Day 6: The Art of Being a Proud Aunt

 Today I headed up to the Big Smoke, not just on a whim but on a mission. I was going to the Royal Hibernian Academy of Art for the 195th Anniversary Exhibition—specifically to see my nephew Niall's painting, Hybridity, in the flesh. Or at least, on a wall. (Don’t worry, I haven’t a clue what it means either.)

We were bursting with pride when we heard his piece had been selected from thousands for inclusion in the exhibition. And then, just the day before the opening, we found out Niall had been awarded the Award for a Work of Distinction by a Young Artist. You can imagine the family excitement—we were fit to burst.

So today, there I was, standing in front of Hybridity, trying to sneak a selfie without getting caught. 

I even sat on a bench to admire it from a distance. As people filtered past the wall of paintings, I watched them stop at Niall’s piece, studying it and saying wonderfully arty things like:

“...so lifelike…”
“...realistic tattoos…”
“…very talented…”

It brought me right back to when Niall was about four or five. I remember visiting his house and watching him colour in a mosaic—not a children’s one, mind you, but something far more intricate with tiny little spaces. As a teacher, I was amazed by his ability to stay within the lines. But even more impressive was his use of colour—shading from dark to light in a way no one had taught him. It just came naturally.

A few years later, I gave him his first paid commission. Every year I had to paint a poster for my class's Confirmation ceremony—and I was sick of it. So I asked Niall to do it instead. He painted a six-foot-tall Holy Spirit on canvas, and I wheeled it out year after year!

In 2016, I went to his final college exhibition. His theme was: "Is a portrait really a portrait if it’s not of a real person?" Each portrait was an amalgamation of people from his life. I bought one—not for the deep meaning, to be honest, but because I liked the colours. I named him Jake.

Jake has been with me through thick and thin, especially during those long lockdown days, including New Year's Eve.

And now, after seeing that all-important red dot beside Niall's painting

—proof that someone actually paid good money for his work—I’m even more delighted that I have Jake. 

Maybe I’ve unknowingly become an art collector… or even an art dealer