Nora Dunne Gallery Update

I went on the website of Ben Dunnes Gallery yesterday. I sent several paintings into the gallery earlier in the year, but now the gallery is closing as a gallery!! So I have been watching changes in the gallery operation for the past month or so. Originally the gallery space was to show art, but now it is becoming an auction house. This is not a bad thing and they could become very successful -- depending on how much Ben Dunne can drive the project. I am interested to see that they are uploading all entries to the gallery auctions on the website of an associate from Belfast Gormleys Fine Art. Gormleys appear to be a well organised operation and their site for auctions (Irish Art Sales ) allows viewing and bidding on the auction works in the days preceding the auction.
The above is an example of ideas I have been looking at for my next painting. This is a harbour in New Zealand taken from the reference image library on Wet Canvas. I went down to Howth Harbour on Saturday last and took around fifty photos of the boats. It was a dull overcast day and I would have preferred it to be brighter but sometimes that can add to the atmosphere of the images. Anyway I have two ideas to work on -- so will show them as they are progressed over the next while.

Finished Painting - "Lazy Afternoon"

Here is my finished painting of what I am calling "Lazy Afternoon". I took this photo in less than ideal conditions so colours are slightly off the reality but not too much. Since then I tweaked a few things but barely noticeable and because it was dark out I didn't take another photo. I just added tiny shadows on and under the decking and a few highlights on the tree on the left. I consider this painting as having worked out reasonably well but I have done better, and fellow artists will know what I mean when I say it was one where you just have to keep plugging away. Sometimes paintings are really enjoyable to do, and others are a chore. This was in-between but nearer to a chore. I am pleased with one thing though and that's that I am getting quicker. The size of this is 20" x 16" on canvas. I finished it over the course of 12 days. That's quick for me as I find it difficult to paint in long stretches - but that seems to be improving too. Sometimes it depends on the actual painting a lot too!

Tomorrow I may drive out to Howth to take some photos of the Marina. I want to paint some more scenes with items related to people in them, such as boats. I have noticed that the most popular selling paintings and the ones that all the auctioneer houses want are paintings involving people, things they use, make or are associated with such as boats, buildings etc. and scenes of local places. So far that seems to be what people are buying from my recent look at the market. Of course I could be wrong, but I am willing to explore the market for such paintings. Hence my last two paintings have had people in them.

Anyone enjoy that last posts poem?

10000 visitors since June last year...Sep 3rd

The blog has just hit the 10,000 mark!


Photos of current work are thrown in here amid the celebration!! (top photo was manipulated to contrast it a little as it was taken in sunlight and came out pale, but now is a little darker than my painting - other photo is lighter than the painting, reality is somewhere in between).

And here's a return to poetry corner to celebrate.

I sit beside the fire and dream of all that I have seen,
of meadow flowers and butterflies in summers that have been.
Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silversun and wind upon my hair.

I sit beside the fire and think of how the world will be,
When winter comes without a spring that I shall ever see.
For still there are so many things that I have never seen;
In every wood in every spring there is a different green.

I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago,
And people who will see a world that I shall never know.
But all the while I sit and think of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.

Anyone like to tell me were they think that's from, well
it's easy find out, just google it... a very famous person...
Enjoy!