Drumcondra

GRIFFITH AVENUE 14 OCTOBER 2024

In September 2023, I returned to capture Tracey Dalton’s vibrant “Paint-A-Box” street art on Griffith Avenue, this time with a different approach. My previous attempt, using a Sony FX30, was hampered by its electronic shutter. While I appreciate the FX30’s discreetness (especially compared to my attention-grabbing Sony A7RIV with grip), the slightest movement within the frame rendered images unusable.

Determined to do justice to the artwork, I opted for my A7RIV with the Sigma 24-105mm F4 lens. This combination, while bulkier, delivers exceptional image quality. However, the trade-off was the inevitable curious glances from passers-by.

Dalton’s artwork beautifully encapsulates the spirit of Griffith Avenue, renowned for being one of the longest tree-lined avenues in Europe. Stretching through the neighbourhoods of Drumcondra and Marino, the avenue’s canopy transforms with the seasons, offering a picturesque backdrop for leisurely strolls. In autumn, Dublin’s Griffith Avenue is particularly enchanting, with leaves turning shades of gold, russet, and crimson, creating a captivating spectacle of colour.

Tracey Dalton, a design lecturer and researcher at the School of Creative Arts, TU Dublin, brings her extensive experience in interior design to her street art. With a career spanning 25 years, her artistic flair and keen eye for detail are evident in this striking piece.

VINCENT’S AT DRUMCONDRA END OF DORSET STREET

“City Foxes” by Shane Sutton Art on Dorset Street: Shane is an highly skilled artist with a fervent passion for multiple disciplines, including traditional painting, film-making, and street art. His diverse range of talents spans various mediums, and his current focus is on street, canvas, and digital art, which he explores through his street art persona, SPACER. Shane’s work embodies the intersection of art and technology, producing technically resonant works that delve into themes and ideas in innovative and unexpected ways.

Shane’s notable achievements include an art residency with the European Space Agency (ESA UK) and winning the Graffiti without Gravity street art competition with the ESA (Holland). As a painter, he has created a body of work that explores a wide range of subjects, from the impact of technology on our lives to themes within the street art genre. Shane’s contributions to film have also garnered significant recognition, with multiple awards from international film festivals and a nomination for best editing at the Irish Film and Television Awards.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) was founded in Ireland in 1844. It is the largest voluntary charitable organisation in Ireland. During its history, it has helped people in need through Famine, a Civil War, a War of Independence, two World Wars and several economic recessions.

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP or SVdP or SSVP) is an international voluntary organisation in the Catholic Church, founded in 1833 for the sanctification of its members by personal service of the poor.

Innumerable Catholic parishes have established “conferences”, most of which affiliate with a diocesan council. Among its varied efforts to offer material help to the poor or needy, the Society also has thrift stores (charity shops in Ireland such as Vincent’s) which sell donated goods at a low price and raise money for the poor. There are a great variety of outreach programs sponsored by the local conferences and councils, addressing local needs for social services.

AN EXAMPLE OF PAINT-A-BOX STREET ART BY TRACEY DALTON

CITY FOXES BY SHANE SUTTON