It was a year ago that I painted my first painting of Donegal. Here it is. It is a small one.
Old School, Owey Island
It’s quite a modest painting. You could say that I started off tentatively. I was feeling my way. The light in Donegal is very clear and the scenery is beautiful. That’s an overused word in this age of social media, but it is beautiful.
My husband, Seamas (he likes counting things) tells me that I have painted over 50 Donegal paintings (including 3 commissions). That pretty much averages out at one a week. I am pleased to say that I have already sold over half of them.
I discovered that I had to use a different palette from the one that I use in Wales. The greens and yellows were more yellow ochre than lemon yellow and the sea was more turquoise (but not quite as turquoise as I first painted) thanks to the clear water.
On The Way To Arranmore
From Ferry Coll SOLD
Over to Owey Island, West Donegal, Ireland
I loved the rocky landscape of the Rosses. It was a landscape like no other I’d seen before. Someone has said to me that it’s quite alien, like a moonscape in places. I love the granite rocks. We have a massive one behind our cottage in Donegal. I feel very affectionate towards it. It’s a protective presence, especially when it’s windy.
Over to Tullyillion
Of course, when you are in a different country to the one you were brought up in, everything seems fascinating. I have loved painting both the modern Donegal houses as well as the old cottages.
From Cruit Island
Over to the Rosses
House by the Wild Red Flowers (Arranmore)
I will freely admit I am quite obsessed by landscape spotted with old cottages on the Donegal islands, on Arranmore and Gola in particular.
Spring Light on Gola
Across to Inishbofin
This Beauty That will Pass
A House on Gola
Up From the Pier (Gola)
Oileán Ghabhla (Donegal)
Around Cloughcor (Arranmore)
Cottage on Inishcoo
On Eighter Island
The Red Roofed House, Arranmore (Private Collection)
I haven’t really got to grips with the mountains of Donegal. What I mean is that I need to visit them a lot more, walk up them and get to know them better. So far I have just admired the “Seven Sisters”, including Mount Errigal and Muckish from a distance.
Across to Dunfanaghy
Mount Errigal from Ballymanus Beach, Donegal
Over to Kinclassagh
The Pig’s Back (Muckish) Donegal
Swirling Clouds Round Errigal
Of course, the real joy of Donegal is the clouds. The changes skies. I am used to it raining, (I have lived in Wales for over 25 years) but the light is different by the North Atlantic Ocean. It is often more slivery, and more changeable.
From Magheraclogher Beach (Bunbeg)
Near Dunmore Strand
Rain over Dunfanaghy
Two Cottages
I think about Donegal every day when I am in Wales. My husband will place his current favourite Donegal paintings in the bedroom and in the lounge so he can look at them whilst we still have them.
Here’s my most recent painting Donegal painting. I am currently working on a painting of Arranmore Island, unfortunately, it rained so much here yesterday, the light went and I have yet to finish it.
Back Road to Burtonport
Thank you so much. I have worked hard at the skies. They go through a very chaotic stage before I manage to impose a sort of “order” on them. It can be quite alarming!
You probably think that artists are good at creating paintings/images in all mediums; oil, watercolours acrylic paints. Many probably are, but I am not. I need to work at it. It’s a bit like being an athlete. You might be great at football but it doesn’t automatically mean you are a great sprinter, tennis player […]
What’s in a name? It’s complicated The name of the city I am living in right now is contentious. It’s official name is Londonderry but no one here seems to call it that, not even the council. Most people in the city itself, Protestants as well as Catholics, call it Derry. This suggests it is more […]
The ‘Illuminate’ festival is running over two weekends in Derry, 17th – 20th and 24th – 27th February, from 6pm – 9pm. We visited it on Thursday night. It was very cold (double socks and thermals weather) but mostly dry. This was important was all the sites we visited were out of doors. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and a brilliant introduction to Derry.
Seasons’ Greetings! It’s been an exhausting rollercoaster of of year – I am enjoying some peace a quiet and I hope all of you are too! Best wishes, Emma and Séamas (also Tadhg, Hattie and Biddy)
New Work & Recent Sales
Portmór Beach, Malin Head, Donegal
Down to the Rusty Nail, Inishowen
The Walls of Derry
Derry Walls by Emma Cownie
Shipquay Gate by Emma Cownie
Over to Owey Island (Keadue) Donegal
Old Stone Cottage in front of Errigal (Donegal
Boat at the Pier, Gola
From Magheraroarty to Muckish, Donegal
House on Inishbofin, with distant Seven Sisters (in studio)
Stony Wall, Cnoc Fola (Donegal)
The Polite Houses of Maghery
The Green Roofed Shed at Drumlaghdrid, Donegal
The Old Shed at Marameelan, Donegal
Shadow on Maghery
Up Bloody Foreland, Donegal
Quay Street, Dungloe (Ireland)
The Yellow House, Bunaninver
Not a Cloud in the Sky (Bloody Foreland, Donegal)
Winding Road, Bunaninver
The Old House at Marameelan
View From Dunmore Strand (Work in Progress)
Overlooking Magheroarty
On the Back Road to Dungloe, Donegal
Approaching Storm on Dunlewy
Up Through Gola, Ireland
Electricity Lines, Marameelan (Donegal)
The Pyramid, Three Cliffs Bay, Gower
With a Road Running Through It
The Incoming Tide at Great Tor, Gower
Sally’s Loch (Donegal, Ireland)
Soft Light, Gola (Donegal, Ireland)
Early Morning Shadows at Low Tide, Three Cliffs (Gower)
I loved the rocky landscape of the Rosses. It was a landscape like no other I’d seen before. Someone has said to me that it’s quite alien, like a moonscape in places. I love the granite rocks. We have a massive one behind our cottage in Donegal. I feel very affectionate towards it. It’s a protective presence, especially when it’s windy.
Of course, when you are in a different country to the one you were brought up in, everything seems fascinating. I have loved painting both the modern Donegal houses as well as the old cottages.
I will freely admit I am quite obsessed by landscape spotted with old cottages on the Donegal islands, on Arranmore and Gola in particular.
I haven’t really got to grips with the mountains of Donegal. What I mean is that I need to visit them a lot more, walk up them and get to know them better. So far I have just admired the “Seven Sisters”, including Mount Errigal and Muckish from a distance.
I think about Donegal every day when I am in Wales. My husband will place his current favourite Donegal paintings in the bedroom and in the lounge so he can look at them whilst we still have them.
Here’s my most recent painting Donegal painting. I am currently working on a painting of Arranmore Island, unfortunately, it rained so much here yesterday, the light went and I have yet to finish it.
Beautiful works.
Thank you, Kelly
I just love these Donegal paintings.
Thank you, Jessica
Congrats, love the retrospective
Thank you, Michael Stephen
I love your skies, and your almost photographic representation of the cottages and the landscape. Very nice and truly artistic. Bravo!
I love your skies, and the almost photographic representation of the cottages and the landscape, truly artistic work. Bravo!
Thank you so much. I have worked hard at the skies. They go through a very chaotic stage before I manage to impose a sort of “order” on them. It can be quite alarming!
Skies can be such a lovely and interesting subject to watch. I’m always amazed too when I look at the skies in paintings of the old masters.
John Constable painted some amazing skies too. He did a series of studies that are just beautiful.
Yes, I love Constable for his trees and skies. Also the Irish artist Paul Henry who painted the skies in Connemara.
Ah, Paul Henry painted Donegal too. I love his work.
I like the consistency of your palette in all the paintings. It really makes them work together as a defined group depicting a specific place.
Thank you, Alli.
What a wonderful places
Thank you, Marylou
[…] This is a footnote to Sunday’s post about A Donegal year. […]