Double the trouble? NO. Twice the fun!
Wednesday
Glorious Greyhounds
Friday
Song; Summer Patchwork Quilt
Patchwork Quilt Song & Lyrics by
Sheena Meagher
Feb 2025
My mother knit a patchwork
quilt one Summer
Embroidered all our names
on fields of purl
Each coloured patch a
memory of her laughter
And now she’s gone I’m
weaving my own quilt
Chorus
Quilt of laughter, quilt
so bright
For the days and for the
nights
So light and yet so strong
Quilt of comfort
Quilt so warm
Sure protection from the
storms
That’s my patchwork quilt
I’m weaving joyful yellows
whites and azures
With heartfelt greens and
deepest reds and blues
When I encounter murky
shades and ochres
I stitch them round with
clear and stronger hues
Sometimes a song, a place,
a tune or perfume
Will catch my heart, my
eyes, my thoughts, my soul
And I’m transported to
that patch of memory
Reliving moments that were
dear to me
My mother knit a patchwork
quilt one Summer
Embroidered all our names
on fields of purl
Each coloured patch a
memory of her laughter
And now she’s gone I’m
making my own quilt
Yes now she’s gone I’m
making my own quilt
*purl is the name of a stitch in knitting
Thursday
Portraits of Lola and Amber; Portraits of two dogs
Lola; a very loving and energetic lab, going a little grey,
aged 6, with a distinctive white blaze. Her portrait shows Lola looking like
she is laughing at something- and yet relaxed. Her coat is gleaming.
This portrait is one of a pair,
Amber is Lola’s companion. As a pair the portraits relate to each other, while giving each dog their own space.
Chinese inks on deep edged canvas.
Testimonial from their owner;
Fantastic Paintings by Sheena Meagher
I asked Sheena if she would do a painting of our
two lovely rescue dogs, Amber and Lola, as a present to celebrate my husband’s
birthday. I knew Sheena’s work and knew her love of dogs,
especially rascally rescue dogs, so was delighted when she agreed.
Sheena came over to the house when Noel was away to get
to know the dogs. The dogs were very excited at first with a new visitor,
especially one who was so fond of dogs herself. But they soon relaxed after
their initial welcoming ceremony and settled themselves next to each other on
the sofa in the sun room in their usual positions to see what would happen
next. Sheena took lots of photos of them there and then we all went outside for
a look round the garden and for Sheena to get a feel for where our dogs spend
most of their outside time.
From what she saw from the dogs and their relationship,
she suggested that two pictures would be best, with Amber and Lola looking at
each other. And rather than having them side by side on the sun room sofa, she
thought they would look better in an outside setting.
The resulting paintings are fantastic and we are
delighted with them. They really portray the dogs’ looks and expressions and
they have been much admired by visitors to the house. It is such a pity that
Amber and Lola cannot appreciate them too!
As well as the two paintings, Sheena also had printed for
us some note cards with the dogs’ pictures on them, so we can share them with
our family and friends. What a great idea!
Sally McCaffrey
Honorary Secretary, KWWSPCA
Saturday
Surf Songs
A pal gave a friend and I a present of a surf lesson in Lahinch. Each time we tried to use the voucher something went wrong; the weather, an appointment, a …. Eventually it was ‘use it or lose it’ as I had to come home to Kildare so a date was set in stone. The class happened on the day Hurricane Ivan hit Liscannor Bay.
And so I wrote a song 'Surfing Hurricane Ivan in Liscannor Bay.' It described the surf lesson, pro surfers flooding in to surf Ailean’s under the Cliffs of Mohar, Aill Na Searrach, (Leap of the Foals), the journey from Naas to Clare, pit stops at Obama Plaza, Blakes Corner, Ennistymon, Clare, and, maybe one day succeeding at surfing.
I sang it
one night in Ennis at a singing session in the Copper Jug. Afterwards another singer asked me “Did you
write that song?” “Yes” “Will you write a positive surfing song? I’m a surfer and I’d love a positive song
about surfing.”
And so I wrote ’Surf’s My Love’, set to the beautiful melody, Sì Beag, Sì Mor by Turlough O Carolan, and Erica
Nicholas, the singer and surfer sang it at another session in Cnoc Na Gaoithe
in Tulla. It got 20K hits on FB. I recorded her singing ‘Surf’s My Love’ in
the Corner Stone in Lahinch, with Eoin O Neill playing bouzouki. It was released and I joined IMRO which led
to a song writing workshop with Buddy Mondlock and more….
Isn’t life is full of unexpected twists and turns?
Tuesday
Dublin City Liffey Swim
But no, it was the Jones Engineering Dublin City Liffey Swim in action.
The atmosphere and energy were electric.
I followed the swimmers up river, stopping to experience the thrill as they emerged from under bridges. The colour, atmosphere and sense of place must have stayed with me as months later at the Greywood Arts Centre Residence the first painting off the brush was my memory of The Liffey Swim. It depicts a swimmer emerging from under the James Joyce Bridge, heading towards Mellows Bridge with several swimmers ahead and framed by the city quays and iconic City of Dublin skyline.
The finished painting measures
60x30cm, is executed in Chinese inks on canvas, and framed by Inniscarra Framing. It is for sale through the Tuckmill Gallery tel 045879761
Monday
Creating a reminder of truly wild Nature
Some time ago, 5.30 a.m
.,Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, a family of deer wandered through the top garden.... I wanted to create something that would remind myself and others of the magical joy and beauty I feel when in the presence of nature. I simply placed my stag on a scattering of tumbled stones, creating a wild place within my indoor living space
A Heart of Stones, Seafield Beach, near Quilty, Co. Clare
Saturday
Silver Birch Visitors
Title; Silver Birch Visitors
Materials; Chinese inks on silk, bonded to painted canvas
Size; 42 x 30 cm There is a small stand of Silver Birch trees outside the house. One morning, as I was standing below a small flock/ family of birds arrived, flitting from branch to branch, harvesting and dning as they went.
Thursday
‘Wild Irish Hare, Spring Forward’
Irish Hare The hare is a beautiful creature, featuring in mythology and in folklore. Sightings at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig gave rise to the painting. A walk in Clare inspired the setting. A few years ago I was walking in the Burren near Mullaghmore. I approached what I thought was a carpet of lilac/blue flowers in the limestone and grasses. . . As I drew near the 'carpet' took off- hundreds of tiny moths in a cloud of pale blue. A few yards away another gathering of pale pink covering the ground erupted into flight.
Size; 50 x 40 cm
Contact Tuckmill Gallery, Naas
Tuesday
DUBLIN ART BOOK FAIR 2020
This wonderful exhibition os now online and open To see all the books visit the Temple Bar Gallery website and select 'Shop'.
A direct Link to Because the Small Things Matter (ahem!)
Tuckmill Annual Fine Art Exhibition; Church of Our Lady and St. David and Mc Auley Place
The fabulous Tuckmill Gallery in Naas
Delighted to have my painting of Church of Our Lady and St. David and Mc Auley Place in the shop window.
Thursday
‘Because The Small Things Matter. They Make All The Difference’ selected for the Dublin Art Book Fair 2020
My book ‘Because The Small Things Matter. They Make All The Difference’ has been selected to be featured at the Temple Bar Gallery + Studios in Dublin Art Book Fair 2020: Design as an Attitude from 23 November — 06 December 2020, curated by world leading design critic and author Alice Rawsthorn.
About the book;
Butterflies are associated with transformation and freedom. The emergence from a cocoon in a completely new form is a real-life metaphor for unimagined new beginnings. In August 2020, Covid pandemic notwithstanding, I was in residence at the Tyrone Guthrie Artists Centre at Annaghmakerrig.
Two varnished stretched canvases coated in Chinese inks on are bound together creating a cocoon containing a true story of resilience I found in nature during that residency. The reader is invited to untie and unfold the story of the residency, focusing on a wonderful example of simply hanging in there and being awake and open to new possibilities. Presented in a blend of text, photographs and artwork, there is an experiential surprise at the end for the reader.
All Dublin Art Book Fair events are listed at https://www.templebargallery.com/whats-on/events, with full information and booking links.
Tuesday
WILD ATLANTIC WAY ART SALE for ENABLE iRELAND
I was happy to be invited to donate artwork to the to the #EnableIreland Wild Atlantic Art Sale. The site is now live here; https://app.galabid.com/enableireland/items
Enable Ireland provides support to over 9,200 adults, children and their families each year and events like this are vital to continue to provide essential services.
By happy coincidence I had visited Lahinch, Co. Clare on the 26th September 2020 where I witnessed an amazing sunset. The whole scene- sky, sea, land and beach turned rose gold – a wonderful end to a magnificent day, a fabulous start to a magical evening. Shadows cast by surfers carrying boards became Merpeople inhabiting the wet sands. Two girls ran at full tilt into the sea and sat enjoying their 99’s ice cream cones, laughing after a day in the surf. The resulting three paintings are part of this very worthwhile fundraiser, where there are beautiful artworks starting from as little as €10 and there are some really beautiful works available for this excellent cause. Congratulations to the organisors!
Saturday
Culture Night 2020 at the Tuckmill Gallery, Naas, Co. Kildare
Many thanks to Martina Phibbs for inviting me to demonstrate Chinese Ink Painting Techniques at the wonderful #TUCKMILLGALLERY in Naas, Co. Kildare to celebrate #CULTURENIGHT 2020
Chinese painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world.
It is intended to be a meditative and spontaneous art form, capturing the essence of an image or idea with very little attention to precise details. Nature is the heart of Chinese Brush painting with emphasis on form, movement, energy and flow - rather than a photographic style
I demonstrated ‘Held line’ and ‘Flowing form’ techniques on rice paper and silk, and how these materials differ from watercolour paper. I am very fortunate to have my work included in this exceptional gallery.
Photograph by Kay Geraghty
Monday
Narrating the New Normal, Birr 2020
NARRATING THE NEW NORMAL, Birr 2020
Artist: Sheena Meagher
Title: Library Opening Hours; 24/7 for Ghosts of Pandemics Past
Year: 2008 - 2018
Width/Height/Depth/Cms/ 76cms x 123cms x n/a
Medium: Chinese inks and 25 ct. gold leaf on stretched canvas
Genre: Painting
The story behind the painting;
As part of a series of views of Trinity College I created a painting of one of the wrought iron spiral stairs in the Long Room. Some time into painting I was happy with the stairs, the bookshelves and gleaming tomes. I raised my paintbrush to bring in the figure of a Librarian on the stairs when my studio door suddenly burst open. I screamed in fright. My brush did a wobble connecting with the canvas. I calmed my dog (who had just come in for a drink of water) and turned to the painting.
There, standing on the spiral stairs was a ghostly figure, not descending the stairs but calmly reaching over the handrail towards the shelves for a book. The feeling of fright was so authentic I left it exactly as it appeared. You can just make it out at top left, under the word 'Bibliotheca'.
During lockdown I wondered if Trinity College ghosts had taken full possession of campus. Had the corridors, lecture theatres, libraries, squares, the campus playing fields ever been so empty of people for such a long period? Or were the ghosts of bygone Trinity folk roaming the grounds with the Trinity Fox and occupying seats vacated by the living? And if so, will they continue to emerge into the less populated spaces?
In 2018 I gilded the work with 25 ct. gold leaf.
SOUNDS MUSICAL 3
THE GOLD RING COMMISSION
Ceoil Draíocht, beomhar agus binn… Music, magical, living and sweet.
THE STORY BEHIND THE PAINTING;
The Gold Ring. Chinese Inks on canvas
Since 2019 I have been developing the concept of representing on
canvas the atmosphere created by musicians, storytellers, poets, dancers and
singers. I contacted Muireann Ni Dhuigneain as I was particularly interested
in finding some sacred harp music, and following that conversation she commissioned
me to create a painting- leaving the brief wide open.
The painting evolved, a group of musicians emerged, seated around a
table shaped like a fiddle. From the
outset the musicians, even the instruments were not the focal point, rather the
notes merging and blending.
Once I had the group in place I had the idea of inviting Muireann, a
musician herself, to help me bring the painting to life.She visited my studio in Johnstown and Muireann produced a recording
of ‘The Gold Ring’ played by Willie Clancy.
The Gold Ring is a seven part jig, much loved by traditional musicians
and said to have been channeled from the Other World.Coincidentally I had pre-prepared two smaller canvass, one featuring a
fairy and one a harp, to use as a tutorial in mixing and applying Chinese inks.
The theme was set and after lunch we set
about the main work. Muireann
instinctively chose colours for each instrument, three for the Uileann piper,
indigo for the bodhran ….and played music with finger tips dipped in colour
directly on the canvas.
The painting took two more sessions in studio to complete- each one
adding another layer of life and meaning to the finished work where I worked on
the piece with Muireann looking on, advising. Two of the musicians took on personalities of
actual people. Full creamy pints
appeared on the table. The notes blended
and a sweep of my fingers dipped in gold paint evoked gold rings suspended in
the air above the players. The rings are
not so obvious, appearing as light falls on the canvas.
I have always worked closely with clients when commissioned to create
a painting.
This was a new experience to invite the client to become part of the
actual painting process.
I feel the piece has the qualities we set out to evoke.
Saturday
Sunday
#Sunday Wink
#SundayWink this 5th
July 2020 goes to longevity.
I have been
producing greeting cards from my artwork since 2002. Not all my paintings make it onto cards, but
those that do seem to have staying power (whenever I do a commissioned piece I
create a personalised greeting card file for the client’s sole use – but that’s
a different line of work.)
In the past
couple of weeks I created a pack – a real mixture - of my cards and they have gone very
well. It’ s the same with everything we
do - the knock on effect lasts and fans out like ripples in a lake.
An uplifting and scary thought at the same
time!
Happy Sunday!!
Monday
Sea Dreams
I have been dreaming of the sea, of resting
my eyes on the horizon and smelling the salt.
Friends have been sending beautiful photos over the past three months
and while we’ve been chatting I have half an ear to the sounds of the sea in
the background, coming through the phone.
It’s a magnetic thing.
Facebook
It’s a magnetic thing.
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