My exhibition of paintings at The Creel, Westport has been extended until the end of the month. We went in there on Saturday to take the pictures down but we’ve agreed to leave them there a little longer. Trish and James have been so kind. There was also a little money waiting there for me because I’ve sold some! Not bad eh? I’m really pleased. Hope they are happy in their new homes! Of course we had to have lunch while we were there. For once I was able to pay! As always it was delicious.
I Love Mayo
achievements, art, chickens, creativity, happiness, I Love Mayo
I’ve added a new range to my I Love Mayo site. I’ve called it my “Love Ireland” range. Hope you like them. So far there are 6 typographic prints. Love Ireland is all about referencing Irish culture in a contemporary, bright and fresh way. Ireland is a modern country; it’s not all about leprechauns and shamrocks! That’s just my opinion of course!
I plan to add more prints very soon. The prints are available, mounted and unmounted on the site, starting at €8.00 each and are sized to fit into standard frames. If you have suggestions of sayings or quotes that you would like to see added to the range, do let me know.
I’ve set up an I Love Mayo page on Facebook. Please ‘like’ it if you are passing through. I also have an I Love Mayo account on Twitter.
I Love Mayo
achievements, art, creativity, I Love Mayo, ideas, inspirations
Full-sized, stretched canvas prints of some of my paintings for I Love Mayo have gone up on the walls at my favourite café, The Creel at The Quay in Westport. They will be up on the walls until September. I’m particularly pleased with my set of 6 paintings of some of our cockerels. They look great all hung together. As well as large prints, smaller mounted prints are available.
You can see enlarged versions of my pictures on I Love Mayo.
I’m really excited (and a bit nervous) to have my work on show and very grateful to Trisha and James at The Creel for being so supportive.
Life in Currane
achievements, art, chickens, creativity, ideas, inspirations
Yes I really do and just to prove it, today marks the launch of ilovemayo.com. To start with, this is where I’m selling my own original paintings and prints. I plan to sell locally produced art by other artists, photographers and craftspeople. I’ve always been surprised at the lack of locally produced gifts and souvenirs for sale in the area. Many gift shops sell products that have very little in common with the Ireland of today, let alone products actually produced here.
I will personally source products that I consider to be appropriate to sell and add them to the ilovemayo range over time. If you are a Mayo artist, photographer or craftsperson, and would be interested in ilovemayo selling your products for you, please contact me.
In time, I hope to be able to provide the very best of Mayo products in one place. As always, it’s Al who’s done all the hard work on this project so well done Al, he’s made a great job of the site! Hope you like it.
Life in Currane
Al, art, beauty, creativity, favourite things, I Love Mayo, inspirations
The view of Croagh Patrick across Clew Bay from The Mulranny Park Hotel
I’ve been painting quite a lot recently. I’ve put 3 new paintings in my online portfolio. There’s the one above, one of Trudi and one of the view from the shore in front of our house. Mounted prints of the picture above will go on sale at the Mulranny Park Hotel in the next few weeks. The original painting is quite large. Full sized digital prints on canvas (Edit: I originally typed ‘giclée prints’ here. It’s the same thing but giclée sounds too pretentious) will also be available for sale there. I’m quite excited about the whole thing.
Life in Currane
art, Corraun House, creativity, favourite things, inspirations, Trudi
I’ve added a new picture to my online portfolio. The picture was painted as a gift to our friends Harry and Kate who we stayed with in France, earlier this year. The items in the picture are all things that have meaning in their house.
By the way, you can read about my professional experience there and download my CV. If you have any work I could do for you, illustration or publishing consultancy, please let me know. I’m a joy to work with!
*It’s the name of a Pat Metheny album! and the only title that came to me.
Life in Currane
art, Corraun House, creativity, favourite things
Papier mâché pigs.
This year we only sent Christmas presents to neices and nephews. I bought some plain papier mâché money boxes at the art shop and decorated them. I had thought they would be a good recession-aware gift. It was unfortunate then, that at the same time as the Irish pork scare, our neices and nephews in the UK were receiving their Irish pig presents!
Life in Currane
art, family & friends
The wonderful Tony Hart has died. He was such an inspiration when I was a child and a big part of the reason I studied Art & Design.
He was however also the source of one of my biggest childhood disappointments. My picture of ‘Sunset with Birds’ (executed in felt tips) was never chosen for the Vision On Gallery. I was so confident that it would be shown that I suspected foul play when it wasn’t. First I blamed the Post Office, then the BBC.
It seems that I’ve reached the age when this type of thing will be happening more and more frequently. Oliver Postgate, another big part of my childhood died in December.
Life in Currane
art, beauty, creativity, escapism, favourite things, happiness, ideas, inspirations, TV
It’s a lot quieter in the hen house these days but at least it’s a bit clearer who’s in charge. We did have 6 fully grown male birds- now we have 3. The other 3 have gone to good homes. Dozy, Dee and Roger were very handsome boys and therefore much in demand. We’re left with Beaky, (front left), Mini-Me (back left) and Mungo (middle right). As far as we can tell, the girls seem happy enough with the result.
I’ve been attending a local art group (run by Corr Acla) over the last 9 weeks and the painting above was one of my projects.
Life in Currane
achievements, art, chickens, paintings
