The Suger Bowl

The Suger Bowl, (tribute to Chardin and Kreutz) - oil on canvas - 12"x10" - sold

Wanted to share with you my process in creating some of my Classical Style Still Life Paintings.

As you can see below there is little or no drawing involved in the initial stages of the composition. Rather then drawing outlines etc I firstly get a feeling of how I want the painting to read, what kind of light, space and atmosphere I want to create. Then I 'mass' in the objects in a really loose gestural way. They appear to me out of a series of marks which then become more and more defined by means of directional strokes of the brush, how I deal with various 'edges', colour notes and temperature changes within there form.

For Purchasing information please contact me at info@richardhearns.com

'The Suger Bowl' - in process. Click on the image to enlarge.

The Red Shed Door

The Red Shed Door - oil on canvas - 18"x15"- sold

Private Collection, London.

Painted in a naturalistic and fluid manner the piece contains beautiful textures and colour notes. It embodies all the things I strive for in a landscape piece - the right balance of light and dark contrasts, colour against none colour, a strong focal point and a feeling of strength and dynamism in each brush stroke.

For purchase information, please email info@richardhearns.com

Cottage Interior with Chair

Cottage Interior with Chair - oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

The Cottage Window

The Cottage Window - oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

New large scale Works by Richard Hearns

Light in the Valley, Leenaun, 2011 - oil on canvas - 24"x24" - Available for Purchase.

Just started to upload images of my New large scale paintings created here at my current studio residency in Co. Mayo.

This piece materialized after a magical journey through the valley which leads to Leenaun village, situated on the northern edge of Conamara.

Please follow this link to my official website to view some of my most recent large scale finished landscapes http://www.richardhearns.com/?page_id=22

For further information on any of my Art Works please contact me at info@richardhearns.com , through facebook or call me directly at + 353 (0)86 216 1135

Many Thanks - Richard

Angel of the Bog

Angel of the Bog -oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

This piece was created out among the bog land of Achill island in an area near Shraheens.

The earthy colours that surrounded me were all encompassing. Then I spotted this lone windswept tree - an angel of the bog.

'The angel of the bog mourns in the wind
that loiters all over these black meadows.
Remembers how it chose branches to strum
From the orchestra of trees that stood here;
How at twilight a chorus of birds came
To silence in nest of darkening air.

Raindrops filter through leaves, silver the air,
Wash off the film of dust to release nets
Of fragrance on which the wind can sweeten
Before expiring among debris
That brightens each year with fallen colour
Before the weight of winter seals the ground.

The dark eyes of the angel of the bog
never opn now when dawn comes to dress
The famished grass with splendid veils of red,
Amber, white, as if its soul wrere urgent
And young with possibilites and dreams
That a vanished life might become visible'.

From 'The Angel of the Bog' by John O' Donohue

Storm Clouds over New Quay

Storm Clouds over New Quay - oil/panel - 12"x9" - sold

'I want to watch watching arrive. I want to watch arrivances'.
- Helene Cixous

On Keel Beach, Achill Island

On Keel Beach, Achill Island - oil/panel - 12"x9"

There are numerous ways in which I start and work through the process of creating a painting.
This process below is in fact a quite structured but organic way of creating a painting outdoors. After composing the painting in my minds eye I take a deep breath and with my brush at the ready begin to translate and distill the atmosphere of the surrounding landscape as best I can.

Limited myself to 45mins for this piece. Working this way I believe creates something totally unique as nothing is laboured over. In fact it all happens so quick that I hardly know what took place and am just left with this wonderfully fresh creation.

My main hope is that a strong sense of the essence of the place is transmuted to the board and captured forever.

- Richard

Achill Cottage Sketch

Achill Cottage Sketch - oil/panel - 7"x5"

A quick 15minute sketch in oil to capture the fleeting light and sky over Achill Island.
Simple shapes and singular gestural brush strokes combine here to give the painting its atmosphere. I love the 'lushness' of the brushstroke that describes the light hitting the front of the cottage.

- Richard

On Achill

On Achill - oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

Since my arrival in Mayo I have been taking regular trips to paint on Achill Island. As many of you know the Ulster born Artist Paul Henry spent many years on Achill painting the landscape and people of the island as did the faboulas American Artist Robert Henri.

The sketch above is a quick piece I composed on the island last week standing across from the majestic 'Minaun Cliffs'. You can view the process for this sketch below.

Dying to post the rest of my more recent sketches in oil for you to see so that I can then get to show you the large studio pieces that I have completed.

-Richard

Farm Sketch near Leenaun

Farm Sketch near Leenaun - oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

Over Clew Bay

Over Clew Bay - oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

A drainless shower of light is poesy; 'tis the supreme of power; 'tis might half slumb'ring on its own right arm. - John Keats

An overcast and sleepy vista from my studio window - one eye open!

On the Road

On the Road towards Leenaun - oil/panel - 7"x5" - sold

Created this sketch in oils a few days ago on the road to Leenaun.

Its a magical journey, surrounded by earthy colours of bog land and fields, down to the fjord at Killary and onto the ancient forests close to Maam.

- Richard

Connamara

Conamara - 0il/panel - 7"x5" - sold

Of this shy, Conamara day.

The saxophone catches onto

Some riff of murmur,

Deep beneath the roots of the mountains,

Where granite relents, giving way

In tears, to the blanket poultice of the bog.

from Black music in Conamara by John O'Donohue

Composed this gestural and fluid landscape in the heart land of Conamara, on the road towards Clifden (An Clochán)

- Richard