Art in the Open 2010

Our annual plein air festival is almost at a close for another year with just one more paint-out to spectacular Hook Head tomorrow. I managed to paint at four of our five paint-outs as well as painting for at least a couple of hours on all three days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) of the festival proper. As a Steering Committee member I had other duties this year, which meant less painting time and a lot less sleep, but I'm delighted to say that the whole thing was a tremendous success. It was also my pleasure this year to have two great plein air artists, Rob Ijbema and Michael Richardson, as guests at our home for the duration of the festival - the house seems strangely quiet today - our cat even misses them despite leaving a few scratch marks on Rob one night!

These are the paintings I did in Wexford and Enniscorthy over the week-end, currently included in the exhibition in the wonderful Greenacres Gallery (http://www.greenacres.ie/). I'll post other work when I get a chance to photograph it.

I started off about 11-30am on a dull, overcast Friday, which never really turned to rain despite threatening to do so all day. I've passed by this beautiful little lane several times in the past and thought how lovely it would be to paint it, but was never brave enough until now.

Mary's Lane, Wexford
(12" x 10" Oil on Canvas)

Off to the medieval town of Enniscorthy, some 15 miles North of Wexford on Saturday morning. I was on registration duty until lunch-time, which unfortunately co-incided with the mist turning to rain, so it took me almost three hours to complete this, following a number of hasty retreats for shelter from the weather. The arches really look that irregular IRL because of some variation in size and the double curvature of the bridge. I thought about making everything seem more uniform, but decided against it in the interest of authenticity. 

Rushing Water, Enniscorthy

(10" x 12" Oil on Canvas)

Despite feeling a bit deflated, I soldiered on and did this little street scene in the evening. Funny how parked cars always seem to disappear before you finish them!

Evening Light, Slaney Street, Enniscorthy

(12" x 10" Oil on Canvas)

I took some photos of both street scenes, but forgot the river for some reason:-