Category: Flora and Fauna of Ireland

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Dye colour using Wallflowers

Some years ago I spent much of the year living in small mountain villages in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco south of Marrakech. One of the houses I rented had an old garden behind it which hadn’t been tended for a good number of years. It had an abundant corner of wallflowers along with stunning hollyhocks. I was aware that local women use plants to make dyes for their wool which they make into beautiful rugs but no-one could tell me if wallflowers were one of those plants. Back home in Ireland, I planted wallflower seeds and now have a healthy patch to test my theory. Continue reading Dye colour using Wallflowers

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Solo Textile Art Exhibition

Next Wednesday marks the end of a momentous event for me. The end of my solo textile art exhibition in our local library exhibition space. It started on March 28th and finishes on April 24th. Mixed media textile exhibitions are still a rare sight in Ireland, especially down in the South West and even more so, a solo one, so I am feeling very grateful to have the opportunity to show such a large body of work in such a public place. Continue reading Solo Textile Art Exhibition

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Mushroom Spore Prints…more fun with natures gifts.

I spend a lot of time in the woods, any woods, I love the energy, the smells, the sounds and the connections with trees. Fungi fascinates me and the more I learn about them, the more I am intrigued. I have learnt about a few that are edible and delicious, more that I don’t like much and a few my tummy doesn’t like. I have also made a pain relieving tincture from the Fly Agaric (Amanita Muscaria) Mushroom. I have a healthy respect for these exquisitely beautiful fungi and photograph them every year. This year I found so many huge honey fungus , sulphur tufts and cortinarius I decided to have a go at making spore prints. A super simple process. Continue reading Mushroom Spore Prints…more fun with natures gifts.

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A day of rainbows and waterfalls.

My absolute favourite place on the island of Ireland is Killarney and this week I spent a few days wandering in a few of its ancient magical places. Tomies Wood is one of those places. I knew the weather was not going to be the best and went well prepared. The upside of rain showers and bursts of sunshine are rainbows and I was right up at the highest part of the trail looking down on Lough Leane to witness a few beauties. Mostly they were only partial ones as the showers moved across the lake casting fingers of light on the islands below. Magical. Continue reading A day of rainbows and waterfalls.

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Autumn is upon us

We are a bit mushroom mad in our house too, the ones that grow in the woods now, not any other kind! we love hunting for them, identifying them and cooking up the edible ones. With Autumn now upon us, the woods are our favourite place to wander. Last weekend we went to Killarney National Park to hunt for them for reference. You aren’t allowed to pick anything there, only take photos. With all that inspiration I decided to have a go at creating some with wool. A mix of wet felted and needle felted mushroom have started emerging from my studio and I have to say I am rather pleased with them. It also gave me an excuse to random dye a whole pile of Wensleydale curly locks that I got from a local farmer and to card some of Leiko Felts gorgeous dyed merino wool from my stash into mushroom blends. Continue reading Autumn is upon us

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An artists life…

All around me textures, colours and forms vibrate in the spring sunlight. Everything sings with vibrant life. If you don’t count the stinky dead crab! There were many empty crab shells and so many tiny shells, empty ray and dog fish egg cases. Life on the shores is rich for those that see beyond the riches in money.

I hope you enjoy my photography, that the images evoke some pleasant memories, feelings or sense of being and belonging. We are all nature. Continue reading An artists life…