The Bouquet

The Bouquet - oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

Tube, Brass and Glass

Tube, Brass and Glass - oil/panel - 24"x18" - sold

The whole challenge with this piece was in the act of describing the different consistencies of an old paint tube, brass and glass on the same large panel.
I worked in a Chiaroscuro manner controlling the light in my painting to explode at my centre of interest - the paint tube.
In starting I worked on my canvas in near total darkness which helped me to concentrate specifically on the tonal qualities I wanted to achieve in the painting.
I remember vividly describing the glass bottle in the background by pulling and pushing the paint around with only my fingers.

Hope you like this piece.
-Richard

Detail Below

(Detail) Tube, Glass and Brass - o/p - 24"x18"

Sunday Scones

Sunday Scones - oil/panel - 6"x6" - sold

Red Rose and Wild Flowers

sold

Red Rose and Wild Flower Arrangement -oil/panel - 12"x9"

"Each flower is a soul blossoming out to nature". - Gerard de Nerval

Red Pepper

sold

Red Pepper - oil/panel - 7"x5"

Delft Bowl with Red Apple

Delft Bowl with Red Apple - oil/panel - 6"x6" - sold

Pre - Dawn

Pre - Dawn, Cill Rialaig, Co .Kerry - oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

Collection of The Cill Rialaig Arts Project.

New Sunrise

New Sunrise -oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

Within a Lover's Reach

sold

Within a Lover's Reach -oil/panel - 7"x5"

The observational analytic pieces I create are a real means to an end. I have found the disciplined process of working this way for the last year and a half to be extremely beneficial to me as regards 'seeing' and my application of paint in descriptive passages.
Capturing the essence of things for example - a recent painting of various wild flowers and roses is imbued with the sense of 'each individual flower'. There 'essence' is captured.

My vision was formed over the years largely by working alone, living on small islands off the coast of Cambodia. From the age of nineteen I have continued to work relentlessly on my motif.
As a child I drew hooded figures - when I travelled to Asia the hoods came down and a more transcendent figure emerged.
Even in my quite’ island paintings’ I feel the figure present - perhaps we are seeing through his eyes. Often there are sticks or stakes which break the linear horizontal plane and shoot upward vertically.To me these represent humanity, spirit and human endeavour.

As the days brightened up during my stay in residency at Cill Rialaig I began seeing the motifs closest to my heart emerging - an island just like the islands I had gazed upon day after day in south east Asia.
I couldn't believe I had found islands in Ireland that made me yearn in the same way.

- Richard

Shoes and Socks

Shoes and Socks - oil/panel - 5"x5" - nfs

Near the haystacks I sat down on a rug and basked in the warmth of the sun. When I re-opened my eyes the subject for my next painting was right there in front of me - My shoes and socks as I'd left them, in glorious light and shade.

Haystacks at Sunrise, Cill Rialaig

Haystacks at Sunrise, Cill Rialaig, Co Kerry - oil/panel - 5"x5" - sold

Old Shed, Cill Rialaig

Old Shed, Cill Rialaig - oil/panel - 5"x 5"

Luminous falling shadows crept all around the old famine village of Cill Rialaig.
The days were bright and warm - I walked from place to place - a lu'minarist - with my palette in hand - creating studies - 'in the open air'.

Through the Turf Shed

Through the Turf Shed - oil/panel - 5"x5" - sold

I stooped down to peer in through this old stone built pre-famine turf shed sitting above the Atlantic on cliffs near Bolas Head.

The contrasting light gleaming through from the reflective sea captured and excited me.

I felt in those moments while observing and painting I had found 'a very private beauty'.

Hay Stacks among Ruins

Hay Stacks among Ruins, Cill Rialaig, Co Kerry - oil/panel - 12"x9"

Sunrise

Sunrise, Cill Rialaig, Co Kerry -oil/panel - 12"x9"

“I don't want anybody to stand between the individual and existence. No prayer, no priest - you alone are enough to face the sunrise.” - Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

Near Derrynane, Co. Kerry

Near Derrynane, Co Kerry - oil/panel - 17"x16"

A drive along the Kerry Ring towards Derrynane inspired this piece.

Beautiful colours and breaking light - all nature lush and radiant after the rain.