Painted while I was on holiday in Southern Italy. This view was from the balcony in my accommodation. Clear blue skies all day meant painting from life was much easier than in Ireland!
Author Archives: eastcorkpainter
Padre Pio
This painting was a gift to my mother. But I didn’t do it simply to thank her, I found the look of Padre Pio compelling and worth painting.
Autumnal Tree in Carew’s Wood
Painted this during the summer of 2009. I used blotches of various bright colours to give a dappled texture to the tree. I was meticulously imitating a small photo so it took some weeks to complete this. Carew’s Wood is a local garden centre.
Midsummer Sunset
My first time trying to capture the sun directly. I like how green the sky is.
Midsummer Midnight Glow
I love how the northern sky retains a twilight glow long after the sun has set at this time of year. This how it looks around 11.30 pm.
Grandfather and his Eight Brothers
From a customised photograph. My father’s father stands in the middle with his hands clasped. It took over a month to do this. The likeness of some brothers is better than others based on feedback I got when I displayed this in my first exhibition. Of the 9 brothers, I met 4. My grandfather was the first to die, 40 years ago this year. All nine are deceased.
Autumnal View of Garryvoe
I hadn’t painted for 6 months before I started this. I was determined to make a highly detailed painting as I was a little disappointed with the previous painting’s foreground. Based on a reference photo; the day I took it I wasn’t in the area, I was down by the prom walk in Garryvoe and noticed bales in the field on the higher ground. When I got there I found that they were in every field towards the sea. So I spent the next 6 months painting. The last 3 were spent on the foreground, doing those stubbles trying to depict the sunlight reflecting off of them. No compromise!
Nenagh Castle.
Following the abbey painting, I attempted to depict the round castle which dominates the skyline in Nenagh town. Like the abbey painting, I used vivid colours. I painstakingly did each stone. Consequently, this painting was in my life for a few months.
Abbey at Kenyon Street, Nenagh
I was working on an archaeological dig not far from the Tipperary town of Nenagh when I painted this. I was returning to my rented house from home the Sunday I started this. I’d forgotten my blue paints. I was annoyed for a while, thinking I’d have to wait another week before I’d start. Then I had the idea of doing the painting without blue and, using the colours I had, came up with an unusual colour scheme. Every day after work, I’d spend a few hours at it in the evening. I was very pleased with the result.
Two Moonlit Bales
This is the only time I’ve done a painting based on another one of my paintings. Following on from the painting of the two bales I did at night. I decided to do something more detailed. I’m not sure if it’s a better painting than the one I did in the open air. Certainly the experience of painting this wasn’t worth remembering!
eastcorkpainter 