Pictured with friend and painter extraordinaire Twyla Gettert.

"Inch Beach" (24"x36" on metal) won third place last month in the 3rd Annual Collaborative Exhibit of the National League of American Pen Women - Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton Branches). 

This seascape was taken during my Artist is Residency in Ireland. We arrived just after sunset and I was captivated by the convergence of clouds in the sky, land and sea. Thanks for viewing.

Honored that "Long Room" was juried into this prestigious exhibit. Extra honored since my works have been juried into all previous annual Art & Stroll exhibits. It was an action-filled evening of art, artists, art lovers, fabulous food, music and street art. 
Click on the link to see some of the fun. If interested in Long Room, 24 x 36 inches on metal, let me know or acquire via Business For the Arts Broward site.

Note Cards, Matted Prints, Book and Wall Art, Oh My . . . It will be here before we know it. Consider surprising your Irish friends and/or those who love all things Irish with fine art taken during my Artist Residency to the Wild Atlantic Way. See the Ireland Collection for your favorite prints. Perhaps an 8 x 10 matted print or see the Store to get them all the image in the coffee-table sized, high-gloss photobook. ​Contact me via the website or email direct and I'll get right back. Go raibh maith agat!

River Feale, Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland ...part of the Ireland Gallery

Exactly a year ago tonight the lovely folks of Lovely Listowel came out to celebrate - my visit, my art, perhaps even me. I was and still am touched by all the wonderful friends I made in just a short month during my artist residency at Olive Stack Gallery. And, I countinue to be grateful to Olive Stack who invited me here. Celebrating in Listowel is a community affair. And, it took a community for the exhibit to even happen. Just the week before I wasn't sure if I would even have an exhibit. And, then the magic of Listowel took over when I simply said "Yes" it is done, it is to be, with an open, loving and expecting heart. 

The morning of the week before that last Friday I would be in Listowel, the night of the exhibit, I didn't have a printer, access to mats, media coverage, invitations, refreshments planned or anything else one needs to hold an exhibit. By shortly after 6 pm that night it was all in place and I was off to enjoy friends at the 6 - 9 Club at John B. Keane's Pub.

It all came together organically. Even though I had taken over 5,500 images by months end, professional photography labs weren't to be found in Ireland. Thanks to Mary O Flaherty of Chic Boutique the solution walked through the gallery door one morning, as the saying goes, just in the nick of time. Mary had sent Dillon Boyer, who had founded the local photo club many years ago, to drop-by and say hello. Dillon, a kind soul,  is a wealth of knowledge about life and photography. He shared his contacts for printing and cutting mats to size who just happened to be in England. Miraculously everyone turned the orders around in about a half a day when it should have taken five. However, no one would guarantee the delivery date simply saying it was out of their hands and up to the Royal Mail. Again, what was to take days took only one or two. That same day I went to the Friday Farmers' Market in the town center and saw Caroline Rigney of Rigney's Farm and Bed and Breakfast. She told me which newspapers to purchase and who to call at the local media. Calls were made and press releases emailed by the end of the day and by the following mid-week the article was in the weekly paper. Two days before the exhibit opening photos and mats were delivered and now it was up to me to mat, sign and package the 35 prints. Earlier in the week Invitations were printed at the local printing and computer repair shop. Store owners graciously agreed to display them on their front counters. I called the manager of the local grocery a couple days before, gave him my budget and left it to him to decide what wine to deliver.

It's the afternoon of the exhibit. The matted prints are on the wall. The wine and glasses are delivered (with the promise to pick-up glasses after the event). And, three lovely ladies stroll in like sunshine. It's Mary Lynch and her girls of Lynch Bakery (home to my daily cappaccino) all smiles as they deliver trays of fresh baked goodies and finger sandwiches. Then there is that moment when you wonder will anyone actually show up. And, by 5 pm the gallery is filling up. Laughter. Hugs. Good cheer. New dear Friends, who I feel I've known forever, show up one after another. Many take a little bit of my heart with them through photography sales. And, even sweet Ann, who has gifted me with wool scarfs, a photography book of Listowel's history and never enough chats, and who has just delivered her latest sweet "hero", comes directly from the hospital to be there.   

And, on this anniversary of being blessed with so much love I want to continue the blessings. For one week only, though November 4, all photographs in the Ireland gallery are on sale, 20 % off plus $2 shipping. Normally $60 all 8X10 and 8X12 (size depends on the image) are a total price of $50. For those in Listowel, your orders will be delivered to Mary O Flaherty, who has already placed her order and graciously offered to receive the shipment. Orders will be shipped in plenty of time to give as Christmas gifts.  

Now there are 66 images to select from in the Ireland Gallery. A year ago there were only 25 at the exhibit. Hope you find one or a few that touch your heart as you all have touched mine.
​
Love, From My Heart!
~Phoenix

24X36 on Aluminized Metal
Juried into "Global Connections" exhibit at Broward Art Guild that opens tonight, 6 - 9pm. Show runs through June 16.

Life is magical, even though most of us, including myself, often overlook it. It's so easy to get caught-up in what's not going right (i.e. as we expected it, our way), the noise from so many outside of us (news of the day, others' complaints) and our own negative mind talk. However, during my artist residency at Olive Stack Gallery in Listowel, Ireland this past October the magic was difficult to miss. My first visit to Ballybunion, a coastal town and seaside resort in County Kerry, Ireland, is a great illustration.

Not brave enough, or was it good common sense, I chose not to rent a car while there. Between driving on the "wrong" side of the street, narrow roads that are mostly unlit, and driving in the dark for sunrise and sunset photographs, I chose to hire the amazing Damian and/or rely on the goodness of others to get to places beyond walking distance. 

The first day I arrived, Olive asked me what I hoped to do while there. Among other places, I wanted to photographs sunrise and sunset landscapes. Everything unfolded from that moment. Olive was busy getting ready for an exhibit in America that she was leaving for in about one-and-a-half weeks; although, she didn't forget our conversation. Day 6 of my trip she let me know that she asked her son to drive me to Ballybunion as soon as the gallery closed at 6pm. 

It was a perfect day and turned out to be an equally perfect night. Perfect to me while there meant weather was a little chilly and skies were clear. Of course, I loved it all, cold days, overcast days, soft rain days, early morning fog days.  A resort town, Ballybunion was about a 10 minute drive away and 40 minutes to sunset that night. Unlike what most photogs profess to do, I did little preparation for the photo shoot. I was in a carefree, let's see where the universe leads space. Where ever John dropped me off was fine. I had two hours to explore until Olive was going to pick me up somewhere near the beach. 

With the summer over, the Seaweed Baths and many of the beach side restaurants were mostly closed. No problem, there were three beaches to explore. I started walking from where he dropped me off to what I learned was called "the women's beach" where I saw a young girl riding her horse. Looking up I couldn't miss the remnants of the castle overlooking the ocean. The castle called; I followed walking up a steep hill to the "men's beach" overlook. I set up my tripod in first one place and then moved to another until I found the best position for the photograph I envisioned. I like to compose photographs in the camera rather than do extensive cropping afterwards. This ensure I get the highest resolution for the largest image later. To me it was aligning the castle so that the little light from the lighthouse across the water in County Claire showed along with the cliffs to the right of the "women's beach". I loved the natural curve.

And, then I simply enjoyed the sunset. Sunset actually comes in many phases. Most people, including photographers, leave once the golden light show disappears. I kept clicking my camera every few minutes even after the sun went below the horizon. New colors often light-up the sky. I felt like a child playing in the sandbox only my sandbox was standing behind the camera and clicking away with joy. I waited longer for the special blue light phase. Of course, every sunset is different;  not all are equally spectacular. And, if you don't show up you never know.

This night magic was in the air; I wasn't disappointed. By now it's almost pitch black and I had to find my way to the road. And, along the path I met a lovely lady who just happened to be the sister of the woman who owns the Seaweed Bath House and restaurant. We had a nice little chat as she showed me the way. And, when we arrived at the top of the hill street-side, Olive had just driven up. 

Feeling led the entire evening, I am so grateful for all who "conspired" so the magic came out to play this night. Hope you feel it in the photograph too.

Where do I begin? It seems too long since I last wrote you about my amazing and magical adventures in lovely Listowel, Co Kerry, Ireland. Since then I was on a mad dash to pull everything together for the photography exhibition at Olive Stack Gallery, hold part 3 of the photography workshop, actually have the photography exhibit, welcome the new artist, pack-in all I could with Tour A Lura Irish Tours director Damian Stack in my last weekend , play with new friend Caroline Rigney of Rigney's Farm and celebrate with more new girlfriends from the John B Keane pub's 6 - 9 Club thanks to the generosity of Caroline Stricks. And, then of course, it was time to pack and take the bus to Dublin to catch the flight home on the other side of the pond with an unexpected extra day there to visit Book of Kells at Trinity College. Much to my surprise, I returned rather tired. Perhaps a case of a combination of jet lag, legitimately tired (I have no idea why :) ), returning to a house that still has to have renovations from a major water leak and mold, and back to the thankfully already active art season here.

​In fact, as I write this post, I'm minutes away from leaving for final meeting on arrangements for Endanger Exhibit to be held at end of this month as part of Art Basel in South Florida and pick-up my works for the Fort Lauderdale Home Show this weekend. More on this in another post.

​And, about "Mind Your Self". This is one of those unique sayings (well for me anyways) that I heard repeatedly throughout my visit in Ireland. At first I wasn't sure if this was a positive phrase or an admonishment. Friends and strangers alike said it as they parted. I came to feel it was a term of endearment, kind of  like "look out for yourself" because we care for you.

​As I write this I see there is much to catch up with and I promise you more in-depth on each of these subset experiences. Although, I didn't seem to have the energy to write blog posts I did get almost completely caught-up on editing my favorite images from more than 5,500 photographs from the trip. Creating that new photography gallery on this website is on my "to do list".

​In the meantime, please enjoy Day 31. It started with Caroline Rigney picking me up at the gallery and  driving to her farm, Rigney's Farm. Rigney's Farmhouse is a handsome Irish country B&B, totally hand build by Caroline and her husband Joe (who was one of my photography students) in West County Limerick. Along the drive we passed the mighty Shannon River and some amazing views. Hospitality is surely Caroline's middle name. Once at her home we enjoyed a couple of cups of coffee and sweet lemon cake, a gift from one of Ireland's top bakers. Then it was off to feed the pigs and other animals on her real working Irish farm. For me that meant a new kind of photography adventure. Rigney's neighbor is Curraghchase Forest Park, 700 acres of pristine nature and woods. Caroline knew I would love walking and photographing this special place. Curraghchase House was the home of Sir Aubrey de Vere, parliamentarian and poet (1788-1846) and friend to William Wordsworth and Alfred Lord Tennyson. Here I along with many others had opportunity to sit in his mediation chair looking out on this nature treasure. Dusk seemed to come too early. Back at the farm, I was the honored guest for a delicious meal made from farm raised meat and greens. I'm not sure I've ever tasted a more flavor rich salad.

​I was double blessed this day. Carol Stricks held a little dinner gathering at her house. It was intimate with nine women around the dining room table. Stories and laughs filled the air.

Until next time...Mind Your Self!
With Love, From My Heart!
​~Phoenix