"Art in the Open" Begins!

Yesterday's paint-out to the riverside town of New Ross marked the beginning of our annual plein air festival. Now in its fourth year, it has just gotten bigger and bigger. We already have almost 100 pre-registered on line and the main festival competition doesn't begin until Friday! This year we will have some 12-15 international artists which will add tremendously to the festival.

Yesterday's paint-out was a relatively low-key affair, but there were still approximately twenty of us. I stuck to the obvious (for me!), choosing two riverside subjects. The first show the replica "Dunbrody Famine Ship" in the background, now a permanent visitors attraction. The original Dunbrody would have brought the unfortunate, or perhaps, the more fortunate famine victims in search of another chance at life in the USA. Still many would have died en route on these voyages, probably mainly from famine related illnesses such as typhoid fever. While I painted the boat, my painting interest was the left foreground area with the striking reflections. It was quite a dull, but warm and humid morning.

Morning Reflections, New Ross
(14" x 11" Oil on Board)

It brightened up a little in the afternoon, but it still remained mostly cloudy. This permanent fixture on the quayside provided some welcome colour. The owner runs frequent river tours daily on a separate boat which is usually moored to the outside of "The Galley". I considered painting both boats from the other side, but thought better of it, having been victim to disappearing boat syndrome on a number of occasions!

"The Galley", New Ross

(11" x 14" Oil on Board)

Here are photos of both scenes, taken before I started:-

Two West Kerry Seascapes

I painted these about six weeks ago but then forgot about them (well, I did spend three weeks in France in the meantime!). When I looked at them again this morning, I noticed that the highlights had "sunk" quite a lot, so I restated them in thicker impasto strokes. Perhaps no longer plein air to the "purists", but better paintings for the changes.
Both were painted on a foggy monring in West Kerry. I was almost going to turn around and go home but decide to stick with it as the fog started to lift. The first one was painted as the light was coming and going, but it had cleared away completely by the time a started the second one.


Fog Clearing, Cloger Strand
(10" x 12" Oil on Board)

After the Fog, Near Clogher Strand
(10" x 12" Oil on Board)

Some Paintings from France

I'm just back from an extended holiday in France, which included a week painting with the renowned Wapping Group. It was great to meet up again with such renowned artists as Trevor Chamberlain, Bert Wright and Michael Richardson and many other too numerous to mention. So a lot of healthy competition then for someone who doesn't usually paint street scenes!

Here is one from Honfleur:-

The Lieutenant's House, Honfleur
(10" x 12" Oil on Board)

And one from Saumur:-

Sunday Lunch, Place St Pierre, Saumur
(14" x 11" Oil on Board)

I did this one in the beautiful little town of Bayeux on my way back to Cherbourg:-

The Day Before the Fair, Bayeux

(12" x 10" Oil on Board)

Here's a photo of the first scene:-

More to follow when I get time.