Any way the wind blows

So the new website is done. Ta da!

Well, almost, almost done. But that's the nature of websites, there’s always something else you can do. I’ll continue to work on improving it over time but for now everything is there and all the buttons an’ stuff work. So let’s go!

Now the next thing I have to do is pack up all my subscribers from feedburner etc. to bring with me. I’ll take some time over this because I really don’t want to leave anyone behind. There’s always one who had to nip back to use the loo at the last minute or go get something to eat.

Anyway the most important thing is, if you don’t hear from me again, please come find me and re subscribe. I'll miss you otherwise.

I willl post the new website address here before we go like a bread crumb trail for blog readers lost in the cyber woods.

Rob named this painting after a JJ Cale song (apparently)

16x16 inch oil on stretched canvas

Snow White's Apple

When I saw this apple in the veggie section I immediately thought of Snow White. It was exactly like the one she ate. I was, of course, suspicious to say the least. It was sure to lead to no good, maybe even 100 years of sleep - I wish!

Anyway I bought it to paint and warned all not to touch it, but the painting of it has been harder that you'd think.

Anyway here it is - too look at only!

Loose lemons

Feelin’ all loose and jiggedy jig today and this is the result! I wouldn't be surprised if you see more lemons featuring in the next week or so as Pancake Tuesday is coming up and that is as close to a national holiday as it gets in my house.

When I was little my dad, who my sister and I lived with, was fanatical about Pancake Tuesday. We usually went to my Nana's house that day but one year for some reason we couldn't go. So after work he put us in the car and took us to a nearby hotel, marched us into the fancy restaurant and asked to speak to the Maitre D . "Ok he said we'll have pancakes all round with plenty of lemon and golden syrup" The Maitre D explained that this was a gourmet type of place and they didn’t have golden syrup etc. My Dad shifted himself a little and slowly explained that here were two little girls who otherwise would not get pancakes on Pancake Tuesday and, in the circumstances, could they not send the commis chef down to Dalkey village on his bike to get some golden syrup. We’d wait! And they did!

Pearse Station

I’m battling the dreaded lurgy today, well if not the dreaded then some commoner gardener one that my kids have no doubt passed on to me with love. My plan is to start a larger version of the temple bar painting today. I really like all that warm nighttime reflections and color. It may take more than today to complete so I’ll post when it’s done and may keep up with the 8x6 ones in between – lurgy permitting!

This is the second painting from the same reference photo of Pearse Station in Dublin city centre. Taken by my cousin's partner, Finny who is a photography enthusiast with a particular passion for all things locomotive. My partner Rob has booked this one already for his office so I’m afraid it’s not for sale.

The kiwi hustle

It's all about connectivity - so they say! Well today I'm a little bit more connected to the community than I was yesterday. I've been a member of Signal Arts Community for some time now but now they have created a page on their website highlighting my work. Check it out here. Thanks Signal.

Three's a magic number

When is a pear not a pair?
Oh come on... it's not that bad. Ok it is, but frankly what do you say about a still life of three pears? 
Anyway, I'm head, tooth and claws into searching for a website theme or template that fits with my ideas for the website. I'm going with the "shoot for the stars - hit the trees" theory of web design. I want something that looks fantastic, great clean design and clear intuitive navigation. I am happy to pay (with a small p) for the right theme but of course that's like the Holy Grail. I know I will have to make major compromises by the end but right now I'm still in the shoot for the stars end of thinking and hoping I will stumble onto the perfect design. I feel another two hours in front of the computer screen coming on. What joy!

Framed Painting €140 Shipping €15 Worldwide

This painting is also available unframed
€90 shipping worldwide €10
Email for more info or to pay by paypal

Leaving platform one

Pearse Station late one cold evening last week.

Painted from a photo that was taken by my train photographer cousin in-law, Finny Kennedy. Thanks Finny. I came across this photo on Finny's facebook page and loved the contrast of the really dark night and the pools of warm light on the platform. I was somewhat less taken by the very boy fact that the train was a 2900 class - whatever that is!

SOLD

Three Sisters

Something about this compostition reminds me of the Three Sister star constellation. Maybe too much time alone?

You heard it here first!

Here's the word on two blogs worthy on some lurv..

So, the thing is..
written by Barb Cooper, a self confessed writer, mum and reborn knitter blessed with a witty and sometimes dark sense of humour. " Struggling to learn to live in my head, in my body and in this world, all at the same time. It's not as easy as you'd think." Well worth checking out if you are a thinking woman dealing with family life. The other is

Totalfeckineejit
In his own words " Hypocrite,Langer, Louser.Pizza manafacturer/delivery boy and part-time astronaut also a poet/photographer extraordinaire.A self-made Billionaire. I live in a large medieval castle set in 200 acres of woodland. we raise herds of wild Haggis for our exclusive EEjit pizza range.I founded and run Ireland's only eco and alien -friendly space exploration centre. I have been variously described as 'Irelands greatest poet' and 'a total tosser who couldn't write a decent poem if his life depended on it' or 'as a poet he makes a great photographer' and 'as a photographer he makes me sick' Not too hot on poetry, potograffee, grammar,punctuation, or Sunday afternoons.Me spelin is perfik dough."

So there, check them out and spread the lurv.

When it all goes pear shaped

A hundred dead people in my truck.

Half are the bodies of babies, up to 20 in one coffin. Cause of death - starvation. This, only 90 minutes from Miami. This was Haiti - before the earthquake.

I was deeply affected by a documentary shown last night on RTE about Irish people working in Haiti last year. It was called “A hundred dead people in my truck.” If you missed it it’s worth catching up on their iplayer here.

What was moving in so many ways, both then and now was the strength of spirit of the Haitians. Dr. Louise Ivers, an Irish aid worker says in the documentary “There is an old Haitian saying here, As long as your head isn't cut off, you can always dream of wearing a hat. The Haitians are very resilient."

If you haven’t already donated a few Euros here’s a link to two of my favorite charities, Goal and Oxfam. Both are in Haiti now.

Slopes of Bray Head

So I thought might paint this scene overlooking Bray and then paint the same scene after the snow was gone. With this in mind I went for a walk up there yesterday but it was so wet you could barely see the big trees in the forground. Maybe I'll wait till the sun comes back - of course with our weather one could be waiting so I'll put his one up for now.

In a bit of a Jam!

Barter Heaven.

Yesterday I bartered some of my homemade rasberry jam for some gessoed boards - this one included. What started off as a bit of a joke on facebook ended up saving me a few euros. Now, I'm not going to brag about my jam (much) but he asked for more, so Happy days! Thanks Kevin and I hope you like the jam!

It got me thinking though, lots of people and in particular artists are turning to bartering as a way of navigating this cheery time we like to call "The Recession". I know of an artist who has bartered a painting for weekends away for the family and I've heard of artists bartering for anything from dental treatment, to website optimisation services. It's really not a bad idea and I guess it it just take a little creative thinking.

So if you happen to have a villa in the south of france.... talk to me.

Looking for fishes

Here's some advice that I picked up from Celeste Bergin's post yesterday.

"Someone told me once that many bad paintings is a very positive thing! Keep going despite bad painting and eventually, because of sheer tenacity and volume, more and more the bad paintings get replaced with better ones."

And it's true, it's a case of understanding that the bad paintings are all part of the process of creating the better ones. I guess the same is true for lots of things.

Sugarloaf under Snow

The sugarloaf mountain Co. Wicklow viewed from the north during the snow.

SOLD

Watching

This is Purdy, in a mood that could go either way. On a slightly larger canvas of 8"x8" this time. I have also included a photo (below) of the tonal under painting that I started with.

SOLD

Silent Walk

Don't you love that particular quality that sound takes on in the snow? It seems quiet and yet everything sounds louder or maybe sound just carries further. Anyway this was a quite moment in an otherwise mad morning at the entrance to a lane at the back of Powerscourt's East Golf Course.

Contemplative Puss

Have you read Cormac McCarthy’s The Road? It's an incredible but terrifying story of a man and his son surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. I remember reading it all through the night and into the morning because I was too frightened to go to bed before the end. Last night I watched the trailer for the movie on utube to see if I would be brave enough to go see it (which I've decided I'm not) before sitting down to painting the first of two paintings.

I had just finished the one above, another of Purdy, when all the lights went out in the area and the heat went off. The country has just ground to a halt after an embarrassingly small amount of snowfall and now with the thaw we're getting floods and water shortages both and now black outs! Hardly post apocalyptic but what’s going on? There must be someone I can write an indignant letter to?

SOLD

Brooding Trees in Snow

Obviously I’m not completely grown up yet cause when I looked out the window last night and saw rain instead of the big snow,that was forecast, my heart gave a little disappointed awwhh! Of course I'm delighted that we're not snowed in for three more days (no one going stir crazy here!) and I really can't wait to get back to normal but God was it beautiful.

Frozen Lake

I nearly lost a brace of kids to this lake so I have mixed feelings when I look at it myself. Snow coming down in buckets here. Plan to walk a mile to the shops then maybe paint again later! Hope you're all warm and safe!

River Walk - Big Firs

So I got a facebook page up and sorted for my art yesterday. Now you can follow my posts on fb, if that tickles your fancy.

I consider myself to be fairly techie minded but I was almost driven to drink by the process (at least earlier in the day than usual) but I succeeded in the end - a small triumph for woman kind. (click here to see the triumph!)

I did this one yesterday, another painting in a series on the big trees up at Powerscourt river walk. It’s drawn from some photos I took of the same group of massive trees.

Chuckie's in love

Truth be told I was dreading Christmas Day this year. We sadly lost my Nana in July and as she usually comes to my house for Christmas lunch it was always going to be a hard day. But it went off ok,

with the usual scramble to get mothers and mother in laws sitting down and the criss cross of dishes over the table. The days after have been filled with walks and too much telly, and chocolate. So not bad in all.

I did get to paint after all on St. Stephen's day and chose to revisit the two chucks from brook lodge. There's something Christmasy about that cadmium red background.

To Buy

Unframed painting €70      $99 USD  $109 CAD £65GBP
Shipping €10 worldwide


Framed Painting €105      $155 USD  $165 CAD  £95UK
Shipping €15 Worldwide