'Sierra'

Many of my paintings are highly abstracted landscapes. While much of my intuitive work springs from my experiences in Ireland this painting, with it's southwestern palette of colors, reminds me of the mountains near Santa Fe, NM. I have had three art excursions which took me to Santa Fe, NM and I find it's influence creeps into my work now and then. A 'sierra' is a range of mountains especially with a serrated or irregular outline so it seemed a fitting title for the piece.

'Bog Dóiteáin' (Irish Gaelic - 'Bog Fire')

Blanket Bogs are the most common type turf bog in Ireland. From a distance these boglands appear to hug the landscape like a blanket, especially over rolling hills and some mountains. In addition to providing turf, an important source of fuel, bogs are important archeologically as the lack of oxygen and high levels of tannic acid in the water means that objects sacrificed or lost in the bog are astonishingly well preserved. Many of the treasured archeological riches in Irelands National Museum consist of bog discoveries. There are many legends associated with bogs. Among them it was believed that flames flickering on the surface at dusk on misty days came from the fires of fairies who lived beneath the bog.

"Ard na Sidhe"

This small piece was inspired by the Fairy Folklore of Ireland and warrants a little explanation. There are many different aspects of Fairy lore in Celtic Ireland. Legend has it that the people of Tuatha Dé Danann retreated to an Otherworld after the Milesians came to Ireland and that they became known as Sidhe (pr. 'shee'). These beings became the Gods and Goddesses as well as Fairy Kings and Queens of the Celtic people in later times. Fairy Hills were believed to be the 'doorway' to the Otherworld.

'Seantí'

I'm in the process of getting a body of work together for an exhibiton that will open on St. Patrick's Day in March. All of the works will have an Irish theme and this is my most recently completed piece. The title 'Seantí' is the Irish gaelic word for 'old house'......I suppose that is the origin of the term 'shanty'.

"The Hill"

'Ablaze'