Stone Wall, Country Road

Stone Wall, Country Road - oil on canvas - 40"x30"

More than two years in the making, I remember beginning this large canvas piece after a walk on the green road in the Burren, Co. Clare.

I continued to work on this piece during my second residency at the Cill Rialaig Project in Co. Kerry and was in fact filmed by the RTE nationwide crew putting some definition to the stone wall in the short documentary of January 2010.

Since arriving back in Dublin a couple of weeks ago I again decided to put this large piece back up on my easel and see could I work to bring the painting to some sort of a conclusion.

Last Wednesday I had the chance to catch the end of a talk given by Charles Tyrrell at the R.H.A. He mentioned a very real thing that happens to a painter in the way that even though you are creating a piece, the painting ultimately has a life of its own, and that in some ways you are just there to help it into being!

I have found this idea to be very true indeed - The painting really does communicate with you (in a sort of silent dialogue) and when it is finished you just have to get out of the way. If there is any doubt - you know you must continue with the piece even if that means putting it aside 'to breath' for some time and returning to it later to see what it might communicate to you. Charles was made a member of Aosdána in 1982 and has had a retrospective of his work held in the R.H.A. Gallery in acknowledging the journey his work has taken. Currently there are a selection of his works from a new series at the Academy.

Might post an image tomorrow of the 'under painting' early on during this pieces evolution for you to see. I am really happy with the way this painting has turned out, from its bold composition, to its feeling of place, depth, space and light - Hope you like it.

- Richard
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