Driving the R253

In exploring the roads of northwest Ireland, one of our favorite drives became the R253 road which ran between the towns of Glenties and Ballybofey in Donegal County. An “R” indicates a secondary road – it is usually lined on both sides by thick stone walls, doesn’t have the yellow-broken lines on the edges of the road nor the white line separating the lanes. Although it was only about 24 kilometers long, for us the R253 contained some of the most incredible scenery. Around every turn, we seemed to see something new – an ancient ruin, a fast-rushing peat-brown river, a beautiful lough (lake), a grazing herd of animals, or a picturesque stone cottage situated high on one of hillsides. 

This week’s painting, Heading Home, 9” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reflects one of those spontaneous scenes. We came around a tight “bend” in this road to face this amazing view – a farmer/shepherd along with his two faithful dogs leisurely driving a small flock of sheep up to the family farmstead on a rainy afternoon. We were happy to just wait quietly and enjoy this one-in-a-lifetime view until the “parade” made it safely to the barn. 

See more art in the Gallery on my website at www.wildriverarts.com

Donegal Town!

When we first drove into the town of Donegal – it’s also the most northern county of Ireland – Paul immediately recognized it! It’s an iconic town – laid out in a grid called The Diamond – and centered around the still-standing, ancient castle of one of the legends of Ireland, Hugh “Red” O’Donnell and his queen Nuala and his 15^th century kingdom. This week’s painting is from the core of the town, the Donegal Bridge, 7” x 10”, and at 500 years old, it is still a vital, integral part of the town landscape.

On to the sea!

The Wild Atlantic Way is a scenic route that takes you to some of the most spectacular scenes along the western coast of Ireland. This week’s painting is from an area that we tried to see several times. The problem is that the only access to the majestic Slieve League Cliffs is via narrow, winding roads that hug the mountainsides and offer sweeping views not only of the Atlantic Ocean but also of terrifying heights off the edge of the road – usually marked with random rows of small boulders! This week’s painting, Carrick Coast, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reflects an incredible view across fall-colored hills with a field of sheep (of course!) and on down to the sea.

And the sheep are . . . everywhere!

It was such fun to be back on the Irish roads – it is such an overwhelming and dynamic experience! And I’m not even in the driver’s seat! Paul is such a great adventurer, and I’m grateful that he continues to take on the challenge of navigating the narrow roads on the wrong side of the road, on the right side of the car, and expertly operating a manual shift with his left hand! I’m happy to ride in the passenger seat, obeying the signs to “mind the sheep and goats,” reading the map and signposts, sorting us through roundabouts, and on to the country lanes to the next historic site, ancient ruin, or beautiful beach! In this week’s painting, The Glenties Gang, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, I was striving to capture the attitude of the Donegal sheep. These sheep are fiercely independent and run seemingly wild in fields along the road, up the hillsides, on golf courses, beaches, and cemeteries, or saunter down the main streets of villages. What a treat to see!

Ireland – here we come!

We recently returned from two wonderful weeks in Ireland! We rented homes in the northwest – one on a beautiful working farm near Ballyshannon in Donegal County; and the second one, a lovely home on Achill Island in Mayo County. Even though they were in the same section of the country, the landscape at both places was incredibly unique and spectacular. And we so enjoyed the pace of exploring the countryside during the day, developing some of Paul’s amazing photographs late in the afternoon, and then heading back to our house for supper and an evening of painting. Call it inspiration, but I was able to carry four finished paintings back in our suitcase! The first in the series is titled Gleann Colm Cille Church, is 8” x 12” and reflects a centuries-old church set in the foothills of the Slieve League region of the Wild Atlantic Way. This area is designated as Gaelic-speaking region - it’s a challenge to read all the road signs in this beautiful language, but the scenery is breathtaking.

Getting ready for Ireland

A few weeks ago, I received permission from Mary Scully Whitaker to paint her husband, Larry’s, family farm in Ireland. Larry’s family has lived on this farm for four generations and his mom, now celebrating her 101^st birthday, still lives there. This week’s painting was a joy to paint! It’s titled McDevitt Farm, Fintown, Ireland, and is 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper.

Nacarat reflection

With the woods arrayed in the full spectrum of fall colors, it is such a treat to be outdoors and enjoy the cooler temps. This past weekend, I traveled with long-time girlfriends to the Bayfield Apple Fest. It’s always a wonderful experience to drive north and the Bayfield/Washburn area is especially beautiful – spectacular views of Lake Superior, overflowing baskets of blooming flowers on every light pole, yummy apple treats, friendly folks and eclectic art.  In spite of the rain, it was the perfect combination to make it an outstanding trip!

This week’s painting, Nova Scotia Waters, is 6” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, and this offshore scene seems to reflect the colors of this special season. I love the bright-orange boat moored in the harbor – in an old-language dictionary, one of the terms for this intense shade of color is “nacarat.” That seems like an excellent identifier for it!