Harvest Sky

The little painting below is only small, 4x6 ins, but I think it still works. Travelling back from a trip to Dublin one time, I noticed this beautiful sky over wheat fields, here in the South east. The sky and the clouds were the interest for me here, keeping the foreground detail to a minimum. I used a palette knife mostly over brushwork, to get the texture and blending I wanted.

Blackstairs range study 3

The last in a series of studies of the Blackstairs range of mountains here in the south east of Ireland. Again it's acrylic on paper, 10x14 ins. I have trouble with acrylic, in that I never get used to the colour shifts between wet and dry.... I know there are open acrylics available now as well, where it's claimed, there is little or no colour shifts. I struggle with the medium, I have to admit. I would love to master it, as it would suit many of my ideas,  impasto, texture and pure colour. I get so frustrated with it, so easily.

Blackstairs mountain towards the White mountain, Ireland.

A second acrylic study on paper. This view was a preparation for a painting in oil. It's an area on top of one of the Blackstairs peaks, near an ancient stone called the Rathgeran stone. A couple of  years ago, I trekked up,the mountains to search for views and landscapes. It was tough, but it was one of those challenges that I had set myself to do. It was exhausting, but wonderful. This is a view, 10x14 ins, looking south, with New Ross and Tramore and Waterford visible 30 and 40 miles away. The sun just catching some peaks and adding some light to the landscape.

Landscape towards Graignamanagh. County Kilkenny.

 This a brooding landscape of the hills that surround an ancient town, Graignmanagh, in Kilkenny county. The hills are landmarks, that can be seen for miles and miles, from at least three counties. The sun just lit up the autumn fields for a few minutes, and the contrast with the dark clouds, was truly dramatic. The painting is acrylic on paper, 10x14 ins, painted a few years ago as a study.

Girl with a towel on her head

Watercolour 4.5 x 4 ins. The painting today is a very small watercolour, of a young lady, protecting her head from the intense sun, but still getting her tan.

Study of two young women with beach towels

        I posted this painting on Facebook yesterday. It's a study of two young women preparing to enjoy the beach. The spot has been selected, now it's just getting that towel in place. In a future painting of this subject, I will adjust the composition,  I think, more foreground? It serves as a study for the moment, oil on board 6x8 ins

                                     

Kitten in a box

I posted some more paintings to.     http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-joseph-mahon.html      in my efforts to sell prints or cards online. I look around to see what sells. One has to become commercial, or at least compete, I guess?  Anyway, the little painting below is one such painting, completed years ago. The fact is, there are thousands of  artists online and on the site above, so one can only keep going, in the hope of a break through in the art business.  Watercolour on paper, only 4.4x4 ins. It was one of  four kittens, she went to a good home, I am glad to say.

                                     

Brisk walk on the beach

A study oil on board of two women having a brisk walk on a beach. The first image is before I darkened the painting, as the figures were backlit.

This is the finished study, oil on board 8x6 ins.

Three farmers.

I am still having trouble with uploading  from iPhoto.  It's so annoying, one day it was fine, then crash. My apologies for going on about it. Hopefully, it will be resolved. The image posted, is a painting of three farmers enjoying a cup of tea, just outside a cattle market in the west of Ireland, from two years ago. Oil on linen board 6x8 ins.

My sketchbook.

My iPad is not working properly, since I updated it with ios8, the latest Apple update. The iPhoto or Google plus photos do not upload. I hope that Apple fix the bugs in the coming days. I had intended to post a finished oil painting, but alas it's not possible. So instead, here is a page from one of my sketch books, people on holiday 2009. 

I am contemplating doing some paintings in acrylic after I get through my current oil painting phase? The funny thing is, the very first set of paints I was given as a gift, was a set of acrylic paint, a good few years ago now. 

Coffee time. London SW1

A study in oil, of a couple having a coffee, or other refreshment in the strong evening light, London SW1. I hope to do a better painting of this, as I was  fascinated by  the wonderful light coming from the left and lighting up the scene, almost theatrical, it was quite dramatic. Oil on board 6x8 ins.

Tomatoes in a bowl 2

More colour, another  version of tomatoes in a bowl, 5x7 ins. Oil on board. I think I might do more still life paintings, as they are enjoyable to do, and are not moving, when I am trying to paint them lol. I put a little bit more of work  into this one.. I notice that still life paintings seem to sell very well on the Daily Paint Works site. I will see how it goes, I guess. It's very relaxing, I think it's the simplicity.

Tomatoes in a bowl.

I do not do many still life paintings, but these wonderful red tomatoes were just calling to me, to be painted. I just painted them them in one go, no fuss or detail. I just wanted to capture the essence of the composition and the simplicity of  the tomatoes in the bowl, efffectively, tones of red. I am going to leave it at that I think. Oil on board 5x7 ins

Pencil study, people walking to Victoria coach station

Another pencil on paper study, of people walking to Victoria coach station, dragging luggage...

Pencil sketch Victoria station.

A lovely autumn day today, and I went out to pick some blackberries with my wife. She loves them for breakfast, as does my daughter. The great thing is, they can be frozen and eaten over the winter months, so that summer/autumn can last that bit longer.  In between my current struggles in oil painting, I have been toying with compositions from my London trip. This one is from Victoria station. Pencil on paper. 

Watercolour study three men on a beach.

The wonderful weather we are getting, is continuing, absolutely beautiful sunshine here in the sunny south east. Last year I went to Portugal around this time, but I do believe the weather there, is not so good at the minute. The study today, is of three men contemplating a swim or just hanging out, watercolour on cartridge paper.... I often do studies like these, with the  idea of doing painting,  in oil or watercolour,  for the sheer challenge and enjoyment of painting, but frequently they remain as that, as I get involved with other things to paint and draw.

Three old women

I was looking at TV one day and there was a programme of old footage of events in Ireland many years ago. I just happened to see these three old ladies, and with live pause and all on TV these days,  I was able to make a sketch. I love painting characters and use whatever source I can. Oil on linen board 6x8 ins.

Sandymount strand Dublin 4

I am struggling with oil painting at the moment,  I completed some works over the last few weeks, only to scrape them down to the board and start over.  I was thinking of just returning to watercolours and putting the oil painting on hold?  It's a sort of block, I guess. I will persist for the moment. The painting today is an oil from a few years ago, full of texture and colour. It's a popular strand in south Dublin 4, called Sandymount.  Man and his dog on Sandymount strand, 6x8 ins oil on linen board.

Enjoying a paddle on the beach

A mom looking after her son in the water on the beach. This is one of my recent paintings, following my return to oil painting. I kept the paint fluid, diluted with medium and finished it in one session. I am pleased enough with it, and I will leave if at that, no temptation to alter or add to it. That is that. Oil on board, 8x6 ins.

As an aside, I updated my Google+ profile, but I just cannot work out how to get a background, photo behind my profile photo?

What a great win for Marin Cilic at the tennis US open, and hard luck to Kei Nishikori. It's great to see somebody new win the slam, not that I do not like the top players. We are having very pleasant weather in the sunny south east, at the moment, sunshine would you believe. I spent most of yesterday evening posting some paintings on www.fineartamerica.com,  with the intention of selling posters or cards, etc. if you are not in, you can't win, as they say. It's all a learning curve for me, this is my link, if anyone is interested in browsing. Thanks Joe.

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-joseph-mahon.html?tab=default

Here is one of the images posted, two women walking on the beach. Oil on linen board. 

Algarve beach study

My painting today, is based on a previous visit to the Algarve. It's a study of a quiet little beach, frequented by mostly Portuguese people and few tourists. The sun was about to go down and the shadows were becoming long, but people still hung on to get the last bit of sun. It's oil on board, 6x8 ins, painted quickly and in a fluid like fashion, with the figures just indicated loosely. 

Woman walking her dog in Lambeth SE1

I am trying to get back into the painting mode after my London trip. I just watched the all Ireland hurling final Kilkenny vs Tipperary. What a fantastic match, ending in a draw, with a replay in about three weeks. Below is a sketch of a woman with her small dog, pencil and ballpoint biro on paper.

Blackfriars road. SE1

Another sketch, Blackfriars road London. Just doing some sketches at the moment, to work out some compositions and see if they work. The great thing about rough sketches is that, enough information can be gathered quickly. One can see if the scene works or not, and adjustments can be factored in later, if a painting is made from the sketch.

Young woman sleeping

A very quick sketch of a young woman sleeping at Victoria station London, waiting for a train or some other transport. I went for a walk up  Blackfriars road, and in the space of 30 metres I saw two men pouring concrete at a construction site, lit up by the sun, people walking on the street, and a full fire brigade unit, with ladders etc. rescuing some person or persons from an apartment building. Nobody bats an eyelid.

My London visit

I have been missing my painting whilst here in the UK. London is absolutely hectic. I remember the days when I went all over Central London and beyond.  The weather was great and the crowds were out.....summer not quite over.

The Imperial War Museum, well worth a visit. There are several galleries there of art from artists such as John Nash,  William Orpen,  John Lavery and many more. Wonderful and so sad to see war depicted in art.

                                                   Victoria station...so busy and crowded

                The London eye, pictured from a cab.... I never muss an opportunity to take a photo.

London trip

I am here in the UK at the moment. I spent the day in London, my first time back here I n 15 years. The peoples  faces and all the colour....fantastic. Buzzing. Absolutely worn out now, but I got loads of inspiration for future paintings. I did not get the opportunity to shop for art materials, the budget did not stretch that far alas.

Work in progress, a woman hanging out laundry. I am almost tempted to keep it like this, as in, watercolour wash like, even though it's oil paint. No doubt, I will be tempted to dabble with it when I return to finish it, and it may look different. We will see. So far it's oil paint, thinned with medium, on gesso board. 6x8ins.

                                           

     

I started off with the idea to paint 4 old ladies walking on the beach. The idea being, to keep it loose and as fluid as possible. Who am I kidding.

                                                    Third stage...

                                                    At this stage, I am not happy at all, as the
                                                    painting has become dull and muted. So
                                                    drastic action was needed.

I removed one figure and reached for the palette knife in desperation, to create texture and colour. Boy do I make things complicated. What I start out with, I do not always end up with. That is art I guess. I struggle with oil paint, it's a real challenge for me. Three ladies walking on a beach, oil on board 6x8 ins.