Matilda

Matilda is a Kerry Sheep, one of the many thousands that inhabit the green hillsides above the village of DunnQuin, County Kerry, Ireland. Some say that all sheep are alike and look alike - but I venture to disagree. This here is Matilda, woolly in the extreme and black of features. She crossed my path one afternoon when I was painting other things like scenery, green fields and a vast Irish sky. Simply decided to paint her.

Saw her in a purple haze and a red ground and that's exactly the was she wanted to look too.

It's a small work, only 4" high and 5" across - but I am offering prints through fineartamerica.com ( not sure you can link therough here but that's the entry address, then look for my pages )- because of using a " fine " pixel setting on my camera, you can get Matilda in sizes up to 24" x 30" ---- wow!

The original is not for sale - it is destined to hang in the Kerry house.

Nakahata and the Birch - a legend

The Legend of Nakahata and the Birch

Many years ago. the god Nakahata was on a journey of great length. Along his way lay the Lake Kennisis which was blue to the eye and fresh to the soul and so the god decided to break his tiresome journey and refresh himself in the crystal clear and sparkling lake waters.

But there is one thing the gods cannot do and that is let water touch their eyes. And so Nakahata removed his eyes and gave them into the safe keeping of a stand of majestic birch growing along the shoreline. Warning the birch to take great care of the precious orbs. And having thus admonished and charged the birch, Nakahata betook himself into the cool lake waters.

By and by two bold geese happened by, and seeing the eyes lying there, decided to play a trick on the god and so they took and hid Nakahata's precious eyes deep in the forest Having done this mischief they thus they took wing and cackling with laughter, flew away.

When Nakahata returned sightless he went to the place where his eyes had been - but they were not there - nor would the birch reveal the hiding place, but only laughed at the god anguish. And so for many months Nakahata wandered the forest in vain, crying out is grave despair.

One day two warrior hunters happened by and learning of the cruel trick set off until at last they found Nakahata's eyes hidden deep in a woodland cave. Thus was Nakahata's eyesight restored.

Nakahata then berated the birch for its foolishness and taking his flail, he whipped the trees soundly and swore that from henceforth all birch would bear the marks of the gods anger - which today accounts for the black stripes and marks, the seasonal peeling bark and the surface wounds found on all birch in the forest. And to the foolish geese he issued an eternal order that henceforth they would be banished from the lands they loved for half a year, which is why the geese fly south in migration to this very day...only to return is the Springtime of the year when the season arrives.

And, as a reward for their helpfulness, Nakahata promised the two warriors and their tribes that from that day forward they would no more be confined to the land, but would now own a wonderful way to travel over water. And so, taking the birch bark from the flailed tree, Nakahata fashioned them the very birch bark canoes that are still, to this very day, a part of our lives and legends.

I keep this legend in my mind when I paint birch trees in winter or summer

I'm Coco the studio cat. I don't paint personally, but like to sit and watch and occasionally take a stroll through slightly wet paint just for the fun of it...a sort of Jackson Pollock kind of thing. Stick around - I'll keep you posted on a mog's view of things.

A Brush with Creativity

In May of 2002, seven years ago, I sat down at a desk for my first art lesson. The results were not exceptional - until I decided to treat the art of learning art as an excercise like going for an MBA degree. Every week I sought out teachers, flew to stange cities to get at the talent I needed to make it as a watercolourist. I painted each and every day, indoors when outdoors was impossible. Slowly and perhaps painfully, I began to get where I wanted to go - to be in galleries, have shows, be printed into books and, of course, to sell. Today I have reached an acceptable altitude of skills and intend to keep going and learning from those in the rareified air above.

I teach, I critique, I paint, I win awards sometimes and have a modest few collectors who relish my work for their homes and collections. Painting - it's what my right hand was made for - and here are a few:

" Reflections "
15" x 22" watercolour on Arches 140 rough

" Reflections In a Mill Pond "

15" x 22" watercolour on Arches 140

" Winterlude "

Full sheet watercolour 22" x 30 "

" You've Got Mail "

15" x 22" watercolour on Arches 140 rough

" Ladies In Waiting "

22" x 30" watercolour on Arches 140 rough