Two Paintings from "When Jessie Came Across the Sea "

Here are a couple of paintings from "When Jessie Came Across the Sea" by Amy Hest.
These two are also going to be in the Cologne exhibition.

Ignis in Germany

Here are three of my illustrations from Ignis by Gina Wilson, which are among a bunch that are winging their way to Cologne in Germany for an exhibition.
I'll post a few more next week with more info about the show and venue.

A Quick Study of Sarah

It was a nice change to do some quick fire drawing at Brian Gallagher's life session at the United Arts Club last week.
Our model was Sarah, and this is one of my fifteen minute studies from that session.

The New Laureate na nÓg: Niamh Sharkey

I am delighted by the news that my good pal Niamh Sharkey has just been announced as the next Laureate na nÓg. The announcement was made this morning by President Higgins.
It's a great honour for Niamh, and a great responsibility, but she is well up to the task and I know she will be a wonderful Laureate.
Best of luck to you Niamh and many congratulations!

Oisín in Tir na n'Og

These are two pictures from Oisín in Tir na n'Og which is one of the stories in the book of Irish legends that I did with Marie Heaney, The Names Upon The Harp.
Ireland of the Welcomes magazine has featured them in their current issue.


I was really pleased with the look of Oisín as "a feeble blind old man".
Alas, a lot of that lovely detail always gets lost when a piece is reduced in print.

A Half Finished Nude

It has been getting quite turbulent recently at the life session I attend, which is a great shame. The life room should be a friendly sanctuary for concentrated study of a model.
Here is a painting I did of one of our new models, Louise.
She found she couldn't hold the pose so we had to abandon it half way through the afternoon.
I didn't mind too much though as I like the unfinished, sketchy effect in this one.

Molly with a Red Cushion

This is my second painting of Molly.
She has a wonderfully Edwardian look about her, emphasized perhaps by the way she wears her hair.
There was a bit of a dispute in our life room about the inclusion of the red cushion.
Personally I like how that shock of colour works against the coolness of the rest of the composition.