"Light is the most important person in the picture" Claude Monet
Recent Artwork
This series of paintings was completed since 2018. The medium is acrylic on canvas (sizes vary from 40 x 50cm to 100 x 70cm)). Click on an image to view the full painting.
Fivemilebourne, wild flowers at abandoned cottage
Acrylic painting, 100cm x 70cm. Wild flowers surround an abandoned famine perios stone cottage in the hills bordering Counties Sligo and Leitrim, ireland. In the distance are Doon Lake, Lough Gill and the Ox Mountain range.
Kings Mountain, Red Barn, Sligo painting
The road from Drumcliff towards Kings Mountain. I drove my parents along this road and stopped to photograph the sun glancing across Ben Bulben and the field and barn. I later painted this in Czech.
Autumn Vltava, Czech landscape painting
This is the road from our house towards Vyssi Brod town. On this Autumn evening the setting sun lit up the grassy bank and the golden leaves.
Yeats Building on the Garavogue, Sligo landscape painting
In the centre of Sligo town the Yeats Building is side lit by the Summer sun, water levels are low in the Garavogue River and the flowers along the walkways are in bloom. I sat in Osta Cafe and sketched the chimneys of the building and painted this when I returned to Czech.
Rozmberk, Czech landscape painting
A late Winter evening. I drove with my son Kubi towards Rozmberk and we stopped and both sketched this view of the village from the high road. Over the following week I completed this painting.
Bison, Czech landscape painting
Bison grazing in a high meadow near Vyssi Brod. I can see this meadow from our house and we enjoy visiting to see if the bison are near the fence so we can give them dry bread. This was a dry winter day. Overcast, but plenty of subtle colours.
Cesky Krumlov, looking East, Czech landscape painting
From the road to the castle gardens, this is the view looking back across the ancient Unesco town of Krumlov. The castle and town date back to the 13th century and the magical character still remains.
Saint Andrews, 18th. landscape painting
Walking up the final fairway after a round of golf on The Old Course, at Saint Andrews. This was commissioned as a gift for his wife by a friend who plays often around the ancient links.
Beach Path, Sligo landscape painting
Walking towards the Second Beach at Rosses Point, Co. Sligo. I was returning to the car park after a very short swim and looked back at the cloud front moving in from the west.
Autumn Forest Walk, Czech landscape painting
Walking through a pine forest near Vyssi Brod, to pick wild mushrooms, as the sun rises. I was walking our dog as the sun rose over the hill. I made notes on the contrast between the warm orange light from the sun on the right and the cool blue light from the valley on the left, and the magical glow that it created.
Carrowkeel, Sligo landscape painting
Two megalithic burial cairns on Carrowkeel looking over Sligo County to the North. My father winds his way up through the mounds of thick heather. A tourist on the left looks back towards the Ox and Dartry Mountains.
Lower Rosses, Sligo landscape painting
Ben Bulben forms the backdrop to the Lower Rosses on a perfect day for a walk with a friend. This was commissioned for a lady who used to live in this area and walked her dog daily. I also love this quite location which is hidden away from roads and beaches yet provides amazing views of Ben Bulben across Lissadell Bay.
Cloister over The Vltava River, Czech landscpae painting
The 13th century Cistercian Monastery over the Vltava River in Vyssi Brod is lit by the rising Summer sun. The low sun creates a deep blue sky which contrasts sharply with the scattered golden light. Lucie works in the cloister buildings.
Oat field walk, Czech landscape painting
We stopped on a long drive between Pardubice and Sumava, to give Pedro a walk. Lucie and Pedro follow a small path between the golden oats and the dark forest on one of the hottest Summer days.
Glencar Waterfall, Sligo Leitrim landscape painting
'Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star, ..... [W.B Yeats]. This is very near my family home in Sligo /Leitrim. It is always damp and shaded but when some sunlight breaks into the glen it creates an almost tropical look.
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star, ..... [W.B Yeats]. This is very near my family home in Sligo /Leitrim. It is always damp and shaded but when some sunlight breaks into the glen it creates an almost tropical look.
The Buoy, Rosses Point, Sligo landscape painting, sea.
Lucie looks out to sea as a stormy sky threatens overhead. The old iron buoy has been washed up on the beach since I was a small child nearly 50 years ago. The sand levels change drammatically with the storm tides but the bouy remains in place.
Swim view, The Point
Swimming towards the lifeguard's hut at Rosses Point beach, County Sligo. The evening sun is hitting the hut and the light reflects back across the water. Ben Bulben is visible in the distance. When swimming I ran back to get my camera to capture this peaceful image on a quietsummer day.
Rolling wave, Streedagh, Sligo coast, painting
Slow waves roll in towards the long beach at Streedagh strand. Rain clouds are moving in but the hills of Donegal are still visible across the bay. I liked how the waves were rolling very slowly towards the beach with spray rising in the offshore wind.
Strandhill G.C. Great Dune, Sligo coast painting.
The low Winter Sun lights up the 'Great Dune' at Strandhill Golf Course in County Sligo. I used to be a member here and lived for a while within yards of this view. The golfers are about to tee off on the 6th hole.
Rosses Evening Tide, Sligo coast painting
The lighthouse is barely visible on the horizon looking West from Rosses Point beach.I spent a week capturing this scene before my children pointed out that there is a dragon in the sky!
Streedagh Looking West, Sligo coast painting
An Atlantic storm generates large surf along the coast at Streedagh. Oyster Catchers feed near an old stone wall which once defined the land of an ancient estate property.
Oyster Island, Sligo coast painting
The morning Light from the East glances across Oyster Island and Coney Island in Sligo Bay. Boats are moored in the straight between the Island and Rosses Point where the tidal currents create subtle patterns.
Proell Mustang.
This was commissioned for the documentary maker Eric Proell who stands with 'Rocky' his rowan stallion who he brought from the states to his ranch in Czech.
Killery view.
After climbing Killery on a hot July day we were rewarded with this spectacular view over Lough Gill towards Sligo town, and Knochnarea with the great cairn of Queen Meadbh on top.
Inishmurray cormorants
A sunny July day. Two cormorants rest on the sandstone rocks which form part of a natural harbour on the ancient monastic island of Inishmurray off the coast of County Sligo. We visited this remote spot on our friends boat. I intended pianing a view of the monestary but I just loved this scene with the deep blue sea contrasting with the bright orange lichen.
The Point
A quiet July evening at Rosses Point, Co. Sligo. I first painted this scene in oils. The following month I returned and painted this with acrylics to see if I could match the oil painting. I now only use acrylic.
Hyde Bridge and Glass House, Sligo town, painting
The Garavogue River passes through Sligo Town. The Older Yeats Building on the Left contrasts with the modern 'Glass House' hotel in the centre and Osta Cafe on the right bank. It was Decmber and I waited a week to get this brief few minutes of sunlight through the clouds.
Glencar Road Evening Light, Sligo landcape, painting
A damp Winter evening. The sun briefly appears to light up Glencar Lake on the Sligo Leitrim border. Glencar waterfall is directly to the right. The fisherman in the boat is experiencing what is known in Ireland as a 'sunny spell'.
Glencar valley, Sligo landscape painting
The late evening Summer sun glances across Truskmore where rain clouds are rolling in beyond Glencar lake in County Sligo.
Mountain tree, Sligo landscape painting
On the South West side of Copes Mountain a tree has been sculpted by the prevailing wind. The evening sky burns bright over Kings Mountain across the valley of Glencar, County Sligo. I used to walk up this slope every week when I lived nearby. Access is now more of a challenge as landowners fence off this natural landscape.
Stormy sky, Streedagh. Sligo coast painting
Looking out from the dunes across Streedagh beach towards Mullaghmore Head with the silhouette of Classiebawn Castle on the distant horizon. Lucie and Mary stroll on the beach and gulls are circling over crashing surf.
18th green, Co. Sligo, Sligo landscpae painting
Looking South across the 18th green, with Sligo Bay, Coney Island, Strandhill and the Ox Mountains in the background. I have life membership of this club but I haven't been able to play golf for over 20 years due to back problems. I still play in my dreams!
Vyssi Brod Cloister, May morning, Czech landscape painting
The early morning sun lights up the Cistercian cloister in Vyssi Brod, in Southern Bohemia. Viewed from a hillside to the North, the red blue and white shapes nestle nicely among the dark green foliage.
Classiebaun, Sligo landscape painting
The silhouette of Classiebaun Castle sits on a hill on Mullaghmore with Ben Bulben in the distance lit by the setting sun.
Achill Sheep, Mayo coast landscape painting
Sheep grazing on the cliffs high above the Atlantic coast on Achill Island in County Mayo on a hot Summer day. The turquoise sea looks tropical but we swam there shortly later and it was anything but!!
3rd Hole, Co. Sligo, Landcape painting
A fine day for golf. Looking from the green at the par 5 3rd hole at County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point. Ruhi and Conor are playing down on the left towards the 3rd green. The fairway on the right leads up to the 2nd green. Ben Bulben looms in the distance.