"It's Raining Outside" by Lynda Cookson

"It's Raining Outside" is an instant download image from an original oil painting on board by Lynda Cookson.

The original painting is for sale as well and can be found HERE : "It's Raining Outside"

Sitting in a hotel conservatory one rainy day in Co Galway (Connemara) Ireland, with the rain spattering loudly on the glass of the conservatory, the only happy subject to be painted was a stunning potted plant of white geraniums. This is it. It captures both the beauty of the flowers and the wet feeling of the rainy day.

To purchase the original of "It's Raining Outside" CLICK HERE

or

To purchase the instant digital image download of "It's Raining Outside" CLICK HERE

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https://www.etsy.com/shop/CooksonPhotography/

and

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LyndaCooksonStudio

or join us on Facebook here

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"Irish Cottage" by Lynda Cookson

Everyone has a soft spot for Ireland and you can still find quaint old thatched roof cottages like this one, set in beautiful flower gardens, in villages all around Ireland.

The link here is to an instant image download of "Irish Cottage" but the original is also available as it's just dry enough now to go into stock. Oil on stretched canvas.

To purchase the original of "Irish Cottage" CLICK HERE

or

To purchase the instant digital image download of "Irish Cottage" CLICK HERE

To purchase the original of "Irish Cottage" CLICK HERE

or

To purchase the instant digital image download of "Irish Cottage" CLICK HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CooksonPhotography/

and

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LyndaCooksonStudio

or join us on Facebook here

https://www.facebook.com/pg/HomeAndOfficeWallDecor/

"Ruin Above the Mist" by Lynda Cookson

"Ruin Above the Mist" was inspired by the wide open spaces, the big skies, where ancient ruins watch out over the lands in Ireland.

It's damp and cool where the blues, greens and grey rule. Crispness dominates in both temperature and view clarity. Ireland breaks all the gauges when it comes to measuring beauty ... too much to measure!

"Ruin Above the Mist" can be downloaded here, just CLICK

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CooksonPhotography/

and

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LyndaCooksonStudio

or join us on Facebook here

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"Finding My Haven" is an abstract oil painting, in size about 24" x 28" (62 x 77 cm). I've never exhibited it as it was painted at a time of extreme vulnerability for me and I feel it shows too much of my inner turmoil at that time. I realise that it's very likely only me who can see that turmoil, but nevertheless it's only now I feel I can really put it out there.

Together with my husband, I had been caring for my 90 year old mother for some years, whilst trying to find my feet in Ireland. We had emigrated from South Africa and, although very happy to be in Ireland, felt a little lonely and every inch a "blow in". A "blow in" is a stranger in the land.

It's hardly much of a generalisation to say that everything in the northern hemisphere is different to that of the southern hemisphere. Geography, history, how languages are spoken, perceptions, the stars, the sun, the moon, weather, animals, plants ... you name it, and there are more differences than there are similarities. Even the smells and, for an artist, the basic colours, are different. It's quite an onslaught on the senses. Most of all, cultures are different and I found myself almost like a little animal, trying to sniff out my boundaries of how and where I might find a place to belong.

Caring for a very elderly person whose dementia rapidly developed into Altzheimers is quite tough. Especially when it's your mother and the care needs to be literally 24/7. To put it in a nutshell, it is draining. Very draining indeed when you don't feel all that secure in your own environment at the same time.

This all sounds very negative. It's not. We were happy and willingly took on all these challenges. We did get tired though!

It was during one of these tired periods that a friend gave me a break and I spent a week in her unoccupied apartment, overlooking Galway Bay, where I had time to reflect, to recharge my batteries ... and to paint "Finding My Haven".

Recently, I have been in touch with Hillary Mulholland, a poet who attended the same school as I did a few decades ago in South Africa. I sent her an image of "Finding My Haven" for her to work her word-magic. When she sent me her poem I felt like she had been watching me emigrate and battle with those demons; she seemed able to follow my path for those years and recognise when I took another step. She had seen inside to the soul of "Finding My Haven"

Lynda
 

Feet uprooted from the soil of birth

Heart torn from familiar air and earth

Soul in flight to distant shores

Uncertainty hovers, drips then pours ...

Moving ahead boldly then reluctant return....

Where will I love and what will I spurn

Stark deserted desert dunes.....

Ravaged once resplendent ruins....

Torpid tropical tangled trees....

Craven cold city that cares nor sees....

Unwelcome hands and hostile stares

In vanquished villager hope still glares

Sophisticated settler shares the same

Unending unnerving guessing game

Balmy beautiful broken beach

Moody mountains beyond my reach

Where the wind of humanity blows

And humility like a river flows

Here I will find my haven .......

Hillary

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My art website : https://lyndacookson.blogspot.fr

The ePlan : https://onlinepresenceassistant.blogspot.com/

"Ruin in Connemara" by Lynda Cookson

This is my second attempt at the same watercolour theme where I tried to be more controlled ... and I think I like the other one better! Ce la vie!

While editing the image I tried to Auto Color facility and preferred that too. I've included that image too below and it is the one with darker and more rich colours.

Painting no. 23 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge
"Ruin in Connemara"
Watercolour on Paper
10" x 14" (26 cm x 36 cm)

"Ruin in Connemara" unedited 

"Ruin in Connemara" using the Auto Color facility

My website : http://lyndacookson.blogspot.fr/p/30-paintings-in-30-days-challenge.html

"Cottage in the Hills" by Lynda Cookson

This was a double challenge for me - watercolour is always a challenge and "Cottage in the Hills" is Painting no. 22 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.

Inspired by my years living in Connemara, Ireland :

"Cottage in the Hills"
Watercolour on Paper
10" x 14" (25 cm x 36 cm)

"Cottage in the Hills" by Lynda Cookson

All paintings in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge are for sale here :

http://lyndacookson.blogspot.fr/p/30-paintings-in-30-days-challenge.html

Dipped in Cream

A palette knife was used in this painting to mainly to move the white background to places I wanted it to be. The other colours were dropped in.

"Dipped in Cream" is now at The Gaslamp Gallery in Gorey, Co. Wexford, Ireland and will be featured in their Spring exhibition.

The Gaslamp Gallery : http://www.thegaslampgallery.com

 "Dipped in Cream" by Lynda Cookson

Detail of  "Dipped in Cream" by Lynda Cookson

Detail of  "Dipped in Cream" by Lynda Cookson

My website : https://lyndacookson.blogspot.fr

Pair of Petunias

It's amazing how often a palette knife is picked up and used during the creation of mixed-tool paintings.

"Petunia Pair" - which is now being exhibited by The Gaslamp Gallery in Gorey, Co. Wexford, Ireland - is just such an example. The white background was spread with my favourite palette knife and bits and parts of the flowers were encouraged into place using that same palette knife ... and the other tools are a mystery! LOL Simply because I can't remember what I used!!

So often a painting is created while I'm in a sort of arty farty daze, instinctively using whatever medium or tool is necessary to create the final effect ... and, like a chef who doesn't use a recipe, it's hard to remember what was used, when someone asks at the end of the process!

You can access The Gaslamp Gallery website here: http://www.thegaslampgallery.com/
(You won't find my paintings up on the gallery at the moment as they are being held back for a Spring launching ... but they're there ... just ask!)

"Pair of Petunias" by Lynda Cookson

My website : https://lyndacookson.blogspot.fr

"Wait for me!"

"Wait for me!"
Print SOLD!
Thank you Buyer in Ireland!

I have quite a few paintings on show on Fine Art America ... and "Wait for me!" recently sold as a print, from that site, to a buyer in Ireland. "Wait for me!" was most definitely set in Ireland ... we spend 14 years there, in Connemara, before moving to Brittany in France.

Please visit my Show Page at Fine Art America HERE.

"Wait for me!" by Lynda Cookson

http://wildsummers.com/

Lynda-Cookson.artistwebsites.com 

http://PaintingsOnImpulse.blogspot.com 

http://PaletteKnifePainters.blogspot.com

http://www.Facebook.com/PaletteKnifePaintersWorldwide

http://www.Facebook.com/LyndaCooksonArtist

http://www.Facebook.com/LyndaCooksonDesigns 

http://www.Facebook.com/PaintingSales

http://www.Facebook.com/PaintingProgression

http://www.Facebook.com/ArtBloggers 

www.facebook.com/MySoapBox

https://twitter.com/lyndacookson

"Piggy Sam"

At the turn of the century, when we had just emigrated from SA to Ireland, and I was battling to absorb my new cool environment, I turned to humour in painting and created the Musical Piggy Collection. "Piggy Sue" and "Buddy Hoggy" were followed by "Pig Floyd" and "The Carpiggers". Finally - "Piggy Sam" whose slim connection to music came from "Play it again Sam"

"Piggy Sam" by Lynda Cookson

http://wildsummers.com/

Lynda-Cookson.artistwebsites.com 

http://PaintingsOnImpulse.blogspot.com 

http://PaletteKnifePainters.blogspot.com

http://www.Facebook.com/PaletteKnifePaintersWorldwide

http://www.Facebook.com/LyndaCooksonArtist

http://www.Facebook.com/LyndaCooksonDesigns 

http://www.Facebook.com/PaintingSales

http://www.Facebook.com/PaintingProgression

http://www.Facebook.com/ArtBloggers 

www.facebook.com/MySoapBox

https://twitter.com/lyndacookson

"Breaking Through"

"Breaking Through" ... I love this abstract. I can feel the sun, the warmth of that sun, a warm evening sky, the sea, and the white foam of the waves.

A residency at the restored stone cottage famine village of Cill Rialaig, near Ballinskelligs in Co Kerry, Ireland, was the inspiration for this acrylic on board. The strong winter wind whipped the foam from the top of the waves and blew it against the cliffs. That, together with the sense of all the ancient (and not so ancient) lives lived there created a very spiritual atmosphere. Absolutely wonderful weather and wonderful inspiration!

"Breaking Through" is for sale HERE ... or just click the image and you'll be taken through to the correct page where you'll find the price and the size of the painting.

"Breaking Through" by Lynda Cookson

http://wildsummers.com/

Lynda-Cookson.artistwebsites.com 

http://PaintingsOnImpulse.blogspot.com 

http://PaletteKnifePainters.blogspot.com

http://www.Facebook.com/PaletteKnifePaintersWorldwide

http://www.Facebook.com/LyndaCooksonArtist

http://www.Facebook.com/LyndaCooksonDesigns 

http://www.Facebook.com/PaintingSales

http://www.Facebook.com/PaintingProgression

http://www.Facebook.com/ArtBloggers 

www.facebook.com/MySoapBox

https://twitter.com/wild_summers

https://twitter.com/lyndacookson

http://stores.ebay.com/thepainterspaletteoriginalar

Traveling and Painting

We've just left on a 102 day trip in parts of Ireland, a bit of the UK, Galicia, Portugal, lots more Spain and the final three weeks in France. Want to join us for the ride? Follow us on http://RoadTripsWithMilly.blogspot.ie

Looking forward to meeting you in the comments!

A taster for you from the Irish part so far:

Cake Sculpture of Oscar Wilde by Lynda Cookson (7 minute version of video)

http://www.youtube.com/v/WzjDwRT5bGc?autohide=1&version=3&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=xN3urtGSrJnCBwVhLJk_Og&autoplay=1&autohide=1&feature=share

This is the video, taken by Eileen Lauster of Buster Drive Productions, in May 2012. Watch in on YouTube here : http://youtu.be/RhCZPc84_94

Oops .... but what the heck!

Oh dear. I called the Flaggy Shore "Fraggy Bay". But I like Fraggy Bay. Call it artist's licence?