Blackbird Berries

I just received a message from an artist friend and blogger, Susan Roux, who is taking a short break from daily painting. She's been feeling her energy ebb with the daily comitment to create on top of a busy life.  I have to say I can empathise with that. Being an artist and particularily a daily painter has all the advantages and disadvantages of being self employed and sometimes I can find it hard to work out where the bounderies should be, between creative preparation, painting and the business side of things. Not to mention other work and family commitments. Have a great break Susan and see you soon!

Blackbird Singing

A change in tempo from fruit!

There's a blackbird in our garden that keeps me company while I paint. I hear his lovely song even when the doors are closed. But every time I try to get a picture of him he gets stage fright so this is not actually him but he is my muse!

Blackbird singing
oil on gesso bord €195

Room for one more?

Mommalooney Day

So we had Mother's day here yesterday, I know it's a different day across the big pond but it's March 14th here. So, Mother's day times, my mother-in-law, my Mum and me. It was also my hubbies' birthday yesterday, his Dad's birthday tomorrow and eldest's birthday on Sunday next.

My Mum's birthday is somewhat of a moveable feast. The story goes that when she was born on the 13th of March the nurse couldn't bring herself to put the 13th on the child's birth certificate. Presumably condeming her to a life of bad luck. So she entered the 12th instead. Growing up in bording school my Mum celebrated her birthday on the nearest day off - St. Patrick's Day and during my childhood on the day myself and my sister saw her, a Sunday. So, now it's anyone's guess as to when we celebrate. This year for us it will be today. so happy birthday Mum! See you soon.

I hope that if you're a Mum, Mom, Gran, Nana or whatever, that you had a lovely day.

Writing for blogs

A few people asked me about the seminar that I went to on writing for blogs given by Mary Rose Lyons. Here she is giving the talk in 4 minutes! Don't say I'm not good to ya!




Room for one more?
16 x 16 inch oil on canvas €450

Coventry

Posting in rush once again. It seems I am unwitingly taking part in a challenge to visit all of the island in the shortest number of weekends.  We head off to the inlaws up north shortly.

Coventry
16x16 inch €450

Btw, I came across a post from Jeff Mahorney on his painting set up and was so impressed at how he has got it organised. Here is a photo of his set up using a guerilla box which holds pretty much everything he needs, included turps, brush and paper towel holders etc.

and by contrast one of mine! I paint in my kitchen as it's really the only space available and the mess does bother me (this is pretty tidy!) but hey you can't make an omelette... I have a utility room where I store the rest of my stuff but this is where I paint.

I'd love to see the set up of other painters. Particularily those who don't have the luxury of a studio!

Sunshine in a jar

How can painting sunflowers fail to lift your mood? I don't know, but I do know that loosing the website you've been working on since moses was a baby might do it!

Sunshine in a jar
6x6 inch on gesso bord €195

Picnic

Thanks be to God the sun is shining.

It's amazing the effect it has on us. I suddenly feel energized and ready to get stuff done! I'm still having to scrape the frost of the windscreen in the mornings with a credit card - must get one of those scraper things - but by 11am it's gorgeous.

Only problem with all this sun is getting directional light on my still life subjects. I paint in a very bright kitchen. The light comes from all around and from big skylights so it's difficult. I do use a box and a lamp. Do you have any suggestions?


Picnic
16x16 inch on canvas. €450 framed

Green Apple Punctuation

Is your brain lazy?

Well I hate to be rude but it seems so folks. I was at a seminar on blogging at the weekend by Mary Rose Lyons. She is one of those punctuation police types who should be incredibly boring but is in fact fascinating. She dropped one nerdy little fact in particular about our brains and how we read text. It turns out that when we get to the end of a line of text on a screen, our lazy brains need something to hang onto, as it were. Otherwise they can’t find their way back across again. If the text has been justified the lines all end at the same point and our brains start to melt. So, when writing on screen i.e. on a blog, one should never use the justify button. You probably all knew that but I will dine out on that little gem for months, not that I “dine out” much. You can get a full explanation on Mary Rose’s Blog.

Green Apple Punctuation
16"x16" Oil on Canvas Framed €450

View from Ross Castle

It's the scrake of dawn and I'm just stopping to post this before I head out the door to Killkenny to the Wordpress Ireland Camp. I'm trying to be quiet so as not to wake the house but anyone will know I don't do quiet very well, so I'm expecting company any minute. I'm going solo this time except for Odette (see the tale of Odette's shame here). It's her last chance to redeem herself. Hey it's only two hours away what can go wrong! If I end up in Cork again, it's all green bin for Odette!

This is a view from Ross Castle - ok yes I know you can read- Ross castle is just 10 minutes out of Killarney town and Gráinne and I went walking there before we headed home to Dublin last weekend.

Oil on gesso board
6x6 inch €195 framed

Pear drops

So I have some news today! From the end of the month, Killarney Art Gallery will be representing my work.

As you know I was invited to visit the gallery last weekend and I was really impressed with both the gallery and with Declan and Amelie who run it.

Here's to much happy colaboration.

Pear Drops
16x16 €350 on deep canvas

Ménage à trois

This weekend I've decided to attend the wordpress ireland camp. Basically a two conference in wordpress and in blogging generally.

I have an idea for a two day workshop of my own. Designed for artists, hobbyists and others who would like a basic website or blog but have neither the skills nor the cash to set it up. The idea is that at the end of the two days they would have a basic but working website and/or blog that they know how to use themselves.

So although I'm pretty comfortable around the whole blogging/website thing I thought a little up skilling might be a good idea, so off to Killkenny.

12x12inch on canvas
Not for sale