"Art if for Everyone" - exhibition

"Art is for Everyone"

Exhibition of Oil Paintings by County Clare Artists

18th February to 12th March 2010

Kilrush Library

Opening night: 18th February at 8pm

All Welcome!

This is will the second exhibition of oil paintings by my students and I am so proud of each and every one! There will be approximately 82 paintings done on course during 2009. This year we will also have beautiful portraits which were produced during a special portrait course in August last year. The very FIRST portraits in oils attempted by my students and really brilliant.

There will also be a variety of landscapes and seascapes as well as beautiful still life paintings.

If you are visiting county Clare, Kilrush, please go the the library to take a look! You will be amazed!

There are also wonderful prizes to be won by raffle - the proceeds will go to the Kilrush Lifeboat Station. The drawing of the raffle prizes will take place on the opening night.

This year I will be teaching a variety of different techniques and we will also be doing courses on 'animal landscapes' so next year's exhibition will have lots of paintings depicting animals as well as the usual still life and landscapes. 

"O'Sullivans, Kilrush" - oil painting

Oils on canvas

One of the quaint, old family stores in Kilrush. Hardly anything has changed over the years and this shop is absolutely fascinating – a step back into time in Ireland.

The shopkeeper, Donal O’Sullivan kindly posed for me when I told him I would love to paint his shop. I rearranged some items for artistic purposes but the painting is very close to what this fascinating old shop looks like. A definite place to visit should you ever come to Kilrush!!

This painting was quite a challenge and I could probably still work on it for many more months perfecting every little detail – but I decided that I don’t want to go down the ‘photo realism’ path as that is just not my style.

Even if I do use a photograph as reference, I leave most of the last sections and finishing touches to my imagination. To me, a painting must still look like a painting so I decided that this one is done….

maybe :)

To see a larger image... click here

And...

Why I have been such a bad blogger...

Truth is, I have been a bit ill… and very worried too. I don’t exactly know how to say this as I did not want to explain but I decided perhaps I need to tell you why I have been away for so long…

Well… besides being busy with teaching and painting – which helped to keep me sane, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in July last year and had to have several operations, etc, back and forth to hospital and needless to say, quite worried.

When you are suddenly confronted with the big ‘C’, you realise how short life can be. I am so thankful for my wonderful family and friends and through them all I was able to keep a positive attitude and the future is hopeful.

I was lucky in many ways… I have wonderful doctors and the medical staff are brilliant. It always takes some time to ‘get into the system’ but because of my caring GP, I got the diagnosis and operations necessary. Now, I can only hope and pray that this horrible, deadly cancer will not return.

I love the sun… most of my life was spent loving the sun and being outdoors. But the sun can be deadly and I can only ask that anyone who has ever ‘loved the sun’ PLEASE take care!! No tan is worth dying for!

To my friends who knew and supported me through this time… I can only say ‘thank you’... you will never know just how much it means to me.

Happy Christmas to all!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May your Christmas be peaceful and joyful!

"Portrait of Katherine - an Irish lady" - oil painting

Oils on canvas (commissioned)

Portrait in oils of Katherine, a dear and sweet Irish Lady.

I really enjoyed doing this portrait – trying to capture Katherine’s sweet smile and gentle face.

... A face full of joy and pain and the many memories of a lifetime.

For more information about commissions, just contact me through my website Clare Artist or from my Gallery

"Memories of Spanish Point" - oil painting

Oil on canvas 30×40 inches (commissioned)

A very special painting for my dear friend, Bridget, remembering a time when she and her dearly departed husband watched the dolphins at Spanish Point.

May your memories of that day always be with you, dear Bridget and comfort you when you feel alone.