A fabulous contrast between light and dark       The clocks have changed - it is getting darker earlier. It's the time of year when  you want to start snuggling in, getting cosy. There is a definitely nip in the air. Time to get out the thick jumpers. The light is changing, getting more dramatic as the days are getting shorter. Because we have so much rain in Ireland, and of course on Loop Head where I live, we have the most wonderful displays of light and colour. The day can be dark with glowering grey clouds, then the clouds part and a shaft of sunlight hits the green fields, Wow!! I love it. 'The Last One' - Mixed media and collage This is one of my latest canvases interpreting the local cows ambling up the low incline on the way to milking. It is one of my favourite sights. I find the rhythm of rural life here very comforting. Another great sky And my interpretation in painted fusible web and newspaper The huge skies and ever changing light will be inspiring me forever

Torn newspaper layered with painted Bondaweb, decorated with gilding flake and transfer foil.   Well that's it!! There is no going back now . . I have just bought a Zoom licence. My first live Zoom Workshop is on Saturday, February 27th. I have been on the other side of many Zoom meetings, now I will be hosting my own. I am really looking forward to hosting.  I am offering 3 of my favourite workshops first, then I will be adding newly developed workshops from the end of May. The one day workshops run from 10am - 4pm. The first item on all my materials list will be cake! Cake, in any form, will be an important part of my workshops. Cake will be compulsory I am missing faces, happy faces, concentrating faces, 'I don't get it' faces and cheeky faces. Live Zoom workshops are the closest way for me to get to working with students. If we can't actually be together, at least we can see each other in real time. The workshops will consist of a one day workshop and then a 2 h

The view across my field today  Happy New Year!!  All is calm on Loop Head today. The light is bright and golden and it is almost warm in the sun. We have just weathered Storm Bella - for 4 days!! That was a big one. With some amazing waves. But not as big as some of the waves we saw at the end of October - my goodness they were huge, as you can see from this image. Massive waves at the Kilkee Cliffs on the 28th October 2020. This is a short film I made of the waves. Wave Watching at Kilkee Cliffs  ***   It feels we have a lot to catch up on - but not much has happened. Time has certainly passed . . Who would have thought, this time last year, that we would be in turns afraid, angry, scared and just inert, with the feelings that Covid 19 and all the restrictions brought with them. I hope 2021 is finding you reasonably positive and healthy. With the prospect of the vaccine looming, there appears to be hope for us all. Do we have the energy for it? I don't know about you, but I have

 Sunset at Ross, one of my new pieces.  Hello - it's been a while. Isn't life strange at the moment? I certainly chose the right place to live during isolation. Who knew? I don't know about you, but I have swung between total inertia and great creative activity. I'm still not back into any kind of working rhythm.  Here in Ireland we are still in Phase 3 of the Covid 19 recovery. Restaurants but not pubs can open and all non essential international travel is discouraged. Anyone entering the country needs to quarantine for 14 days. It is a bit like living in a parallel universe. Does it feel the same for you? The world has suffered dreadfully, some countries more than others. I don't need to highlight this as we are all very aware of the sadness and terror this pandemic has created. But being aware doesn't make it any less terrible. During this time, a lot of us have discovered just what we don't actually need in our lives. While these things are

 Nicki Heenan painting in my field overlooking Fodra and Ross bays.  It has taken a while to settle into my new home and area. I have been very happy so far, but have been struggling to find a purpose for my being here. Whilst it is wonderful to live in an area of such outstanding beauty with incredible views, I have had a growing feeling that I need to share it.  Having an Open Studio every few weeks and doing AirBnb helps . .  but!    My house and studio.  I met Nicki Heenan last year when she was doing a residency in the Burren. We had been friends on Facebook for a while, but it was so good to actually meet her. Nicki does a residency in Ballinglen, Mayo in Ireland every year as well as exhibiting regularly in Ireland, so I asked if she would like to stay with me for a few days on her way up the coast and throw some ideas around. We both managed to find dates that matched and she arrived this week.  Nicki mixing her paints.  I have always loved Nicki's

   A section across 3 Journey exercises. It's been a while . . Life can sometimes come along and swoop you away! The studio at home in Ireland is almost finished and will be ready to teach in when my courses start.   The back wall of the studio Left hand side . .  View from the door - as you can see, plenty of room for  tables and chairs for teaching my workshops. There has been a slight delay in opening the studio as we had a big storm here last night and I now have a hole in the roof!! That should be sorted this week. I am very excited to have somewhere to create larger work. I have 2 local exhibitions coming up and would like to make something new and exciting. *** A new online workshop.  My design exercise The Journey has been the most popular workshop I have taught and it is now available online. I have been asked so often to offer it online for those of you who cant get to a workshop with me. It was part of a longer course that I a