Dahlia

Dahila - Composition in Green and White - oil/panel - 12"x9"

Just returned to Dublin yesterday evening after my first residency in the Cill Rialaig artist retreat in Ballinskeilligs, South West Co.Kerry.
I really can't begin to fathom the whole experience of Cill Rialaig - the feeling of being perched above the Atlantic Ocean on the edge of cliffs on Bolus Head in such a rural place - It was just magical.
I am sure now that being by the sea acts as is real comfort and driving force in my work.
Ballyvaughan was fabulous, but this place, words can't describe.
Hopefully my paintings made there will give you a greater insight into the inspiration I felt living and working from my ( c1790 ) cottage studio.

This painting marks the last image I created before ending my residency in the Burren on September 5th. Looking back at this piece I admire the way I handled the paint, from the subtle shifts in tone across the picture surface, and the blending and harmonious colour changes.
All this I feel gives the painting a real unifying aura.

Several paintings created during my time spent in the Burren have yet to be posted on the blog here, and now that I am finished my stay in Cill Rialaig I hope to quickly catch up with myself (which always seems to be an impossibility) as regards posting images of works made.

Inspired and productive as I was in the Burren I regularly averaged four paintings a day in Cill Rialaig along with sketches and studies! Looking forward to getting them up here on my blog for you to view.

-Richard