Ronnie Fitzgerald Sketchbook

2011-07-23T04:24:00.000-07:00

When I graduated from Art College I was exploring the spiritual nature of reality through abstraction and making objects that created and projected light. I studied Mondrian, Rothko, and Kandinsky. As my own spiritual practice deepened I became less interested in trying to respond to the spiritual in an abstract way. I found my inspiration in the landscape and the streets around me.
I am aware that everything is temporary in a relative sense and it has now become important to me to find the essence of these places.....

2011-06-08T06:37:00.000-07:00

There are very strange ancient feelings around this site I often go to sketch and paint in and around the ruins I get the same feeling at some other old monasteries
Athassel Abbey situated a short distance south of Golden, built in the 12th Century, was the most impressive achievement of the Augustinians. One of the country's most extensive monasteries, its courts cover nearly four acres.
Following the death of Strongbow, Henry II wished to pursue a more peaceful policy in his governance of Ireland. In 1176 he sent his kinsman, William de Burgho, to govern in his name, and he charged him with replacing the harsh diplomacy of the sword with the serenity of religion. The Priory at Athassel was quickly established by William, and the years that followed saw the Abbey flourish into a centre of great spiritual and political importance.

The Abbey was twice burned, first in 1329 by Brian, King of Thomond, and again in 1581, by John Fitzgerald of Desmond. Following the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th Century the property was granted to Thomas, Earl of Ormond. The buildings were subsequently neglected and fell into ruin, The nave of the Abbey is today used as a cemetery, and among the many bodies laid to rest in the chapel is that of William de Burgho, the man who established Athassel over 800 years ago.

The fountain at Mt. Mellary

2010-09-02T01:59:00.000-07:00

Everything seems so flat without strong directional sunlight. I'm at the fountain in the grounds of the monastery at Mount Mellary. I came out early to take some photos and create some thumbnails in the mountains.The monastery is a very special peaceful place. I always stop by when I'm working in the Knockmealdown Mountains.
I have been reaching into the landscape finding endless surfaces each one beneath the last I have been using glazing techniques to respond to this idea and explore the layers always trying for the next surface.

The Nature of reality

2010-08-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

Early this morning I packed sandwich camera tripod sketchbooks and watercolours and drove into the Knockmealdown Mountains.Spent some time at the Vee and took some more reference photos From that vantage point you can see across the valley and the other mountain ranges including Slievenamon the Galtee mountains and the Comeragh's. I am working on a series of landscape images at the moment some quite large. I am moving quite freely between smaller watercolours on paper an larger Oil and Acrylic works on panels and canvas. This return to large landscape after two years working on small images specifically for Limited Editions is very refreshing. The process of creating small block work can become mechanical if one stays at it too long even though some good work emerged.
I have always found that when dealing with landscape that I work in layers especially using acrylic and oils. I start with soft underpainting using earth tints and using stronger colours as the painting progresses, finally using oil glazes to complete the work
The satisfaction for me is how each element connects and how I feel in rhythm with the process . As I look for balance in the work it ceases to be a particular place and even though it is a representational image certain abstract elements appear.
I have long since ceased trying to force anything as I am now sure that the most important part of the creative process for me is to allow the image to emerge and to acknowledge that all is connected.
For me Painting has become an investigation into the nature of reality.

Back in the Mountains

2010-08-10T04:21:00.000-07:00

I have been painting on location in the mountains the Galtees, Slievenamon, Comeragh's and Knockmealdown. Doing small watercolour sketchs and very loose drawings. Collecting visual information on the landscape to create some large scale work later in the studio.I still think this is the most valuable way of reaching inside the subject matter and I find that I can deal with rapid light change by concentrating on tonal values and recording colour changes with small thumbnails

2010-01-06T15:13:00.001-08:00

My Impressions...

Drawings and Waterc...

By Ronnie Fitzgerald

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New paintings and prints of Clonmel

2009-09-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

For the last three weeks I have been working on images of Clonmel that people have asked about or commissioned. I have always tried to stay away from drawing the old reliable scenes that have been worked over a thousand times but in all fairness when somebody say's How can you have a Clonmel Collection without the West Gate or the Main Guard? There is no answer to that. As the Print collection expands I have received many requests from people for these areas to be included. The present West Gate was built by a Merchant called Joyce in the 1830's
The present building stands on the site of the original West Gate and formed part of the defences of the town.

Cahir Castle

2009-08-24T05:13:00.000-07:00

I was riding through Cahir in Tipperary last week. The light was fantastic so I did some quick watercolour and ink studies of the Castle.
Cahir castle is one of the largest, best preserved castles in Ireland and is situated on a rocky island outcrop in the middle of the River Suir. Because it is on an Island it is accessable from different angles making it an interesting Subject to paint

The origins of the castle are traced back to the third century when a Dun (earthen fort) was built upon the rocky Island and gave the town Cahir Castle, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. it's original name "Dun Iascaigh" or "town of the fish fort". The subsequent building of a stone fort (Cathair) is recorded in the town name as Cathair Dun Iascaigh.

The O'Briens of Thomond fortified the site, in the century prior to the Norman invasion of 1169. The present structure is Norman and dates to the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, with significant nineteenth century restoration of a sympathetic nature. The Butlers were granted the castle in 1375 and it remained almost continuously in there possession until 1961.

Lady Blessington's bath

2009-08-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

A client from the U.S. asked if I had a print of Lady Blessington's Bath, a popular river scene in Clonmel I have painted this area before but because of the flood wall development going on I have tended to avoid this part of the river of late. However I took some photographs and sketched a bit and working from older images I had in my own archive I created a composition for a finished drawing.
Born Marguerite Power in Clonmel in 1789, in 1818 she married Lord Blessington. She used to swim in this part of the river in the old bridge area of Clonmel

Marguerite and her husband enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle, one they shared with such literary luminaries as Lord Byron. Indeed, Lady Blessington gave the world a great insight into the poet's character and personality in her publication Conversations with Byron. In 1822, after plunging their estates deep into debt, she and her husband moved to the continent, where they remained until Lord Blessington's death in 1829.

A liaison with Count d'Orsay then followed, which gave rise to much scandal in London, where Lady Blessington was now based. In her new career as a journalist and travel writer she edited and contributed to many publications, such as the gossip centred Idler books. She also penned the novels Grace Cassidy and The Two Friends.

Lady Blessington's writings, however, were not enough to save her from bankruptcy, and she fled to Paris, where she died in 1849. Lady Blessington's Bath today commemorates the fame of one of the most colourful and vivacious figures from Clonmel's past.

Another Cafe Scene

2009-08-11T01:13:00.000-07:00

I am working on some sketches of people relaxing outside the Lazy Bean Cafe in Cahir. Some weeks ago I was in Cahir on a beautiful morning when the light was brilliant. I always find street scenes interesting especially in towns like Kilkenny or Cahir because of the amount of tourists that travel through. Like Kilkenny Cahir has a large Norman castle right in the centre of town. Yet when tourists come through the town and move away from the castle they find little cafes like the Lazy Bean with a character all of its own, and great coffee too.

Changes in the Landscape

2009-08-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

The light is not great this morning and I decided to work in the studio for a few hours. I have to complete a commission and have it ready for Tommy my framer in the morning. Usually on Sunday's I like to ride the bike somewhere and take a few photos but its grey overhead and its best to complete the work for Tommy. A lot of my work is based on the Landscape around the River Suir which runs through the valley where I live. Over the last few years flood walls are being built along the river in an attempt to control a problem that has increased and has made life for people in the lower areas a nightmare. The river has flooded many times over the last few years and in Clonmel and residents that live near have in some cases lost their homes and possessions. there have been many theories as to why the increase in flooding is happening, global warming, the removal of hundreds of acres of forest in the hills overlooking the town and the building boom that led to concrete everywhere.

As these flood walls are being built the landscape is changing. Places that were noted beauty spots are gouged up and changed. Equally new areas are being exposed I have sketched some of the new scenes along the river. People that emigrate always seem to take a traditional image of

home with them. This is especially true of people who were forced into emigration. I have met some visitors who were appalled by the changes that are happening and couldn't believe that the river scene that they kept in their minds abroad was gone forever.

Early Morning is best

2009-08-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

Went out early this morning needed to get some more visual information for new street scene. There was nobody around but the sun was bouncing off the buildings. I'm pleased with the way the work is going at the moment it has loosened up considerably since early in the year. Man was I uptight there for a few months. I started back into short periods of meditation early in the morning and I really believe this is helping. My concentration is still not the best and I find the mind wandering after a few minutes, but I'm going to keep at it because I know it works.

The street scene Mitchell Street is finished and is on the website. These two small images are details from the finished piece

In Kilkenny Yesterday

2009-08-05T23:21:00.000-07:00

I travelled to Kilkenny yesterday to collect some visual info for a set of prints. On Tuesday I met an artist friend of mine who suffered a stroke last year it has left him with speech and mobility difficulties. Yesterday in the city I seemed to be more aware of the problems facing people with disabilities. I watched a young guy on a motorized wheelchair being blocked in by a driver, who showed no consideration for his plight. A man who had obviously suffered a stroke and walked with the aid of a stick was trying to negotiate his way down a steep hill in the town and keep his balance. His concentration was incredible.

I have decided to use my blog as a sketchbook it seems the way to go for me. I found the streets of Kilkenny more interesting than the monuments and the touristy things. The city is full of narrow lanes and archways like arteries leading to the centre.

Here we go

2009-08-04T02:08:00.000-07:00

This is it I have never blogged before