Golden Slipper Orchid

Another of the interiors series. OK, I’ll stop saying that, of course it is. I’ve found a place that sells interiors stuff; furniture, lamps etc. that’s in an old building and it’s my little treasure trove of compositions. The other day I was happy snapping away when I got a call and sat down to take it. This composition was directly in front of me. Perfect!

Golden Slipper Orchid – 24x24inches oil on streched canvas.

source: Lydia Diaz  

taking courage from Van Gough

I’m off  up to Belfast, with the girls this afternoon to deliver some paintings . Tell you more about that anon (as my mother would say). In the meantime what with the IMF an’ all in town we’re coping as best as we can. It seems that folks are keeping their sense of humor – they had fake announcements on the radio yesterday saying ”the IMF are in town – don’t dress fancy & look busy!” but there’s also a deep sense of shame and anger. So I’m taking a big leaf out of Van Gough’s book and keeping my courage. Imagine starting out selling original art in this environment, but hey, here we go! 

By the way have you noticed that I’ve reversed the info about the painting so it comes first? Is it any better that way?

waiting room

One of the new series of interiors that I have been working on. 24×24 inch oil on canvas.

keep calm and have faith

I woke up cold and unsettled about 5am this morning from a nightmare. Something about the city in the throws of some kind of major disaster and there were looters/zombies/boogie-men outside. Then I listened to the early news and I could feel the panic starting to rise. Of course we all know how the country got here, but it still seems inconceivable that it has got this bad. That the IMF and EMF could be outside the door.

The only way to move at all is to make a conscious choice to remember that we have seen hard times before. That with hard work and creativity and by looking after each other it will be alright. (maybe not all rosey in the garden but alright)

So I’m turning off the talk radio for most of the day these days and concentrating on my work, and my family and my friends.

The Irish Times had a piece today- 50 things we still love about Ireland

They asked people to tweet they’re favourites and here are just a few of them

• @dcbedwards  – knowing all your cousins 4 times removed and being shamed by your mother for not knowing all their kids too
• @furlo - Looking like Quasimodo but still being able to charm the pants off a beautiful foreigner due to the accent
• @thebrieparty - The fact that we don’t have to pay for royal weddings
•  @foges70 - All the ailments that can be treated by putting the kettle on
• @rubot - First country in the world to ban smoking in pubs
•  @irishmarinelife - Best surf in the world, and nobody believing you
•  @levdavidovic - Fellas with no teeth on Winning Streak
•  @deatonm - No killer spiders, box jellyfish, great white sharks, snakes or other dangerous animals.
•  @louiseholohan  – Never letting the truth get in the way of a good story
•  @colettecaddle - Laughing at our misfortunes even when it looks like the boat might be ………. glug glug

working like a hound dog

This week I’ve been working like a hound dog (well, not like my hound who could sleep all day on her bed on the heated floor) but like a hound who works hard… all day!

Anyway, I’ve been working on a series of larger paintings which is all very exciting but although I’m working larger I have been trying to complete the same number of paintings that I would in an average week. This means an increase in actual hours painting and I have to say I’m pretty knackered.

But it’s not the time that is the thing that exhausts me it’s the head stuff. With each painting, at each stage, one is trying to create or achieve something and at every stage there is the potential for it to go well or not. I’m constantly holding my breath and making a choice to do this or that or the other, which might make the painting but maybe ruin it.

I imagine that this is common to not just art but to many things. The tension is most acute when I’m working on new ideas, things that I am trying out. I guess it’s a case of “feel the fear and do it anyway” right?

flowers for mother

This is one of my favourites from the new series. 24x 24inches oil on streched canvas

my top five blogs

My guilty pleasure is surfing blogs. I like to light on them quick when I have a minute to spare, usually while waiting for something else to happen. Like something to cook or something to upload.

My current, that is, not my all time top five and not just art blogs either, my current top five blogs in no particular order are… (drum roll)

• art monkey
• english muse
• the chocolate chip waffle
• so the thing is…blog
• bedlam and beefy

dressing for dinner

Another of the large paintings that will be at the RDS Art Fair this weekend. They will be at The Bad Art Gallery stand Q7.

Dressing for Dinner 24 x24 inch oil on canvas