Michael Doherty
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mdohertyart.bsky.social
Michael Doherty
@mdohertyart.bsky.social
85 followers 61 following 50 posts
A visual artist in Belfast working primarily in painting. Royal Ulster Academy 2023, 2018, 2017, 2012. Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize Exhibition 2019.

Painting, Drawing, Architecture, Gaeilge, Concertina, Society.
https://www.michaeldohertyart.com/
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mdohertyart.bsky.social
Dark nights so down in the studio. Starting with some sketches for a new painting derived from the 5,000 year old Farranmacbride Court Tomb in Gleann Cholm Cille. #sketching #irisharchaeology #gleanncholmcille #donegal #irishartists #irishart
October 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
I like to practice my skills on holidays without the stress and concerns associated with my abstracts. Had my little Reeves watercolour tin away with me in Greece for this historic Captain's House.
#Watercolours #reeves #urbansketching #lindos #rhodes #greece #historicmonuments #irishartists
Watercolour in warm ochres and cool blues and purples of a stone archway under a historic captains house in the Village of Lindos on Rhodes in the Greek Dodecanese Islands. Made using a simple Reeves watercolour set, a couple of sable brushes and a bamboo pen. Watercolour in warm ochres and cool blues and purples of a stone archway under a historic captains house in the Village of Lindos on Rhodes in the Greek Dodecanese Islands. Made using a simple Reeves watercolour set, a couple of sable brushes and a bamboo pen.
October 13, 2025 at 4:28 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
When you can't get a life model and need some drawing practice. Many thanks Posidonas. #lindos #rhodes #lifedrawing #irishart #Irishartists #donkey
October 2, 2025 at 2:47 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Final week of my Exhibition 'Pushing Boundaries' 10.30 - 4.00p.m. each day at the Engine Room, 59 North Street, Belfast. I'll be there in person Thursday lunchtime and on Saturday.
#abstractart #oilpainting #Irishart #Irishartists #cultureneedsdiversity #drawing #art #respectingdiversity
August 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Gave a tour of my #engineroombelfast exhibition 'Pushing Boundaries' this morning to a great group of young photographers led by the amazing #HelenSloan on the #belfastexposed summer scheme.
#abstractart #oilpainting #Irishart #Irishartists #cultureneedsdiversity #drawing #art #respectingdiversity
Computer generated view of the exhibition.
August 12, 2025 at 11:52 AM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Many thanks to the great turnout who came to my opening in the Engine Room Gallery last night. I'll be there tomorrow if anyone wants to pop in or send a friend (out for lunch 12-2.00pm).
#abstractart #oilpainting #Irishart #Irishartists #cultureneedsdiversity #drawing #art #respectingdiversity
August 8, 2025 at 6:48 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Nearly there with the great ER team install of my solo exhibition in the Engine Room Gallery Belfast. Opens this Thursday, 7 August, at 7.00pm and runs until 30 August.
#latenightart_belfast #abstractart #oilpainting #Irishart #Irishartists #cultureneedsdiversity #drawing #art #respectingdiversity
View through a doorway in a hallway, cluttered with unhung paintings, to a large blue abstract painting by Michael Doherty hanging on a wall beyond.
August 5, 2025 at 5:03 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Working towards my Solo Exhibition opening in the Engine Room Gallery Belfast on Thursday 7 August at 7.00pm and running until 30 August.

www.michaeldohertyart.com
#latenightart_belfast #abstractart #oilpainting #Irishart #Irishartists #cultureneedsdiversity #drawing #art #respectingdiversity
Computer generated image of an art gallery displayinging painti gs and drawings
July 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
40 years ago with Live Aid we were proud to be a generation saying to our elders that hunger must end. Same generation 40 years later facilitating hunger as a weapon of war. Stand up, be counted. 6pm, this Friday, 25 July. Erskine House, UK Gov H.Q. Chichester Street, Belfast. 200m from City Hall.
Information on demonstration together with pictures of starving and starved children.
July 23, 2025 at 3:20 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Just landed. Some publicity cards for my solo show in the Engine Room Gallery opening 7 August next month.
#Irishart #irishabstractart #abstractart #engineroomgallery #Irishartists
Rectangular publicity cards stacked on a table. Invitation details on one side and an abstract painting on the other. Michael Doherty Pushing Boundaries Painting. Drawing. Opening Thursday 7 August 7.00 - 9.00pm. Continues until 30 August 2025. The Engine Room Gallery 59 North Street, Belfast. Www.michaeldohertyart.com
July 4, 2025 at 12:53 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
I had the inks out for a while on the Inishlacken Project artists residency this year. Had to go for it on this one after a couple of careful studies at the same location.
#inishlacken #connemara #theinishlackenproject #irishart #irishartists #inkdrawing #inks
ink drawing in black and white on paper of the Wilkinsons House on Inishlacken Island in Connemara. Hills in the backgrond and a rough laneway in the foreground. Drawn on A4 watercolour paper in about 20 minutes.
June 26, 2025 at 9:49 AM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Is suíomh stairiúil é Dún Aonghasa ar Inis Mór, amach ó chósta na Gaillimhe. Síltar gur tógadh é thart ar thrí mhíle bliain ó shin. Peann luaidhe ar pháipéar A4
#pencildrawing #irisharchaeology #inismor #irishart #irishartists
June 10, 2025 at 4:26 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Great to get a mention in the Irish Arts Review for my upcoming solo Exhibition 'Pushing Boundaries' in the Engine Room Gallery, Belfast, opening 7.00pm on 7 August. All welcome.
#abstractart #oilpainting #Irishart #Irishartists #cultureneedsdiversity #drawing #art #respectingdiversity
Section of an abstract painting in progress that will be on show in the 'Pushing Boundaries' exhibition. 120 x 100 in oil on canvas.
May 30, 2025 at 1:37 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
It's national drawing day and final day working with NHS staff on 'Healthy Headspace' as a part of the NIMHAF. My drawings with staff text will be on display daytime next week from Monday afternoon 19 -23 May, foyer RVH, Belfast. #nationaldrawingday #irishart #nimhaf #portraits #pencildrawing
Twelve head drawings on A2 paper in pencil on display in the foyer of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Each drawing is of a member of the National Health Service team and is titled with their role and accompanied with their notes of what was happening in their head during the drawing process. All as a part of the Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival. One of the pencil head drawings made in today's final session as a part of the project.
May 17, 2025 at 4:33 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
In progress: Day 2 of 'Healthy Headspace' exhibition at the Royal Victoria Hospital as a part of the Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival. Finishing up tomorrow afternoon, call if you can. #nimhaf #pencildrawing #portraits #irishart #irishartists #royalvictoriahospital #mentalhealth
Series of pencil head drawings of men and women. Staff jot down what's going on in their heads as they sit for an hour being drawn. Head drawings and their notes are exhibited together.
May 16, 2025 at 1:12 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
While my abstract work is my artistic struggle, I enjoy the relaxation of sketching while travelling. I've just had this article on the Greek island of Symi published in the Royal Society of Ulster Architects journal 'Perspective'. #sketching #symi #pencildrawing #indianink #irishartist #greece
Four pages of drawings and text on the Island of Symi. Ink sketched from 2024 and pencil from a few years earlier.
May 10, 2025 at 5:35 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
A section of a painting I've been struggling with for a few weeks now. I changed the ratio of dark and light areas which has set me off again.
#abstractart #oilpainting #Irishart #Irishartists #cultureneedsdiversity #drawing #art #respectingdiversity #abstraction
Abstract painting with a vertical emphasis. Light coloured neutral ground with smaller areas of more saturated colour.
May 2, 2025 at 4:48 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
An Phalaistín. Ag brath orainn.
April 21, 2025 at 6:21 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
A section of work in the studio at the moment. I'll be showing this as a part of a solo show in the Engine Room Gallery, Belfast in August 2025. More detail to follow. #abstractart #oilpainting #Irishart #Irishartists #cultureneedsdiversity #drawing #art #respectingdiversity
Oil paint on oil primed linen. Burnt sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Yellow Ochre, a little Lemon Yellow and a little Alizarin Crimson. A mix of abstract linear marks at differing scales and lengths on a light orange ground.
April 14, 2025 at 7:26 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Had a trip up to see the Legananny portal tomb near Dromara and looking towards the Mournes. This tomb type dates from around 2500 - 2000 b.c. A really special tomb given the slenerness of the portal stones that support the cap stone. #irisharchaeology #mournemountains #down #portaltombs
April 14, 2025 at 9:02 AM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
What a night at the Spirit Store in Dundalk to hear The 4 of Us in concert. All the classics, great acoustics and a great crowd. They're playing the Empire in Belfast on Sun 4 May, one not to miss.
#the4ofus #theempirebelfast

the4ofus.com
April 5, 2025 at 12:20 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
I was really happy with this sketch from last week. Getting close to the model and looking down creates a dynamic not normally seen in the life drawing room. 6b pencil on A2 paper. #lifedrawing #drawing #portrait #art #royalhibernianacademy #rhaschool #irishart #irishartists #pencil
Naked man lying face up with head to the right. Drawn in pencil with hatched tonal areas. About 50 minutes drawing time. Smooth paper allowed the 6b pencil to move fluidly across the surface. Holding the pencil well back from the tip (as usual) and allowing a flat area to develop on the lead to facilitate the soft hatched areas.
April 3, 2025 at 1:21 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Going big today at the Royal Hibernian Academy life drawing with a full sheet of Fabriano paper. Pre mixed indian ink plus undiluted ink to get a deep black here and there.
#lifedrawing #drawing #portrait #art #royalhibernianacademy #irishart #irishartists
Ink drawing on paper of side profile head of man scaled to larger than life size. Paper mounted on an easel with life drawing room in the background. Used ink brush and two smaller watercolour brushes and a bamboo pen. Ink pe mixed into 3 dilutions / greys plus some undiluted ink to get the deep blacks.
March 28, 2025 at 6:18 PM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Bím i mbun ag cleachtadh portráidí na laethanta seo le linn an ama beotharraingt ag an Acadamh Ibeirneacha Ríoga. Ag bhant triail as dúch nach raibh in úsáid agam le tamall anuas.
#lifedrawing #drawing #portrait #art #royalhibernianacademy #irishart #irishartists #pencil #indianink #headstudy
Portráid déanta le dúch ag taispeáint fear óg le féasóg agus gruaig shúgánach air.
March 22, 2025 at 11:40 AM
mdohertyart.bsky.social
Sometimes it's the shorter poses that give the best results. Yesterday at the Royal Hibernian Academy with Francis the model striking a praying pose. #lifedrawing #drawing #portrait #art #royalhibernianacademy #irishart #irishartists #pencil #indianink #contepencil #headstudy
Ink life drawing on A2 cartridge paper of head of older thin kneeling man facing the viewer. Hands held in prayer. 12 minute drawing. Conte pencil head study drawing on A2 cartridge paper of older thin bearded man. 5 minute study. Ink life drawing on A2 cartridge paper of older thin kneeling man facing away from the viewer. 12 minute drawing.
March 15, 2025 at 10:10 AM