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Boat on Rossbeg Beach, Donegal

Painting of Rossbeg Beach

The west coast of Ireland is dotted with islands, big and small but also plenty of sea stacks. Perhaps, they were once sea arches, I am not sure. If they were the crown of the arch fell in to create these majestic pillars. They can be seen from miles away. Even on misty days. This one, Tormore (in the painting above and below) is miles away, near a very remote location called Glenlough Bay. There is something exciting and other worldly and timeless about  it.

Rossbeg Beach, Donegal
Rossbeg Beach, Donegal (Photo credit:Emma Cownie)

 

Rossbeg (sometimes spelt Rosbeg) is a tiny townland on the west coast of Donegal, just three miles south-west of Portnua and Nairn. This is the Dawros Peninsula. There is a pier and a scattering of houses, some are modern, but many are old cottages, probably used as holiday lets.

Road above Rossbeg Beach:- Phot Credit Séamas Johnston
Road above Rossbeg Beach:- Photo Credit Séamas Johnston

There is another beach around the corner too.

Rossbeg on the Map
Rossbeg on the Map
Boat on Rossbeg Beach: Photo Credit - Emma Cownie
Boat on Rossbeg Beach: Photo Credit:- Emma Cownie
Rossbeg Beach, Donegal
Rossbeg Beach, Donegal (Tide further in): Photo Credit:Emma Cownie

 

Rossbeg postcard
https://www.johnhindecollection.com

 

The beach and the view is just perfect. The water is so very clear that the rocks and seaweed are visible from quite some distance from the shore.

Rossbeg Pier (From Marina.com) note the cows on the baech
Rossbeg Pier (From Marina.com) note the cows on the baech
Rossbeg Pier (From Marina.com) note the cows on the baech
Rossbeg Pier (From Marina.com) You can see the seaweed from up high too!
Rossbeg Beach:- Photo Credit Séamas Johnston
Rossbeg Beach:- Photo Credit Séamas Johnston

Boat on Rossbeg Beach, Donegal, painting by Emma Cownie

Boat on Rossbeg Beach, Donegal, painting by Emma Cownie

Buy the painting here 

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Back in Donegal

I have decided that perfect is the enemy of good, and I need to give up on the idea that I should write lengthy blogs posts, as I end up writing nothing! So here goes,

Donegal Paintings
Two grey scale paintings

One of the many great things about being back in West Donegal is that I can paint much larger paintings as my art studio is much bigger here than in Derry. So I now have two on the go!

Donegal Greyscale #1
Donegal Greyscale #1

These are both painted in acrylic paint. I find it easier to make adjustment in the value/tones in acrylic before I move onto a layer of oil as a final layer. Acrylic can act as a foundation layer for oil, but not the other way around. I had forgotten how physically tiring painting a large painting is.  My arms are tired!

Donegal Greyscale #2
Donegal Greyscale #2

 

If you want to know about Greyscaling and why I have adopted this technique since moving to Ireland please see my post “Adventures In Acrylic Paint” 

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The Image of Him

I painted this post fauvist portrait of my husband, Seamas, as a birthday present. The strange thing is that the further the way one steps from the painting, the more it resembles him!? I called it the “Image of Him” because some have said I have also “caught” his resemblance to his father in this portrait also. Hence ,as they say back in N Ireland where Seamas hails from, he is the “image of him!”

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