Sun Over The Skelligs and Montbresia, Summer Skelligs View (Ireland)

8"x10" oil on linen/panel

For more information, or to purchase, click here. 

This one was painted plein air, from our host, Barbara Mastaglio's back garden. There's a fabulous view of the skelligs from there (among other things!).  The morning was bright yet quite windy for this demo, with the wind picking up gradually as I neared a finish.  Wind - for the plein air painter can be as difficult as rain (perhaps more so).  But painting out in the elements truly gives you an understanding of the colors you are seeing, and the sensations of the day.  That's the only way you can transmit these to an indoor studio painting.  

The second one of this view, is painted from a photo, during one of our indoor demo's from a photo on a very rainy day.  The other element in this painting that wasn't in bloom at the time we were painting were the 'montbresia' as they are called in Ireland (known as crocosmia here in the states). They are brilliant and grow wild in the hedges over there. They were just beginning to open when we were there. They are probably in full bloom right about now! And luckily, mine were still in bloom when I returned home.

"Montbresia, Summer Skelligs View"

8"x10" oil on linen/panel

For more information, or to purchase, click here.   

 

Blue Door and Buoys-Irish Cottage, Pagan Graves-St. Brendan's Well (SOLD)

8"x6" oil on linen/panel - $200

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So much has happened this summer, and I haven't finished telling about the Ireland workshop trip! Yes, being Ireland, we did have some rain. Usually it's not too bad. But there are days when it is inconvenient. Sometimes you can 'make the best of it', and sometimes, one must go indoors.  This began as a demo:

and as is often true, painting outdoors in Ireland can be a full contact sport! We thought we could outlast it, but the rain became relentless, and we packed it up to go into the studio. In Barbara Mastaglio's studio, one can paint from window views or work studies from photos to learn technique.The two prime windows hold views of the skelligs, out in the Atlantic, and the other window looks out toward the village of Portmagee, across the channel. 

Another view of the island, that is worth a walk down to visit, is the "Pagan Graves" down by St. Brendan's Well, this one is already claimed!

 

 
 

Return from Ireland - a weeklong journey to paint & tour

6"x8" oil on linen mounted on archival panel

"Morning Fields, Valentia Island, Co. Kerry"

For more information, or to purchase, click here. 

 

View from the plane as we fly into Shannon airport.

 

After an overnight flight leaving JFK Saturday evening, we arrive at Shannon airport at 6am. 

This first day of our trip, we must acclimate ourselves to our new time zones (five hours later). No napping! - or you'll find yourself awake at 2am ready to start the day five hours too early! We gather ourselves for the drive out to the coast where our workshop takes place. A bit of 'purposeful sightseeing' will get us used to our new time zone & hopefully alleviate the jet lag.   Leaving Shannon, we stop in the town of Adare for a break & a bit of tea and scones. 

Bark of a cork tree at Adare manor house.
 

We make a short stop at Adare manor to stretch our legs and see this incredible place! One of the most fascinating things I've found is the oldest Cedar of Lebanon, there on the grounds. It is said to be the oldest in Ireland and Great Britain, planted around 1645!

The gardens were rather spectacular there, as usual!

 We also make a stop in Foynes, along the Shannon River, and then head over through Ballybunnion to Ballyheigue. We have a bit of lunch at a tiny bistro along the beach at Ballyheigue Bay. Then we continue to wind our way through Tralee, and down through Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Caherciveen, and Portmagee before crossing the bridge to Valentia Island. Mary and Jim Lane, owners of SheaLane B&B welcome us to our home away from home. We get freshened up for dinner, and our meet and greet at Barbara and Tom Mastaglio's cottage. Barbara operates "Art on the Ring of Kerry" and is the 'Queen of Fun', making these art workshops and retreats possible.  There are so many wonderful things to see and do in this area of Kerry. It's a lot to pack into one week! She has been cooking dinner for us while we have been making our way across the countryside. Cooking aromas greet us as we enter the cottage. 

We've had some time during our travels to get acquainted with each other, and now all get to meet Barbara and Tom, our hosts during the retreat. We go over our itinerary for the week and take a tour of her property. 

 Above, from the patio, over looking Portmagee, across the channel.

Going to have a look at Barbara's studio.

So, enough about arrivals day. On Monday we begin our workshop at 9am.  Yes, it does rain in Ireland every day...or almost every day, usually not all day long, and if you time it right, there's always a bit of every kind of weather.  We started out with a bit of rain, but we have a fantastic multipurpose room at our B&B. It's a 'solarium', with windows on all three sides, perfect for painting from life, when it's pouring outside.  There's a different view in each direction you look. "Morning Fields, Valentia Island" was painted inside Mary's solarium room, looking north, as the weather changed outside.

Our first lesson is on simple landscapes, skyscapes, landforms, atmospheric perspective, composition, focal points, SQUINTING as a painting practice, as well as dealing with rapidly changing views due to weather, while plein air painting. Each day we'll cover a new painting subject while covering these topics. 

 

Giants in Ireland! Jet-lag in USA!!

"Sleeping Giant"

8"x10" oil on linen mounted on archival panel

For more information, or to purchase, click here.  

I'm finally back home...and nearly recovered from jet-lag.  So the stories are long overdue! 

I always find the sight of this land formation remarkable...irresistible to paint.  So I knew it would be the first thing I'd want to demo when talking about shapes and masses.  I couldn't resist giving the 'old man' a page in my sketchbook, as soon as we arrived!

  It's been almost a week now, and this jet-lag really HAS caught me by surprise. I found myself wide awake at 4am most mornings, ready to start the day, and dropping off to sleep at my computer desk mid-afternoon.  I think I've even discovered sending out an 'erroneous' blog-post...that I 'thought' was a draft....which I did later delete due to a poor photo and incomplete text. Oddly enough it turned up in my email inbox as having been sent out. Ugh! could I really have fallen asleep at the laptop and hit 'send' before I knew what I was doing?  Was that really my head bonking the key-board? 

Here are the ladies...

and the gents along on our expedition.

When I think of ALL the incredible things this group did on our trip...well, maybe it's more than jet lag, we packed in a lot of activity; powerful plein air painting, puffin photography, bike riding, skellig climbing, pub singing at all hours of the night, long hikes along skinny roads, free Irish facials (from the mist), castle climbing, bog walking, beach strolling, Irish golf, garden gawking, sheep whispering, cow calling, swimming in North Atlantic Irish waters, rock collecting, rainbow following, ship-shape shopping,  and of course....."food, glorious food!".  Some did all, and all did some! What good company to share all this fun with!! 

I have been rolling all these memories around in my head, savoring each one! It's been especially fun for me to see this place anew...through their eyes- those who hadn't been there yet! It reminded me of the first time I ever saw it!....and I was over-whelmed! I knew I'd return many times, just to take it all in! I'm so glad Barbara and Tom share this wonderful place with us, and welcome us into their home. Between the Mastaglios, and Mary and Jim Lane (of Shealane Country House B&B)....they make us feel 'like locals' and that we actually live there.  So grateful to return and be able to share the week with you all!  

Cadbury's in Ice Cream? Are you kidding?!?!

Honestly, I deserve some kind of a medal for resisting this....Cadbury's in ice cream. Or perhaps a straight jacket....am I crazy? I passed up Cadbury's in ice cream on the beach, on a sunny day in Ireland? I must be certifiable. Or desperately jet lagged! So we all are, but we are kept awake by the excitement to come.  Tom Mastaglio, our host's husband gathered us from the airport in Shannon, this morning for the long trek back to Valentia Island.  

 

Ah, so much to do, so little time! Surfing...I could've gone surfing, in summer, on a SUNNY day in Ireland? But we did get our feet wet. We just couldn't resist an invigorating dip (of our feet) in that brisk water in Dingle Bay, along the 

Wild Atlantic Way.

Well, too much fresh air and sunshine works up a mighty thirst for travelers. So between coffee, tea, and perhaps Guiness, we were revived.  Did I mention it tastes better over there (here in Ireland)? It's true, not kidding on this one. Once you've had it at the source, all the rest (that gets shipped to us in the States) tastes a bit like 'tree-bark-water'.

 

 So much to see along the way, but we finally arrived at our 'home away from home', our B&B - SheaLane B&B on Valentia Island.

I discovered there's a new baby in the "neigh"bor-hood!

I love getting to share this place with new friends, as we enjoy the view at Coarha Beg, with the skelligs and little islands in the background. 

This place holds more than a bit of magic for me. I've been enchanted by this part of Ireland.  After dinner, Barbara shares some wonderful stories....

 

and we are all held in its wonder and delight!

  Goodness, I've bent your ear for far too long tonight. We got some serious issues to tackle tomorrow..... like painting, and giants, beaches, ruins, and hey...there's a bit of the world's best chocolate involved, too. I need my rest to keep up!

 

Come to Ireland With Me!! (and how NOT to get busted in security!)

Ruins at Ballinskelligs, 8"x10" oil on linen mounted on archival panel - for more information or to purchase, click here.

Ah, where to begin? I'll try to continue to fill you in with all the stories of this adventure- On my arrival to Shannon Airport on Sept. 1st, I was meeting up with three other ladies from CT, one whom I know (Jill) and two others that I hadn't met yet.  We had arranged to hire a van to take the four of us the three hour drive from Shannon to Valentia Island.  We stopped in Adare, which is halfway to our destination, for a bite to eat.  By our arrival to Valentia for our "meet and greet"  I had several new artist friends, three more attendees came in from Virginia!  It was my sixth time to return to Barbara Mastaglio's artist retreat there on Valentia Island. It's a wonderful place and she is a great one to introduce you to that area of County Kerry, Ireland! (so much so that now I'm starting to feel like a local!).

Monday morning we painted out in Knightstown, I did get a blog post in that day (scroll down for previous posts),  though I still wonder where I got the energy as each day was filled to the max! Most of us painted at the pier - as it's on a "corner" spit of land with so many great views - boats, the mainland in the distance, a quaint village, a fanciful clock tower, it's a painters paradise! After choosing to paint their local coast guard boat in its bright orange and blue, I had some time to photograph some additional interesting places in the village. I think I have some great photo references!

Before heading over to the light house and Dohilla for more painting in the afternoon, we stopped for lunch at Barbara's retreat.  Food with a view, can it get any better? Okay- it was- food with a view in the company of fellow artist friends!! Super! Here's Maureen waiting for us to join her for lunch on the patio! The Atlantic Ocean to the west of us, Dingle Bay to the north of us, Portmagee channel and village south of us, and horses grazing to the east of us!

 

So, without further ado- I can't wait to tell you- I'm offering a workshop at this wonderful place next summer! You can get the quick info at this link for "Art on the Ring of Kerry".  You'll want to claim your spot pronto as there is limited room!  It's a wonderful opportunity to feel like a local (take it from one who has returned to this magical place many times), I'd hate for you to miss out on this! 

I'll be teaching palette knife technique, but will help those who prefer brushes as well- mainly on how to deal with the 'predicaments' of plein air painting - getting your initial concept into a composition, how to get the 'vastness of all that Irish green' into a small format (ie. 8x10), how to simplify what you are seeing in order to make those decisions quicker (so that you can finish that painting in about 2 hours). The Irish landscape presents challenges every day- learning those concepts here will prepare you for ANYTHING!

Here I am with my favorite painting hat, lunch sack and camera bag (knowing full-well I could have lightened that load), and my fellow painter friend Jill on Skellig Michael.  It's an ancient monastic site 10 miles off shore (and a UNESCO World Heritage site)....and seven hundred steps atop a huge pointy rock in the North Atlantic!! (what were those guys thinking?). I'll continue that part of the story in tomorrow's post! Until then, Ireland's calling you....come for a visit and paint with me next summer! 

oh yeah...you've read this far & might be wondering, "Okay, so where's the part about being busted in airport security"?  Well, SOMEONE in our group of painters changed around all their brilliant packing in order to make sure the Skelligs Chocolate was put in the carry-on along with the wet paintings (my two high priority items)....somehow my brush carrier fit in there as well.   My checked bag was getting quite overloaded after purchasing a couple books and woollen items. So, I was quite surprised when they pulled me aside and asked to open my carry-on bag..."sure, but you can't have my chocolate" I responded. They DID ask what was in the grey box (wet paintings), then they pulled out my fabric roll of brushes, which included palette knives for painting.  "And what are these???" the older security guard asked of me.

  "Painting knives, palette knives for painting" I just blurted out. 

"I'll have to ask my supervisor about these, they look dangerous".

Ugh, I can't believe it, attach the word knife to anything and I'm sure it's considered a weapon, even though the whole tip is flexible.  Perhaps if I had called them PAINT SPREADERS instead, I'd still have them.  Time to head back to the art supply store, I'm out roughly $40 in supplies for 3 'paint spreaders' and a pair of pliers (for removing sticky paint tube lids).  The pliers made it into Ireland, but not going back out.  I can't imagine what they thought I'd do with that (maybe pull out someones teeth with it??).  Well, you can rest assured you are safe on Aer Lingus from the likes of me! 

If I hadn't been distracted by CHOCOLATE I would have had the common sense to put the whole brush carrier in my checked luggage, and I wouldn't be needing a trip to the art supply store! I'll remember that next summer!