Finding inspiration - very wet January in Ireland

January in Ireland has been particularly wet this year. For an artist, a constant grey sky can make inspiration hard to come by; a clear light source feels almost impossible to find. My strategy has been to turn inward and use this month for hiking, exploring new creative endeavours, and—thankfully—working on a very welcome pet commission to brighten this grey spell.

The first new creative path I’ve decided to revisit, after many years, is lino printing. I was watching two thrifters on YouTube when one of them showed how he created an image for his paper bags using a lino print he had made himself. It sparked something in me—why not give it another go? I really enjoyed it the first time around. This time, I ordered rubber matting instead of traditional lino, which I’d used before and found quite unforgiving on the hands.

With the dull weather dampening my desire to paint from photographs, I changed tactics. Wicklow National Park, with its rich history at Glendalough and its birds of prey, offered the perfect inspiration. Using a mix of imagination and AI image generation, I created a composition that brings together both sides of Glendalough: the ancient ruins and wildlife—the Round Tower paired with a sparrowhawk.

Heading into the different seasons that we have in Ireland can be both exciting and challenging. Changing tactics creatively is necessary and that can bring new ideas and thoughts. Lastly I can allow myself to look forward to warmer weather, brighter skies and packing my equipment once again to sit by one of our many river banks to paint outdoors.