Uphill to Antiquity (Bally Carberry Castle, Ireland)- sold

6"x8" oil on oil primed Belgian linen mounted on professional artboard (Raymar)

A re-post of an older favorite! This past summer while painting over in Ireland at the Ballycarberry Castle ruins, there were so many others that had come to see the place as well. This elderly gentleman must've been 85 if he was a day! He looked quite dapper in his tweed jacket and "friend-maker cap" (ok, driving cap). There was a young woman with him, perhaps related, maybe his grand-daughter. The contrast between them was striking - he was rather bent and angular where she was quite upright and curvy. He, in his conservative tweeds, and she in her flowy slacks, and gossamer tunic. At this point the hill just begins to ascend, he has already had to crawl (or somehow make his way under) some barbed wire! The rest of the way up is a fairly gentle hill, but rutted in some places.

This is one of those "allegorical paintings" - most people speak of aging as "going downhill". But what if we thought of it as an uphill climb? Yes, there would be some struggle on the way, but when we reach the pinnacle of the climb - wouldn't there be a great (or at least interesting) reward?! Yeah, I'm in for quite a climb yet to come - but I know there will be great things just ahead (hope there's not too much barbed wire!).

Connections - Valentia Island, Ireland - sold

11"x14" oil on oil primed stretched canvas

This is a scene from Valentia Island, Ireland....just down the hill from my friend's house. I love the old & new placed together - there's just a sense that we are in this century. The stone ruins of an old cottage, the cow grazing on the hill, are a common sight on Valentia. But there is the modern invasion of phone lines (and yes, even the convenience of broad-band - works better than mine at home!ha). Even though it feels quite remote....and a magical place on this earth - you are still 'connected'.

Simply Daffodils - sold

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

Simplicity of brushwork can be quite a challenge, as was this study.

Morning Dog Walkers - sold

10"x10" oil on 1.5"deep gallery wrap canvas

This is my favorite part of the day. Every weekday morning I meet my neighbors coming down the lane, sun on their backs with dogs leading the way. We have solved everything....just ask us! We'll certainly give you an opinion...especially about our daughters!

Sophie in Spring Violets - sold

10"x10" oil on 1.5" deep gallery wrapped canvas

This is one of my morning walking buddies, Sophie. Her person is my neighbor Joanne. The violets are starting to bloom again this year & it reminded me of a photo I had taken of Sophie in the violets last spring! She was beautiful - an absolute 'calendar dog'! Her black & white coat was stunning with all the little fragrant violets surrounding her. I wonder if she knew how pretty she was?

A Party For Two

8"x8" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

This was an unfinished work that I finally felt inspired to finish! Somehow that Shania Twain song got stuck in my head...when I saw this setting by itself in my studio I remembered that I had never really finished it. It just needed some warming up & voila! Click on the image to enlarge & see the brushwork!

Flat of Pansies Beside the Window - sold

8"x10" oil on canvas mounted on professional artboard (Raymar)

This is the same flat of pansies that I painted back on March 23rd....still not planted in the big blue flower pots I have. It was my intention to paint them several times (several poses!). But the deer ate them!!! So some have grown back, but some are rather puny. I got the best of them, posed them by my back window/slider-door and here they are in their remaining glory...these are the survivors! Back to being beautiful! I think I'll head to the garden center to get another flat of them, along with some 'deer repellent'!!

Ballinskelligs Bay, Ring Fort Ard Kearagh, Ring of Kerry, Ireland - sold

16"x20" oil on oil primed canvas

Back to painting with knives! Palette knives, that is. Have you ever been to a place so lovely, it just circles your brain - and you can't let it go? I keep thinking about every place I went/saw/visited on my recent trip over to Ireland. It was my third trip over, I thought I knew the place somewhat well (well for a tourist!). But each time I find out more, and realize how little I do know about the place....and how much more I'd like to know! In early March we took a drive from Valentia down to Derrynane. After passing through Waterville, you drive along the edge of a ridge, looking down to the sea. This is Ballinskelligs Bay. Below us is a ring fort (Ard Kearagh), among ridges of stone walls, and cottages. In late winter, some of the grasses in higher elevations have gone a bit brown & yellow(and still lovely in their winter color), but then go downhill a bit, and it's still green. A welcome sight for one traveling from Connecticut! The day was sunny and there was a crisp chill in the air, fluffy cumulus rolling by to gather for the evening later that day!

Ruins in Shadow, Portmagee Afternoon, Ireland - sold

11"x14" oil on Belgian linen on professional artboard (Sourcetek)

Good grief it's been a crazy week! I'm so glad to be back to painting today. As of last week we are in the process of building a new home! The planning and preparation is a bit over-whelming at times, very exciting, and sometimes exhausting.

I am still finding my source material from Ireland very exciting to paint. I have been planning this summer's trip since last fall....and luckily all the dates with travel and building fit together rather well! My last trip over in late Feb/early March was cold, but in between winter storms on the North Atlantic there would be beautiful sunny days, where the light was golden and the greens of the landscape were incredible. One afternoon, we were leaving PortMagee heading over to Cahersiveen (for a bit of grocery shopping) and the afternoon light caught these ruins in shadow. They made such an interesting contrast against the hills of varied greens just beyond.

Wearin' Wellies into Town, Castleisland, Ireland - sold

7"x5" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

After we had our donuts & tea at Nelligan's we stepped out on the sidewalk & spotted this handsome older man in his wellies (tall rubber boots/garden green), coat-tails flapping in the stiff-breeze. He was swinging his cane and striding with confidence. The town of Castleisland is our first stop from Shannon on our way to Valentia....Nelligan's has some mighty-fine donuts! And no, even with a head-full of gray hair, you sure don't seem old with a walk like that!

Iris Bud

7"x5" oil on gessoed masonite professional artboard

I used to grow irises when I lived in Virginia a few years ago. I have been looking at old photos of my flowers I grew, and thinking about what I want to plant in a yard of my own. We may be buying a house of our own again, after many, many years of moving with the military. I am so excited at the thought of watching my gardens grow and bloom...and not having to leave them behind!

Click here to bid. (This link will take you to my ebay store).