"Still Life - Fruit" - Oil Painting

Oils on canvas 40 x 50 cm (sold)

"Polar Bear on Ice" - Oil painting

Oils on canvas

I have been working on this painting for several months and now, I think, it is finished… The temptation to add more and more is an artist’s greatest dilemma… knowing when to stop!

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native largely within the Arctic circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world’s largest carnivore species found on land. It is also the largest bear, together with the omnivore Kodiak bear which is approximately the same size. An adult male weighs around 350–680 kg (770–1,500 lb),[ while an adult female is about half that size.

Although it is closely related to the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrow ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice, and open water, and for hunting the seals which make up most of its diet.

Although most polar bears are born on land, it spends most of its time at sea, hence its name meaning “maritime bear”, and can hunt consistently only from sea ice, spending much of the year on the frozen sea.
The polar bear is classified as a vulnerable species, with 5 of the 19 polar bear sub populations in decline.

For decades, unrestricted hunting raised international concern for the future of the species; populations have rebounded after controls and quotas began to take effect. For thousands of years, the polar bear has been a key figure in the material, spiritual, and cultural life of Arctic indigenous peoples, and the hunting of polar bears remains important in their cultures.
Information source: Wikipedia

"If you could read my mind" - Oil painting

Gorilla Oil Painting on canvas (40×40cm)

When I first saw this gorilla, I was immediately struck by what I perceived to be sadness. He looks so deep in thought and I wondered what this beautiful creature was thinking… of family lost, freedom lost and what we humans do in our endless arrogance and greed to other animals on this planet.

I hope that one day, we will realise that they are just as worthy of life and freedom as we would like to believe ourselves to be.

I love painting eyes. However, what I like about this painting is not being able to see the gorilla’s eyes. His posture tells the story.

Gorillas, the largest of the living primates, are ground-dwelling herbivores that inhabit the forests of Africa. The DNA of gorillas is 98%–99% identical to that of a human, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the two chimpanzee species.

Gorilla’s are highly endangered, and have been subject to intense poaching for a long time. Threats to gorilla survival include habitat destruction and the bushmeat trade. In 2004 a population of several hundred gorillas in the Odzala National Park, Republic of Congo was essentially wiped out by the Ebola virus.

A 2006 study published in Science concluded that more than 5,000 gorillas may have died in recent outbreaks of the Ebola virus in central Africa. The researchers indicated that in conjunction with commercial hunting of these apes creates “a recipe for rapid ecological extinction”. (Wikipedia)

My thanks to Rocketchook for his kind permission to use his photograph as reference for this painting!!!

The Prayer

Oils on canvas (12×16 inches)

What a delight to paint this beautiful child! I love painting so much and this little girl with her sweet and innocent beauty captured everything I would wish for children all over the world. I don’t know who she really is but I named her ‘Sarah’.

So, for my little ‘Sarah’ and all the little ‘Sarahs’ all over the world:

An Irish Prayer

May God give you…
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Oil painting art course July 13 - Flowers

Sunday 13 July was another great painting day once again! I am so proud of the group. Wow! Look at those flowers!

We went into a bit of overtime as painting flowers took much longer than I anticipated but I think the results speak for itself.

I introduced the group to the concept of painting on an entirely black canvas as well as how to achieve some lovely special effects using turpenoid, thinners and linseed oil.
Unfortunately, you cannot see the effects as the photo is too small but it is very exciting.

The background was painting entirely from imagination using a few limited colours and each person's painting is unique in style and texture.

Well done!

I received this lovely poem from Tony yesterday (one of the group). Thank you Tony - not only was it a pleasure to have you there on Sunday, your poem is beautiful and I really, really appreciate it.

Within the very depths of you,
Lies a seed.
Precious.
Created from a void,
From the nothingness that was
Before the dawn of being.
You were before creation
Destined to live in the now.
Preciously you were nurtured
From that void , that nothingness
To maturity.
That maturity which is now,
The present moment of your being.
Sanctify this present time.
The gift is freely given.
Do not reject the gift.

Oil painting is FUN!

I love teaching people how to enjoy oil painting! This weekend, once again, I realised just how incredibly creative people can be if they just allow themselves to believe in their own abilities!

Every course starts with those feelings of uncertainty... people who have been told or who believe that they cannot paint.

But once they get stuck into those paints, the white canvas loses its mystery and the world opens up.

I don't know what I enjoy most: watching their faces as they become more and more relaxed as the hours pass, the stress and burdens of everyday life recedes and they enter another world;

or the smiling faces when the day is done and they all have their paintings, tired but happy and excited.

Knowing that they have achieved what most of them thought were beyond their talents.

Oh yes, it's the most wonderful feeling in the world and I am honoured and privileged to be a part of that happiness.

Oil Painting Art Course - County Clare, Ireland

I will be offering an oil painting art course on June 15, 2008.

For more information, please visit: Oil Painting Art Course