Our church has some beautiful Harry Clarke Stained glass windows- this photo really doesn’t do it justice. I think, to be accurate, this came from the Harry Clarke Studios, rather than made solely by Harry Clarke himself  (But we do have one of those in another church locally) I love Harry Clarkes work- I saw them first, years ago, in the Hugh Lane Gallery with my future husband by my side The colour is extraordinary, and the detail!! There is a fantastic book “Strangest Genius” which is the most comprehensive collection of his work and life.

The food, or should I say: just the desserts… (one of my sisters made the cupcakes, and my mother the apple tarts):

The sponge cake was the “Fat-less” sponge, filled with peaches and cream, the chocolate cake was “the Perfect Chocolate Cake” decorated with chocolate fingers,

I also made an ice bowl- I have wanted to make one of these since I was twelve, after reading Darina Allens “Simple Delicious” book. I completely forgot about it though, and had to resusitate it after it practically melted into the table (ooops!!!!!)

And then there was the chocolate biscuit cake…

Ohhhh. The chocolate biscuit cake. I’ll have to make another very soon to make sure it was as scrumptous as I thought…

Our cutie, late, very, very late that night, still bright eyed and bouncing. His mother, I can assure you, was not bright eyed and bouncing though…

On other matters;

I am in the process of making a Painting Blog, where I can indulge my abstract thinking, post photos of paintings and discuss such related things (I might even torture you with a poem or two) (I’ll do my best to make sure it is angst-filled)

I’ll keep the crochet, food and kiddies over here (Whew, I hear you gasp)

(all paintings by Rita Maria)

I LOVE her abstract paintings- don’t you? Vibrant, luscious, and inspirational. 

I love them so much I bought myself a print (above, on windowsill) which arrived today- HURRAY!!! It’s gorgeous, the print quality is beautiful, and I cannot wait to get it framed and on the wall. This is going to be my mascot towards unlimited artistic freedom (and possible madness. Although someone around here remarked recently that that milestone has already been achieved)

As I paint, I’m pushing my own boundaries as to what I “can” and “can’t” do (it’s extraordinary how your head can make you pause indefinitely, making you believe that something like sloshing paint is something you can’t do), and, even though I start off with extraordinary energy and excitement, halfway through, I feel as though I have cycled almost to the summit of a hill and whilst pedalling furiously I am slipping backwards down that same darn hill. The struggle, therefore, is to keep going onwards and up!! Not a particularly easy task. In fact, it is frankly terrifying. But good and energising and fills me with horror and delight at the same time

And so I am experimenting: I’m using mixed media (goauche, watercolour, inks, acrylic) on Fabriano rather than oil on canvas (sometimes things out of your control can be a great thing: I usually have baby in the room or relatively near my while I paint so I don’t want any fumes from the process) The whole struggle not to paint in oils has been hideous and has caused sleepless nights (I know. Sad) (Maybe not as sad as dreaming of lichens every night for a week. Thats Very Sad) but painting in unfamiliar territory is teaching me more and will, I know, feed future oil paintings in great ways. And I’m starting to get the hang of these other mediums- wow, the freedom is extraordinary!!- and I just have to take a great big leap into the unknown. (I’m sure there is a fantastic quote that I could put in here to finish on a more succinct note, but no, couldn’t find any- a little difficult when a cute, bald baby is bashing a singing Cookie Monster toy on my knee!!)

(When I get my camera back- I have had to borrow one, and can’t use it properly- I’ll take decent photos- have a few more paintings on the go too!!)

We are slowly getting back to our rhythm in the house now the twinkly lights and baubles have been packed away…

today we went walking in Portumna woods- what a beautiful mild January day it was!- lichen spotting

(sporting a handy magnifying glass-thank you Pat!!- and my lichen book. We even came home with several samples which we are compiling to make a herbarium)

(Truly, we are turning into a family of nerds)

When we took down the Christmas tree, we moved things around in the sitting room to give me a space to paint… and this beautiful cupboard to put all the necessary “stuff”

(Once I get “my” cupboard properly organised I’ll take a few proper photographs)

and so I don’t know myself having somewhere to store all my bits and pieces, paints, brushes etc etc. I am painting/ art making in the house for the moment, as the studio is too far from the house and I really have to take any few minutes when I get them during the day or, usually, evening (needless to say I’m appallingly untidy and disorganised so I (and my beloved husband) hope this arrangement will curb the flow of creative accoutrements from invading the entire house)

I am also moving things around here on the blog… bear with me, my time is very limited, and usually involves a babe-in-arms nursing or pretending to nurse while all the time has one eye on the screen trying to type with his foot (I jest not)

I love this time of the year- Its so full of hope and possibility. I have so many plans and dreams and hopes for 2012!!! Thank you for reading, and looking forward to a year full of great things!

]]> http://blog.thenest.ie/2012/01/08/hope-and-possibility/feed/ 4 http://blog.thenest.ie/2011/10/23/saturday-sunshine-in-egg-tempera/ http://blog.thenest.ie/2011/10/23/saturday-sunshine-in-egg-tempera/#comments Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:46:45 +0000 Emily http://blog.thenest.ie/?p=2966 What a dark, damp Saturday we have had. Many times we stood at the kitchen window open-mouthed, as the rain hammered on the roof, rendering it almost impossible to hear anyone speak, as rivers of water flowed past the house. These dark days really start to make it feel like winter, and we have been preparing for the inevitable weather for the past few weeks (heavy curtains hung, unused open fires temporarily blocked up, fuel in the shed: stacked and stored ready)

I have been eyeing up half a large kilner jar of last years mincemeat, but I am insisting I hold out making the first batch of mince pies until November (besides, I’m currently obsessed with making (and eating) apple-tarts) 

 So in the dark of today, I thought we would make our own sunshine:

with egg yolks!

I read Cenninis book years ago, and was always amused by his instruction that to paint (in egg tempera) young peoples skin tone one needed a town hens-egg, and for ruddier country peoples complexion, one needed a deeper yolk from a country hen.

I had 5 yolks from two days ago when I cooked (disastrous) meringues (-I forgot to turn down the heat…) so we mixed these with some watercolour paint to make the egg tempera.

I always loved the sheen and quality of egg tempera, and thankfully this wasn’t lost on little (and not so little) ones (our eldest son usually doesn’t partake in these art and craft activities anymore as he is a practicing moody teenager) 

What we did: we poured the egg yolks into a bowl (there is a filmy sack around it which you remove, and sometimes if they have been sitting uncovered, there can be a hard coating too) 

Into small pots (kept from our Floradix multi-vitamin bottles: ever so useful for so many things) we put some watercolour paint

(my watercolour tubes were in the studio, across the yard, and I really couldn’t bring myself to dash out in the torrential downpour)

so we used watercolour dyes, which weren’t as strong as I had hoped. Nevertheless, no-one seemed to notice or mind. We mixed approximately half and half-paint and yolk, mixed thoroughly then began to paint. It dries quite quickly, so really beautiful effects can be achieved by layering colours, and the paint feels beautifully soft to use.

Just as I began to use some of the paint, our smallest person decided that he needed to nurse. Right now. So tomorrow I am hoping to mix up some more and to use it on the art-angel-dolls I have been making. And to finish these little collage pieces I have been putting together in order to make into printed cards:

In the midst of everything else, it feels so good to be creating in tiny moments that pop up during the day

Our boys were gone to a science exhibition today, so our small girl and I were at home with the baby, who, miraculously slept for about an hour. In his little cot.

A dear friend of mine

(one of the many, I must add, who have made dinners, desserts, ran errands, cleaned and took care of me since baby arrived. Once again, I feel truly blessed)

cleaned and tidied the kitchen yesterday while making us dinner. What a delight that was: the worktops were slowly disappearing and every time I started the mammoth task of tidying, baby would wake starving (he seems to be in a permanent state of starvation!!)

So today, Grace and I painted and baked while he slept. These flowers are from my friends garden, and I took a notion to paint them- I’m not a flower-painter as such- but it was so relaxing.
Grace glued every small piece of paper she could find into her notebook, adding stickers and paint with abandon. It was great.

Then we had some warm soda bread with butter before the little boy woke. (I’ll add a recipe later, it is so delicious and easy to make)

So now we are here beside the stove (it is so cold), our boys are home, listening to music before they go to bed. Everyone is tired, I welcome the thought of the weekend being here at last!