Monday, May 31, 2010

I LOVE CATS

It is a long time since we lost our lovely cat and I miss him so when I see other cats I always go over and "talk" to them.

Today I was down in the recycling centre and noticed in amongst all the bins and noise a tabby cat sitting like a king on top of one of the bins. He looked so serene it amazed me as the building is very noisy with lots of people coming and going. I went over to him and he accepted a pet from me. He was one very laid back cat!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

WINDOW DRESSING

The two paintings below have been displayed in two shop windows in Wicklow Town as part of the Arts Trail for the Wicklow Arts Festival. Taking a stroll around the town it is lovely to see such a large range of pictures on display and all for sale!

I spent a lot of time painting the Asgard and it is something I had not tried before, as they are watercolours I had to make sure that the windows they were displayed in were not directly in the sun. One side of the main street in Wicklow Town never gets the sun (something that not a lot of people know!).

Monday, May 17, 2010

IT'S THE SMALL THINGS .......

Like most people today life for us is a bit of a struggle - no point in going into it - its too boring for anyone to listen to but it is amazing how one little thing can lift your spirits.

All day today a male blackbird has been singing his little heart out to his sweatheart who from the volume of his singing is some way away! It is really lovely to listen to, he is making - I think - about four different notes and starts at the back of the house on the roof of our neighbour and then goes round to the front of our house and sings and jumps up and down in the hedge there. It has really put me in a happy mood and I do hope he gets the bird!

WORK?!

I have been busily painting these last few weeks, something I had not been doing lately as I havn't been feeling great. Now that I have got the bit between my teeth so to speak I am enjoying it and am delighted with the last two pictures I have produced which is unusual for me as I am rarely happy with my efforts.

One picture is for a local arts trail and is a subject I had not attempted before, fingers crossed that someone will like it and the other one is of Poolbeg Power Station in Dublin, a subject I have painted many times. I painted Poolbeg a bit different this time and I like it, it is going into an exhibition in Dublin in July - if I don't sell it in the meantime!!

As I sit here I am surrounded by pictures, some framed and some still waiting to be framed, I am lucky that Geoffrey is good at putting my pictures together as this allows me to paint a picture for an exhibition and have it ready for the next day if needed.

Friday, May 7, 2010

ARACHNOPHOBIA

What! Yes I know - as my sister would say "I had one of those and the wheel fell off!"

The frightened and informed people amongst us would know that the big word above means that some of us are frightened by spiders.

I grew up on a farm and wasnt afraid of any of the animals I had to take care of, no matter how aggressive they were and had been bitten, stamped on and chased by many an animal but silly me I am afraid of spiders.

So picture the scene - I had just washed my hands and picked up the towel to dry them and there was a plopping sound and when I looked down at my feet there was this HUGE SPIDER, I nearly died of fright and there was nearly a Helen shaped hole in the ceiling!