To see the painting of the girl and her dog up close, a painting rather different than so many of Gainsborough’s other portraits … very moving.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Gainsborough
Posts Tagged ‘ireland’
girl with dog and jug, 1785
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road, tagged creativity, Gainsborough, Inspiration, ireland, National Gallery of Ireland, painting, Photography, portraits, travel photography on November 6, 2017| Leave a Comment »
the door was open …
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road, tagged architecture, art, beauty, faith, Inspiration, ireland, Photography, stained glass, stained glass windows, travel, travel photography on November 4, 2017| Leave a Comment »
… and so we walked into the Church of the Assumption Howth. Howth is a fishing village east of Dublin and easily accessible via DART, the public rail transportation system. We were walking, quite frankly trying to find another destination, when we noticed a church and though there did not immediately appear to be stained glass inside we took a chance and entered. Built in 1899, the church was designed by William H. Byrne. Not every church needs stained glass windows but it was a pleasant surprise to venture far enough inside to see the three apse windows dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The sequence begins with the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she is bear a son.
The next features the Assumption of Mary into heaven, based on text from Revelation 12, her body and soul raised up to heaven.
And finally Jesus placing the crown of Queen of Heaven on Mary’s head. She gazes down on humanity while angels keep watch from a sky full of stars.
A quick, lovely, unexpected visit. You can read more about the village of Howth here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howth
You can learn more about the church here: http://www.howthparish.ie/heritage
dublin green in print and pdf
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged books, dublin, Dublin Green, gifts, Inspiration, ireland, photobooks, Photography, travel on November 30, 2015| 2 Comments »
It has become tradition. After visiting Dublin I produce a small book chronicling my travels. The 2015 edition is now available for purchase in print or for immediate download: http://www.blurb.com/b/6648069-dublin-green
p.s. Of course, there’s a cybersale in effect. Save 40% until December 1st with the code: CREATIVE40
http://www.blurb.com/b/6648069-dublin-green
thank you
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged birds, birdwatching, colors, dublin, gratitude, Inspiration, ireland, nature, Photography, travel on November 19, 2015| 9 Comments »
I thought I’d take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for viewing this blog. Thank you for the comments that I don’t always respond to but I read and enjoy every one. And most of all thanks for the support and encouragement on this creative journey. Have a wonderful day. 😉
and the little bird in merrion square
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged birds, colors, dublin, Inspiration, ireland, nature, ornithology, Photography, travel on November 11, 2015| 4 Comments »
james joyce in st. stephen’s green
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road, tagged dublin, Inspiration, ireland, james joyce, monuments, Photography, statues, travel, writers on November 11, 2015| 3 Comments »
missing dionysus
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged artwork, dublin, Inspiration, ireland, memorials, Merrion Square, Oscar Wilde, Photography, travel on November 10, 2015| 2 Comments »
I thought I was pretty observant but I missed Dionysus’s torso as I meandered about the Oscar Wilde Memorial in Merrion Square. The complete memorial includes three pieces: “the stone sculpture of Oscar Wilde, a pillar with a bronze of his pregnant wife and a pillar with a bronze male torso.” Actually, I think I noticed a torso but somehow it didn’t grab me the way Mr. Wilde did.
The sculpture was designed by Irish sculptor Danny Osborne. As described on the Dublin City Council website, “Osborne used complementary polished colour stones and varying textures to create this striking lifelike pose of the writer sitting atop a 35-tonne boulder of white quartz from the Wicklow mountains. He wanted to depict Wilde’s love of beautiful objects, including stones, as well as his colourful personality. … Wilde is wearing a green smoking jacket with a pink collar, long trousers and shiny black shoes, with an unusual two-sided expression on his face, depicting both joy and sadness. Wilde’s shiny green jacket is made from nephrite jade, sourced in Canada. The pink collar is made of a rare semi precious stone called thulite, brought here from central Norway. Wilde’s head and hands are carved from Guatemalan jade. His trousers are made from larvikite – a crystalline stone from Norway, and his shiny shoes are black granite.”
Learn more, in the artist’s own words, in the video on the following page: http://www.dublincity.ie/DublinArtInParks/English
And Wikipedia has a great page about Oscar Wilde: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde
saint saviour’s dominican priory
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road, tagged architecture, art, churches, colors, dublin, faith, Inspiration, ireland, Photography, religion, travel on November 10, 2015| 3 Comments »
As the previous post suggests, yes, I am on the road for a bit beginning with a return to Dublin, Ireland! A quick trip for work and pleasure, and it was certainly a pleasure to chance upon the Saint Saviour’s Dominican Priory. I had such a short window of time to photograph that I mostly focused my attention on a few windows. These are details from one window.
Here are details from a second.
Here is the third …
Little literature could I find at the time on the church’s architecture or artwork but the stories can be discerned from the glass.
I found the building by getting lost, but if you are seeking it out, it is located at 9-11 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1. Learn more about the priory via the following link: http://www.saintsavioursdublin.ie/
in the waters of st. stephen’s green
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged colors, dublin, Inspiration, ireland, nature, Photography, st. stephen's green, travel, urban landscape, water on November 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »
I always return to the water
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged abstract, beauty, blue, colors, Galway, Inspiration, ireland, Photography, reflections, travel, urban landscape, water on February 11, 2015| 2 Comments »
Trees reflected in the waters during that recent trip to Ireland. That’s one good thing about being a bit snowbound. Gives you lots of time to sit and sort through photos.
Of course that could be me trying to find the bright side as we brace for the next set of winter storms.
Words + Images 