Playing with Bondaweb and stitch. I do l ove seaweed.   It's been a while. I have been settling in and enjoying not traveling about too much. I have been exploring my local area, and enjoying all the colours, textures and patterns.  It is almost 2 years since I moved to my little slice of paradise on the Loop Head peninsula. It is continuing to be a challenge to support myself out here, but plans are in place to help with that. It takes time to discover what works out here. . and what doesn't!!  Seaweed in one of the rock pools in Ross Bay.  Seaweed and crab shell on Glasheen beach. I am thoroughly enjoying drawing and stitching seaweed and am now seriously into my dry stone wall series of work.  Getting out and about in this area I keep finding new places to excite - there is an alpaca farm not far from me that spins and dyes the fleece. They are all very well looked after and are fast becoming a great attraction. ...

One of Denise's prints I taught the August session of Look. Draw. Stitch. this weekend. Three lovely students, we had a great time and what fabulous work they produced. I have had to really sort through all the images I took. It has been difficult to choose. I run the Look. Draw. Stitch. weekends from January to November. So far this year we have ranged from one student to four. Next year when I move into the studio I hope to have six every month. Anyone can come - whether you have worked with me before - or not. Most students just come once, others come a couple of times a year. This weekend we had Susan from Australia. Denise from New Zealand and Rosie from West Clare! Usually students are from the UK or Ireland but these 2 antipodean ladies planned my workshop into their holiday in Ireland - good forward planning.  We started the weekend with a bit of drawing, nothing too terrifying. I have plenty of interesting things to draw inside and outside the house. We are ne...

My original 'Capstones' created in 1999. 5 foot wide. Hello! Remember me?  It's nearly 2 months since I posted on here, apologies. Life has been a bit up and down and to be very honest, I haven't really felt like writing.  I am back up to speed now. I have had 2 dear friends staying with me from New Zealand. They have helped me finally get all my kit sorted. They have been such stars, coming here for a long holiday and ending up clearing out all my STUFF!!!  I am surrounded by these remarkable feats of human endeavour. Inspiration is all around here in West Clare and I have been taking photos of the particularly wonderful dry stone walls to be found in this part of Ireland since I arrived here. I have now started on a new body of work. As always I am going take a little artistic license, I have enjoyed making the first 2 in the series. These are 3 feet across. Dry Stone Walls I and II As you can see I going right back the very be...