Elephant In The Room The "Elephant In The Room" is a national project to get everyone talking about the elephant in the room......mental health. To try and start the conversation around mental health issues, from the school yard to the board room. I was delighted to be one of the artists selected to paint one of the first 16 elephants to land [...]
Sunflowers for Ukraine Everyone is doing their best to raise money and contribute to the people of Ukraine in their hour of need. I can't do much to help, but when I was painting these sunflowers I realised the relationship to their flag and how sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine. So I was delighted with the response to my fundraiser [...]
Doorway Gallery Exhibition The Doorway Gallery in Nutgrove Shopping Centre will be hosting an exhibition of my work. Opening on 10th February This painting of Foxgloves is 100x100cm on canvas Sweet Pea 40x40cm oil Sunflowers 40x40cm oil Summer 80x80cm oil This is a small selection of the work that will [...]
New Palette Knife Workshop and Art Class Dates Announced. Well we have waited so long for the fantastic news that restrictions are lifted and following yesterdays announcement (21/01/2022), I am delighted to be able to finalise three new workshop dates and the commencement of my 10 week Spring Term Art Classes. Classes and Workshops book out fairly quickly so if you are interested in [...]
I am delighted to be able to resume my popular one day workshops this September. Just one date confirmed for now, on 25th September, 2021. All materials supplied, and lunch and refreshments included. If you fancy joining me for a great day out, check out all the information and book your place here
Learn how to paint amazing paintings - 7 day free This online course consists of step by step painting demos, resources, challenges and feedback on your work. We meet on Wednesday mornings at 10.30 a.m. on zoom. All meet-ups are recorded and available to watch at your convenience. Free private Facebook Group for support and encouragement. Plus 7 free video demonstrations worth €200 [...]
Strada easel challenge - January 2021 January is a pretty quiet month and we usually go away for a few weeks, with the gallery closed and no art classes. This January was a bit different, With lockdown there was no holiday and very little to do. So I was delighted when I heard about the Strada Easel Challenge January 2021. [...]
Announcing my new auction facility on my website. Each day I paint a small oil painting either 15x15cm (6″ x 6″) or 15x20cm (6″ x 8″) and post it to my Daily Painting Auction. My daily paintings are posted to the auction weekly with all bids starting at €75. A great opportunity to begin your art collection at a reasonable price. [...]
Champion Green campaign urges people to shop locally. Since our opening earlier this month I have been delighted with local support here in Skerries and really appreciate the lovely shoppers who have called in to say hello, bought a card, print or painting. Your support is so amazing and I can't thank you enough. If each adult spent just €20 extra in small businesses each [...]
With the lovely fine weather I managed to get out to paint a few days at the beginning of the month. plein air painting at The Ovens, Skerries beach One of my favourite spots in Skerries is called the Ovens as it is always very sheltered. It is behind Skerries Sailing Club and there is plenty of inspiration for a painting whatever direction you look. [...]
My limited editions prints are now available in our local florists, Arbour Blooms on Strand Street, Skerries. Delighted to be stocked in such a lovely venue and their local support is very much appreciated. Thank you Johnny. Don't forget to shop local. #championgreen
Our last free zoom art class was on 13th June. It is hard to believe that they ran for 13 weeks in total. Thanks to everyone who took part with over 50 people signed up. We kept each there going through the lockdown and our paintings improved too. It was good fun and a learning curve on Zoom!!! But it is now time to get [...]
I have been busy with the set up of my new online art classes which will take the form of a membership and recording full painting demonstrations too. The membership will be based on a monthly subscription with weekly classes on the Zoom app including one monthly painting demonstration video + lots more. This is just like attending your weekly art class but now its [...]
During the lockdown I have kept the normal weekday art classes running on the Zoom app. In my last blog about our weekly course, I opened up the class to anyone who would like to join us and was surprised by the take up of my offer. I suppose everyone is looking for ways to fill their days in these strange times. I am happy [...]
The Art in Lockdown Exhibition was to run for the lockdown period. When it started the exhibition we expected that would mean a few weeks. Today we are on day 42, of 20 paintings per day. 840 paintings so far and still counting. The intention is to keep the exhibition running until the lockdown is lifted. Check out the exhibition on Facebook for your daily [...]
This month's blogs are all reflecting the terrible situation we are all in. https://youtu.be/BSY3F_faJiA With the news of our lastest restriction of 2km limit, we realise most people don't live in such a beautiful town as Skerries. On our daily walk, we have this fabulous beach to clear our heads and keep us sane and we appreciate how lucky we are every day.
This isolation has created some brilliant ideas by people to keep everyone going. Art in Lockdown is an idea by Irish artist Roisin Duffy. Her idea was to organise 20 Irish artists to create a group on social media. Every day posting a painting from each artist with links to their profiles on Facebook and Instagram. Day one of the exhibition on Facebook and Instagram [...]
Are you looking for ways to improve your painting technique and skills? Do you take classes and workshops to learn new painting techniques and see how other artists do it! I certainly do. But sometimes we just don’t have the time to travel to classes and workshops. Even if we have the time, they can be expensive and it can be hard to find [...]
I am delighted to be selected to be the Artist in Residence at The Montenotte Hotel in association with The Gallery Kinsale. To celebrate the launch of the exhibition the hotel is running a competition for this print of "Cosmos" worth €250. "Cosmos" print To enter the competition just head over to The Montenotte Hotel Instagram page, tag two friends and hashtag #artatmontenotte
I will be starting back at art classes on Monday 10th and Wednesday 12th February for an 8 week term. Everyone is returning from last term. Apologies to anyone on the waiting list as there will not be any vacancies available in these classes this time.
Our annual exhibition at Art Source in the RDS Dublin was a great success. We were at our usual stand beside the coffee shop and it was a very busy show. With plenty of red dots. Thanks to everyone who bought a painting. It means so much. My next show is Gifted in the RDS which will run from Wednesday 4th to Sunday 8th December.
All normal plans are on hold as I am laid up until Christmas. With Art Source in the RDS fast approaching I had to get the paints out and get painting. The cupboards were raided and all the iconic bottles were lined up for a variety of still life paintings on 6" x 8" panels. Easy to paint on the couch. The fridge was next... [...]
We just never know what is going to happen next, thank goodness!! I was working away at paintings for Art Source, running art classes and had just finalised booking a videographer for my last palette knife workshop of 2019. Then disaster struck.....just a little trip and everything was up in the air....literally. Unfortunately, I have the added complication of a femur and knee joint prosthesis [...]
Just back from an amazing three week break in Lanzarote in May. The first week was with my painting buddies, Michelle and Joyce and we managed to get the pochade boxes out for a few plein air sessions and the sketch books were always in the beach bags. Lanzarote has a lot to offer artists with its unusual landscape. Volcanic mountains in amazing violets, blues [...]
The next term of art classes will commence on Monday 2nd and Wednesday 4th September 2019 and will run for 8 weeks, costing €140. The classes are held in the Loft Room in Skerries Mills, County Dublin, Ireland, on Monday or Wednesday morning 10.30 am to 12.30 am. The course covers painting in oils and acrylics and everyone brings their own paints etc. In all the classes, [...]
New Dates Confirmed. Painting In Oils With A Palette Knife Autumn Dates Saturday 7th September 2019 – flowers in oils Sunday 8th September 2019 – seascapes in oils Saturday 28th September 2019 – meadows in oils Sunday 29th September 2019 – seascapes in oils I has over 15 years experience giving workshops and teaching. I love to pass on my knowledge of painting. Passionate about teaching, [...]
PLEIN AIR HOLIDAY IN HOLLAND Deep in concentration on the beautiful sandy beach of Katwijk ann Zee Last year I took a Masterclass in Holland with Dutch Painter Roos Schuring. The plan was to study and paint rain clouds and stormy skies, but as you can see there wasn't a cloud in the sky. But no one was complaining! Four days of fabulous [...]
Up early to get the last minute touches on our float. After a wet start, things improved and we managed to add the final touches. Then down to the south strand to join the other floats. Some fantastic ideas displayed. Everyone waiting for the judges decision with baited breath. We were thrilled when we were handed the first prize for best float. [...]
SUNDAY 19TH MARCH @ SKERRIES MILLS ARTISAN COURTYARD A huge thank you to all the lovely people that come to our event today. Plus a very big THANKS to Homebrew, we loved having you with us! The best tunes! So we have a FABULOUS hamper that we'd LOVE you to win! It's filled with lovely goodies & gifts from Karen Wilson Wayland's Forge Silversmiths and Jewellery [...]
St. Patrick's Day Parage Working on the Skerries Mills Artisan Courtyard float for the St. Patricks Day Parage today. My contribution is a giant palette and brush. Great fun to work on something completely different. Of course no self respecting artist would be without a giant paint brush!
Delighted to be exhibiting at this years Chelsea Contemporary Art Fair on 27th to 30th April with The New World Gallery in Falmouth, Cornwall. Poppy Meadow 80x80cm oil on canvas There will be a selection of work on exhibit, including this poppy meadow. Very excited about the opportunity to exhibit in Chelsea. Thank you New World Gallery, Falmouth.
