The Association embracing realist art (AERA)
​  I am delighted to have been invited to join the AERA who's goals are -
   Create realist visual art
   Help raise the standards in art today
​   Hold presentations and teaching programmes to spread the word and show off realist art skills
    Organise solo exhibitions or jointly with other members
​   Promote the movement via social media and the press
​   

  One of my most recent paintings entitled  ' Mountain Pass' , it is the gap of Dunloe, Kerry, in winter

  Spring is here but it's a very wet one in Ireland! The birds are busy building nests and blossom is coming out on the cherry tree in my garden but the ground is too wet for much gardening. I have been busy though and I have entered some of my paintings into open art competitions/exhibitions. The first one has gone well as my painting 'the Weir on the river Suir' has made it through to the longlist at the Jackson's open art in the UK. There is an opportunity for the public to vote if anyone is interested this is the link     jacksonspaintingprize.com
This is my entry-
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                                                   'The Weir on the river Suir'    oil on linen   20"x30"

 Asgard Arts
​ I am very pleased to have been invited to be represented by a  UK gallery and you can view a collection of my paintings on their online gallery -
asgard-arts.com​   
​  They also have a gallery on amazon and ebay

 I have just finished designing a new page for my limited edition prints. I have 18 prints available now, all of which can be purchased by mail order (please telephone me first on : 087 210 6569 ) and some of the prints can also be purchased on my online shopping page. All the prices include P&P and owing to a recent better packing solution some of the print prices are lower than before.
Throughout the year I will again be taken a stall at selected events in Ireland where prints can be purchased directly from me, often at special show prices. I also always have a lovely selection of my high quality artist's greetings cards on the stall. Keep an eye on this 'News' page for upcoming events. Thank you to all the people who I met at last years shows and I hope you like the new prints.
​    Sarah 
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  Thank you every one who came to my solo exhibition at Kilcock art Gallery and helped to make the show a success. The show is continuing for a few more weeks, Wednesday - Saturday.
The lovely mild Autumn we have had in Ireland is gently going and it's getting colder and much more festive as we get closer to Christmas time. I will be having a stall at the Ballymaloe craft & design festival again this year, this time I will have a double stall in the Craigauan room (attached to the Grainstore) and I will have a large range of new limited edition prints with special show savings.
​ For the first time I will also have a range of Christmas cards as well as my landscape & wildlife greetings cards. As an extra to the cards I can frame any of the greetings while you wait for 12.95 for the small bird cards or 14.95 for the large A5 cards, this price includes the card, mount and a gold frame (with a choice of bright gold or antique finish), these make a lovely gift for Christmas.

 Tomorrow is the opening preview of my solo exhibition at Kilcock art gallery, if anyone would like to come along you would be most welcome. The exhibition has landscapes, wildlife and horses in oils and watercolour. the details are-
​  3pm-5:30pm
​  Kilcock art gallery
 School street,
  Kilcock, Co. Kildare
​  The exhibition runs until the end of October

 Sometimes I am lucky to find a place that has an abundance of artistic inspiration for me and it's like finding a rich seam of gold. One such place is the stretch of the river Suir as it winds it's way into the village of Golden (near Cashel) and on to the ruins of Athassel Abbey. Several of the paintings in my forthcoming exhibition at Kilcock art gallery are from this beautiful area of the Country. In the early spring I painted the 'Willows by the Suir' on the approach to Golden. The river looked like burnished silver in the morning light as it  broke through  the clouds. I tried to capture the fresh delicate green of the grass and the golden flush of new leaves on the willows.

 In High summer I painted the weir further down stream from golden village. The river is broad here and reflective as it slows before the weir. Wildlife abounds along the river banks, I saw kingfishers, dragon & damsel flies and much more. 

 In early autumn when the trees were just getting some colour I painted by Athassel abbey. I painted the river from the shallows of a ford (wading out in bare feet to sketch and take photo's). The river banks and bed is quite sandy here and of a lovely warm reddish colour and lends an autumnal warmth to the whole scene.

 I also painted a small painting of the path by the abbey, despite it's ruined state the abbey has a wonderful feeling of history and made me think of all the other feet that might have trod that same path.

 The date of my exhibition called 'Scattered with light' is getting closer. I got the title from a poem by Robert Bridges. I think he also loved nature and the line 'Awake!, the land is scattered with light' conjures up a simple yet beautiful sense of wonder about the natural world.
​  In the exhibition as you can see if you watch the slide show on this site or go to the gallery's new website www.kilcockartgallery.ie, I have oil paintings of wildlife, landscape and horses from the countryside around my home in county Tipperary and other places in Ireland that I have visited over the last three years such as County Wicklow, Kerry,Laois and Cork.
​   The internet is a great way to showcase your paintings and too keep in touch with people who like your work, but nothing can replace actually seeing the paintings hung in a good, friendly gallery like Kilcock. I hope anyone who is interested will try and get to see them if not at the preview reception on September the 30th 3-5:30, then sometime after as the exhibition runs until the end of October. But why not come along on the preview and enjoy a glass of wine and good company while you look at the paintings! There's no pressure to buy so every one is welcome. If anyone would like an invitation card sent just contact me via the contact page or the gallery (you don't need an invitation to come but they are nice to have).
​   As well as my oil paintings there will be some of my watercolour studies of birds and oil sketches of horses.
​ A big thank you to everyone who has helped me in putting this exhibition together from those who let me walk on there land or photograph/sketch their animals to Breda at the Gallery for all her support and guidance.
  Sarah
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  I have added a couple of new oil paintings to the slide show of my forthcoming show at Kilcock art gallery and some sketches a few in oils but most in watercolour. I will have the final paintings up on the slide show over the next few weeks so I am almost there!   

   This coming Saturday (26th August) I will have a stand at the Iverk show, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny. I will have special offers and a range of new limited edition prints available of landscapes and wildlife plus a large selection of greetings cards of my work. I haven't been before but it seems very well organized and it says it is Irelands oldest agricultural show founded in 1826 ! 

 I have just updated my website with paintings and details of my forthcoming exhibition on September 30th at Kilcock art gallery (Phew! that took hours). If you have any questions you can contact the gallery or me if you prefer. The title for this exhibition was inspired by a line in a poem by Robert Bridges-
'Awake! The land is scattered with light'
As I am always drawn to the effect of light on the landscape and I have a deep love of nature, the words seemed just right.  As many of you know my paintings take a long time to complete and it means a long break between solo shows, so I hope you can make it for the opening preview (wine reception) or sometime during the month it will run.
​ I am still going to add a few more images so check back again if you can.
​ Sarah
​          'Barn Owl at sunset'

 The sun is shining and summer is really here. I got three new paintings to add for my solo exhibition at Kilcock art Gallery later this year (provisionally Sunday the 1st October). Once again I am only showing  part of the painting for now.

The third of these-'Birch trees' I have made a step by step guide to show how I painted it, you can view it as a slide show.

 Summer Shows
  This weekend, June 24th &5th, I will have a stall at the Charleville show County Cork with my limited edition prints- Framed & unframed- and greetings cards. I will have some super show prices and new items.
​ Then the following weekend I will be at the Clonmel show County Tipperary on Sunday 2nd July with the same.
​ Then I shall put my feet up for a few days!