MY STORY
In 2002, I decided to follow my passion and paint full time. Having worked as an architect and a lecturer, my artwork was all about sense of place and community.Then I decided I would love a dog of my own, and that the family dog, PepR, a labrador stray needed a companion. We always had dogs, and I loved the line and gentleness of Whippets and Lurchers, even though I had never owned one. I contacted the K.W.W.S.P.C.A., and PepR and I set off to meet some of their Lurchers who needed rehoming.
There was instant, mutual dislike between PepR and the first dog, then benevolent disdain from the elegant Daisy…I was wondering if I was making a mistake? Love At First Sight erupted between PepR and Leo – who arrived late, having locked his carer out of her car in the lashing rain. He dashed around the garden, skidding under PepR’s tummy. He was covered in a brown fluff rather than hair. Leo was not the prettiest dog- but PepR was absolutely delighted and so Leo came to stay.
Fast forward two years; Leo became ‘Joey’ and a completely gorgeous, jet black, sleek dog, who simply demanded to be painted. I presented a series of ink studies of him at the Guru Teahouse in Ennistymon, County Clare. A print donated to the K.W.W.S.P.C.A. fundraising auction led to an invitation to a have solo exhibition at Athy Community Arts Centre.
The exhibition, ‘Dog Days’ was opened by Clem Ryan, KFM, who seemed genuinely delighted with the gift of a portrait of his dog, Mise, or ‘Ms. Jacqueline Russell’. The exhibition went well. Interestingly, the main question I was asked was ‘Will you paint my dog? and ‘Can you paint cats? horses? sheep?’ (The answer is ‘Yes.’)
Encouraged, I brought my work to the Local Enterprise in County Kildare, who enabled me to attend Pet Expo at the R.D.S. in November. At Pet Expo I displayed the recently completed portrait of Ozzy, my ‘poster dog’. One visitor passed my stand with her young daughter. “There’s Ozzy- he plays with my dog Penny in the park“ her daughter said to her mum. Another visitor said “That’s a Collooney Whippet.” I was delighted.
My portraits are true representations of the animals- and as individual as the pets I am painting.
CHINESE BRUSH PAINTINGS
Chinese brush paintings convey movement, spirit or
essence rather than a photographic style portrait
The materials I use include Chinese inks and
brushes and paint on stretched canvas. The inks offer a full, rich colour
palette.