Sunshine on river walk

Have I mentioned that my life has been taken over by the building of a website? Long story short - it's been taking up a lot of my time. I did manage to get out for a walk last weekend to one of my favorite haunts, the River Walk up at Powerscourt. Just me and the dog and some beautiful winter sunshine. I can't tell you exactly where it is because then I'd have to kill you. - I like it peaceful and hate those bank holiday Sunday afternoons when the world and their mother decide to "take a walk".

6x6inch on gesso bord €130

Slopes of Bray Head - Spring

This picture is a "spring" version of a snow scene that I painted during the snowy spell after Christmas. The location is at the bottom of Bray Head, Co.Wicklow with the spire of St. Paul's Christchurch visable in the distance. The hill behind is the scalp. It was one of those mornings we've had this week where it's really cold but ocassionally brightens up for a nano second. Spring me eye!

To the Cliffs

I'm so frustrated I could weep. I'm so far into the process of building this website that I fear I might never be able to get back out. I could shoot whoever said wordpress was simple and straightforward and if anyone knows the owner of Natty wp themes please send me his address (of course it's a man - don't be stupid!) and I may just have to track him down and put lemon juice in his eyes and that's the family friendly version of what I'll actually do to him!

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Deep Dargle

Exciting day today! An art dealer has shown interest in some of my paintings for two galleries down the country, a local gallery has invited me to enter a submission for a show next year, one painting sold this week and I got a commision for another. Hey hey.

Today has however been crazy, I brought my eldest to the orthodontist where he decided to "pop" that last baby tooth out. No numbing gel, no nothing, just pulled it out with his fingers before anyone could restle him to the ground.

We're home now and recovering with icecream!

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.

Sugarloaf under Snow

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

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.

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!

Head Gardener's House

The snow is still here and seems to be settling in for the next little while. If you ask me I think it's in danger of overstaying it's welcome!

Tree line in snow

Picture the scene.. Me and three kids, snow as far as the eye can see, frozen lake, plastic sleighs,... and child no. 2 looses our car keys! Long story and minor frost bite injuries later I find them just as I am about to call mountain rescue! So in all the excitement not many photos taken for painting, my ulterior motive for going up there in the first place. However I did get manage a few. This is of the same line of trees from "Walk in Snow” but a little ways up the lane.

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When a painted the one below "Walk in Snow” I was in two minds about the figure and after a couple of comments about it I decide to go ahead and remove it. So here it is again without the figure. Better?

Walk in Snow

So yesterday afternoon, while out walking the dog, we found ourselves inside of one of those winter wonderland christmas cards. No joking, it was draw droppingly beautiful. Perfect you say for taking photos to paint from and before you say it, yes I had brought my camera. But a word of caution, remember when your mother in law gives your kids some cheap batteries from the pound shop, do not be tempted to use them in your camera. In the end I had to make do with my phone camera which is not the same at all. I'll try again today but snow never lasts more than a day here so I'm not too optomistic.

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Framed Painting €105      $155 USD  $165 CAD  £95UK
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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.

River Walk Trees

Back to the river walk today. This is the second painting of almost the same stretch of road up at Powerscourt River Walk. It was just starting to rain and the sky seemed so low it felt like it was touching the tree tops. Although it was morning the light had that kind of twilight quality to it. These trees are absolutely amazing. The oldest must be a couple of hundred years old and although I'm hopeless at estimating height, maybe 60ft tall.

Speaking of Twilight I brought my 10 year old to see the movie last night. Apart from the delightful overuse of young men’s torsos everywhere I was struck by how the film makers pulled off the constant “twilight” that the town of forks is set in. Made for lots of moody scenes of what we call here “a soft day”. It felt just like the river walk.

I have come across a new (to me) daily painter from Germany who is blowing my tiny mind. He is Edward B Gordon and you can see his daily work here. I think I’m a kind of groupie artist. A bit like finding a new band when you were 16, I come across someone I love and I pour over their work and look at it again and again. Eventually I move on but in my mind I will reference back to their work or pop back to their blog or book or whatever to remind myself of what I learned.

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Unframed painting €70      $99 USD  $109 CAD  £65GBP
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Framed Painting €105      $155 USD  $165 CAD  £95UK
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River Walk Firs

This painting was based on some photos I took this week up at Powerscourt's River Walk.

Sometimes with digital cameras the photo of the painting can look somehow better than the original but in this case I think it's the other way around. I have to say that I'm very fond of this one.
To Buy

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




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




Yesterday was a big day for us as my mum, who is also an artist, was playing 1st violin at the National Concert Hall as part of the "Blow the Dust off your Trumpet" programme. It's a fantastic programme that encourages older people to pick up their instrument that they may not have played for many years and become part of an orchestra. Their months of rehearsals culminated in a festive concert that played to a packed out auditorium.

Here is a photo of mum with fellow musician Dennis who is 79 years young and originally from the republic of cork.