A series of essays….
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THE RING OF KERRY - STOPPING ALONG THE NARROW ROAD TO CAPTURE THIS STUNNING PHOTO |
….as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E Hughes
On my birthday for the past several years, Bettina and Sue (great friends), Dan, and I travel north of Grand Rapids to the home of a Michigan En Plein Air artist where we ogle (in a good way) hundreds of Kathleen’s paintings. Savoring the natural beauty that surrounds us in Michigan, as well as the man made kind such as barns, chicken coops, stone cottages, we always say this time we’re only going to look, but find ourselves carrying our purchases out to our car several hours later while imagining where they will be proudly displayed in our homes.
En plein air is a style of painting produced out of doors in natural light. This style of painting is certainly bewitching in the sense that what the artist brings to the canvas includes all of the nuances of what all of us might see while walking down a country road on a sunny, summer afternoon. It’s as though we’d pulled out our iPhone and snapped that perfect picture. The artist does the same thing with paint, patience, and by following her mind’s eye as the light, shadows, and colors shift before her very eyes.
On our last visit to Kathleen’s home exhibit in early November Dan, Kathleen, and I carried on an in-depth discussion about Ireland. You see, she and her husband along with their two adult children, are planning to travel along the Wild Atlantic Way for a week or more this autumn and Dan and I could not stop gushing about our own love of Ireland and its rugged and amazing western coastline.
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THE FIRST PAINTING BY KATHLEEN WE PROCURED IN 2021 |
I could only envision the paintings she would produce given this time in Ireland and shamelessly encouraged their visit while offering to provide any and all options for accommodations, eateries, and places to visit while there based upon our own experiences.
Fortunately, Kathleen contacted us via email in December. I was so excited! I knew that this endeavor would have us walking and driving around Ireland, once again, reminiscing, tasting, and thinking about the multitude of experiences offered us via this magical and beautiful place.
And, it most certainly did.
So, I sectioned our visits out in order to provide Kathleen with itinerary options based on the amount of time and in-depth concentration they would choose to afford any given area. Spreading yourself out too thin is never a good travel plan. Rather, to concentrate on one of these areas while gleaning the most out of it—and then planning on a return visit would be the wisest thing to do.
I tried to keep it simple and give them information about each area that I knew we would return to in future visits. This information might include the positive and the negatives we encountered along the way or, this boat trip over that boat trip given the fact that they will be traveling with grown children.
First of all, we want to thank Kathleen for yet another reason to go back over our pictures and memories of the many travels to this fascinating island. We thank you, Kathleen, for this grand opportunity!
It is now that my imagination goes wild. I sit here in my own little story seeing the artist, canvas upon easel, oil/acrylic paints splashed, smeared, and mixed upon the palette like colorful candies spread out in the midday sun and begging to be applied in some form of creation or another. And, grasping her delicate brush, adorned with its sable plume, dipping into the semi-liquid mixture with the gusto of a child’s inquisitive finger, and applying the purest colors atop the gesso coated canvas—she recreates God’s beauty at its finest.
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THE KENMARE STONE CIRCLE |
With a drizzle of rain threatening the afternoon activities, the artist, umbrella by her side, captures the serenity of the Kenmare Stone Circle that has been a part of the town’s history for thousands of years. Touching each stone sends a tingle of memories through her as she applies her thoughts towards the thousands of people who stood and worshiped here before her.
South of Kenmare, she captures the ruins of the stone cottage where Molly Gallivan raised her many children alone on her small farm at the foot of the Caha Mountain Range on the Beara Peninsula. So many tears, hardships, and love surround this precious place.
I see the artist climbing up to Healy Pass in the heart of the Caha Mountains, setting up her artist paraphernalia in order to capture the multiple shades of green surrounding her in the valley below. One white farmhouse dots the hills and leaves a profound impression on anyone standing so high up in the clouds looking down.
With Skellig Michael jutting off the coastline of County Kerry, boat rides take her out to this remarkably preserved early Christian monastery and the filming location for two Star Wars movies. Her brush might capture the simple ruggedness of this remote, rocky island.
If the Gap of Dunloe in County Kerry doesn’t capture her attention—nothing else will. This narrow mountain pass forged between the MacGillycuddy Reeks and Purple Mountain by glacial flows with the river running through the gap is an experience that explodes with Irish mystery, charm, and absolute beauty.
I envision Kathleen standing at the south end of the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, high above the surging cerulean sea that crashes against the weathered stone far below.
County Clare. So much to experience with so little time. The bright pink, blues, and greens of Doolin with the backdrop of the sea and the Aran Islands; the Traditional Music floating between the ears within Gus O’Connor’s pub and feeling like a local out for a pint; capturing the shadows made by the Poulnabrone monument, the most visited dolmen in Ireland, as the sun is setting over the moonscape of The Burren—Clare has everything you’d hoped for and so much more.
Perhaps it’s further north where she’ll seek the Irish landscape known and loved by locals and visitors alike. Where she will most likely get to listen to the Irish language spoken lovingly by the locals—County Galway and the District of Connemara. Enter via youthful Galway City and be entertained by the local buskers performing in the narrow, cobbled streets, as well as the craic offered in the local pubs. Walk under The Spanish Arch and be introduced to the sleek looking Hookers (sailing boats) that have taken local fisherman out into Galway Bay for hundreds of years.
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CROAGH PATRICK - IRELAND’S HOLY MOUNTAIN |
Climb one of the twelve Bens (mountains) and look down upon Kylemore Abbey and over to the sun speckled Atlantic beyond. What a dazzling painting this would be!
She makes her way to the town of Roundstone on the way to Clifton. This renowned artist’s community will always make her feel right at home with its commune of artists, artisans and craftsmen creating their unique pieces.
Step back in time and be dazzled by the beauty of Croagh Patrick, Irelands Holy Mountain and pilgrimage site, with its shades of purples, rustic grays, and multitudes of greens.
None of these treasures should be missed, my friend. It would be nearly impossible to take them all in on this maiden voyage to one of the most endearing countries in the world. And then, surely, you will want to revisit each place all over again because the mind and eyes alone are incapable of capturing each perfect space offered, each subtle nuance provided by color, shape, images, languages, or sounds…Ireland!
Our next visit will take Dan and me back to Sligo and up to Donegal and beyond….! So much more to see and experience as we enjoy a pint or two of Guinness along the way.
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Copyright © 2024 by Jacqueline E Hughes
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Photos Copyright © 2024 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
