Nearing the end of my time at Cill Rialaig

And so my time here at Cill Rialaig is drawing to a close, I feel a sadness. I have become accustomed to waking up the most glorious view of the Skelligs from my window and even now sitting on the stone steps watching the moon lighting up the sea with the distant amber lights twinkling from Waterville. I feel lucky, I feel blessed and humbled to have been part of this great legacy. I look forward to completing the works that I produced here. It is has an extremely productive time. 10 small oil studies, 7 medium size landscapes in oils , 7 watercolours and three graphite drawings. I can be a cold , distant bird that lives in my own world a bit, but even my emotional inarticulacy can sometimes find it within myself to thank all who have ever supported and encouraged me to never give up being an artist.

Thank you 

There is big storm outside. The fire is aglow and I am going nowhere. I have my books borrowed from the meeting house for tonight's reading. I am listening to John Martyn a lot. No watercolour

paintings of little donkeys today, just oils.I have eaten no meet since I have been here which is bliss. I hired a horse this morning and took great photos for studies towards Valentia and Portmagee.

Been thinking about people in my life a lot. Been thinking about my family. All of them.

Cill Rialaig Artist Residency December 2013

I have arrived at the beautiful , restored ruins of a pre-famine village on the edge if the Atlantic Ocean situated in the Ballinskelligs, South West Kerry. The cottage with studio is in such a wild and remote place it has taken my breath away. It has been hard to leave my little sons and husband but as an artist himself, he has encouraged this residency to go ahead and for this I am truly grateful.
I am waking up late, eating my breakfast outside looking at the waves and the cliffs and the Ballinskelligs.
I have so far worked on 10 small oil studies, 5 medium size oil landscapes and a couple of watercolours that I had no idea I would enjoy doing, ever.
I make sure that I go out somewhere different every day and work on hard into the night.
Much to my surprize, I have mastered the art of keeping a fire going.
The other artists here are warm, we don't bump into each other much as we are here to work alone but there is a beautiful meeting house full of books and catalogues of artists work.
I have never felt this centred nor this rewarded.