Plein Air Painting in Killarney

Hi all, I wanted to share with you what I got up to last weekend. I decided to have a little painting "me" time so I booked in on a Plein Air Painting weekend with local artist Tina Reed. I painted with Tina last year and had loved it and the challenge of plein air painting with oils in Killarney was too good an opportunity to miss. Oils are still quite a new medium to me but I now adore them and find I am reaching to the oil tubes more frequently then the acrylic tubes these days but it depends on what I am working on.

The setting was the Lake Hotel in Killarney which has stunning views. As you can see the day started off quite dullish but we watched our paint palette get brighter and brighter over the weekend and the magnificent colour change on the mountains (Torc and Mangerton were our main focal points) and the lakes. We had it all, swans, boats and also some very interested patrons from the hotel having a gander at our work. 

I shared the weekend with 6 ladies and Tina our teacher. Everybody was at different levels in painting from people painting for the very first time to some very talented experienced painters. 

We painted mostly with palette knives but as a brush lover I did sneak in the did brush stroke throughout the weekend. 

One of the bonuses of oils (which I used to consider a negative in my impatience) is the slow drying time which allowed me to work on the painting in more detail when I got home. The composition in its vastness was quite challenging but very interesting. I haven't quite completed a masterpiece yet in oils but slowly but surely I am learning more and more with each project. 

If you fancy a weekend with a difference I would highly recommend Tina's courses. And for those of you looking for regular oil painting classes we are honoured to have Tina teaching Tuesday evenings in our own workshop room whilst she builds a new studio in the stunning Clydagh Valley.

Thanks Tina and to to the lovely ladies I met over the weekend. I hope to see you back on a course very soon.

Cathy

Killarney Art Holidays

One of my New Year Resolutions was to try something that I have feared for as long as I can remember. I am not talking about flying or jumping out of an aeroplane, swimming with sharks or handling a snake - I'm talking about oil painting. It is probably one of the only art skills I have never attempted or wanted to, to be honest. I have thought about the reasons behind this and I think my avoidance came down to my impatience. I always thought oil painting would be too slow for someone like me who just likes to get on with things quickly.

So last week I booked myself in for a two day course with the renowned artist Tine Reed in her studio in Killarney. Tina is a regular visitor to The Crafty Alley Shop and every time I would see her I would think - ok I am going to book a course with her.

So off I went last Tuesday with my bag full of paints and knives. I had to treat myself to everything new as although I have a house jammed full of art products I had nothing for oil paining.

There were four of us taking the class with Tina. Everybody was immediately friendly and chatty so the ice was broken very quickly. Tine showed us the piece we would be working on for the two days which was a beautiful bluebell forest with a running stream through it. Of course, Tina's original version like all her wok was enchanting and beautiful. We had Tina's original and some study photos to work form as Tina took us through the composition step by step and layer by layer. As Tina will only take a limited amount of people in her studio, her student get plenty of help and attention.

A couple of challenges arose for me which I very soon got over. It was all to do with the new tools. Firstly we painted on MDF board which I was always dubious about but can see now why it is a perfect canvas (pardon the pun) to paint on. Most of the painting was done by knife which as first I thought I would never get the handle of but really enjoyed and the third was using Tina's infamous tool of the Dolls Needle, which she send drones of customers to our shop to buy. The needle which takes a bit of practice allows you to work with very delicate details such as thin branches and is actual quite fun and effective.

The two mornings seemed to fly in and I can undoubtedly say I am now hooked. So I will packing up the acrylics while I get myself further acquainted with my new oil friends.

I highly recommend Tina's class for beginners or improvers and you can find all the information you need on http://www.killarneyartholidays.com/index2.htm. We also might be twisting Tina's arm to come and deliver a class or two in our own art studio in the shop in spring! I will post as soon as I have confirmed details.