My Second-Ever Book! Urban Sketchers Handbook: “Drawing Expressive...
I am exceedingly excited to tell you that my new book is available for pre-order from Amazon. It’s one of the next books in the Urban Sketchers Handbook series, and it’s called Drawing Expressive...
View ArticleLiving in Lockdown: Clown Family (Day 54)
Wednesday 6th May I give my zoom class to a group of engaged and dedicated students. It is a taster class and I have nearly 30 participants. The only drawback is that there are too many people to get...
View ArticleLounging In Lockdown…Book Is Done (Day 55)
I am Lounging In Lockdown, because I handed in my latest book for publication the other day. Yes, I know I have mentioned this before now but I am going to milk it for a while longer! My dear husband...
View ArticleZoom Class: Foliage, Near, Middle and Far
Saturday 9th May So…I started my new Zoom class with a group of students from all over the world. There are occasional tech issues, but somehow we get over the speedwobbles and manage to have two hours...
View ArticleLiving in Lockdown: Eugene Delacroix And Our Sketching Heritage
Every week, the Urban Sketching organisation hosts an hour of talks with some favourite sketchers from around the world. This Sunday gone was the turn of Mário Linhares and Hugo Costa, bot from...
View ArticleLoosely Locked Down: Day 60
I say “loosely” locked down, because we can travel 5km from our home now, and by next Monday certain shops will be open. I might be able to buy a vital piece of plumbing paraphernalia, which would mean...
View ArticleLoosely Locked Down (Day 62)
Saturday 16th May Today in my Zoom class I show some great students the benefits of a limited palette. I really enjoy spending time with them, albeit through a fibre optic cable connection. It is great...
View ArticleLoosely Locked Down, Day 64
Monday 18th May At long last my face masks are available for sale. Forgive me, I know masks are a symbol of this awful time, but I wanted them to be completely perfect. Black elastic with a navy, red,...
View ArticleLife In A Pandemic, Day 67
Saturday 23rd May I work on Saturdays until quite late, too late to start cooking dinner. So my husband Marcel cooks on Saturday. I thought it would be nice to capture him in action in the kitchen, and...
View ArticleZoom: Join the Party!
Tuesday 26th May I emerge from my studio late this afternoon into a tranquil garden scene. The sun is still warm, even though it is time to start cooking dinner. I have just spent two hours teaching a...
View ArticleArt for Beginners on Zoom
Humans are creative. You are, I am, we all are. In the busy-ness of life, it can be hard to scratch the creative itch: but sketching is a lovely way to satisfy your creative urge. You can take your...
View ArticleSunshine in Lockdown, Day 69
Thursday 28th May Summer seems to have arrived in Galway. Everything is green and lush and it’s much too hot for anyone in their right mind to go for a walk from about 11.00am (only because we’re not...
View ArticleStill Loosely Locked Down – Day 72
Locked down, still? Yes. We can go no further than 5km from our homes, unless it’s for shopping or essential work. That hasn’t stopped much of Ireland from piling into their cars and travelling across...
View ArticleStill Locked Down, Day 73
It couldn’t last forever. The beautiful harmony we had enjoyed as a family for three whole months of being cooped up together cracked, and after a dinner that had taken me hours to cook one of my kids...
View ArticleLast Day of Lockdown, Day 79
I am sewing a lot of pencil cases at the moment. They are gifts for the generous artists who contributed their work to my new book, Urban Sketcher’s Handbook – Drawing Expressive People, because I...
View ArticleClams and Mussels, Alive Alive Oh!
My brother Malachy paid us a visit. He bought clams and mussels from the guys down the road. They harvest them down at the shore where I sat on wet sand and sketched the other day, and bring them back...
View ArticleElderflower Loveliness
It’s elderflower season in Galway. years ago I used to make elderflower cordial, but I have passed the baton on to my younger daughter Olivia (15), who is as domestically-goddess as I ever was, with...
View ArticleLearn To Sketch From Life – Through Zoom!
Last March, I was teaching art to children, and the class was into its third or fourth session. One day, as I was wrapping up class, one of the mums approached me. “My friend works in the health...
View ArticleSinging Through The Storm
Monday 15th June It is hot today. We have been spoiled with amazing weather lately, but then some wretched wind came in from the Arctic and we got cold again. Now the good weather has returned. I...
View ArticleThe Grass Is Greener…
Thursday 18th June Paddy (18) wants to visit Galway City. He hasn’t been in town for three months, whereas we used to go once every couple of weeks. “I just want to go in and get a quiche from the...
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