosting, people can also get paintings and be involved by helping me prepare. This trip has been conceived and planned without me having a penny, but there are a few things I need for the trip (e.g. a tablet, a mifi, dry bags, tyres) – so I’ll be posting details of how people can commission me to cycle to any spot on the island in order to do a painting for them, in return for €75 paid in advance to facilitate equipping me for the trip.

Charity

While the trip is not being done specifically for charity, I will be auctioning a painting from the trip for Shine and making it possible for people to donate to Shine as I cycle.