About Me

Ruth's World Nov 2014

...and in it, I paint, I write and I read books in between running a few small online businesses. I also work seasonally for Santa Claus (yes, it's true!). I look after my husband and my two children, I cry for the loss of my mother, I laugh and have great fun with family and friends, I drink red wine and green tea with lemon, and I like the odd Cappuccino too. I take photos, I eat chocolate, I collect elephant figurines and rubber ducks for no particular reason, I can solve the Rubik's cube, I love knitting and craftwork but most of all I love, love, LOVE art and painting (see my favourite painting) ...and if you want anymore secrets, read my book (if I ever get around to finishing it , haha!)

Me and my babygirl!

An itch I've needed to scratch all my life; I finally sat down to paint in Sept 2011. I guess you could say the urge to paint is in my genes because my great grandfather, Michael Ryan was an artist. My mother told me he used to lock himself away in his attic for hours, painting. Apparently he had a room, complete with bed, set up there. Mam said as a child she would often take him up a cup of tea during the day and she thought that it was probably all he'd consumed all day long while he was in painting mode. She said she remembers a painting he did on the wall outside the outhouse toilet, of a sailor leaning over a wall, who would stare at her while she was doing her business. She said it used to frighten the bejesus out of her! I'm guessing that was his intention. My great grandfather was a painter/signwriter by profession and used to paint the shop signs above a number of the shops in the city where I live. He did a lot of work using gold leaf and I believe some of his gold leaf work is still there to see in the chapel of the Reparation convent in Limerick. He never became a famous artist although older members of my family say that he was a beautiful artist. I have no idea where all his work ended up but oh, what I wouldn't give for one of his paintings now. His nephew however, my third cousin, was a famous Irish artist named Fergus O'Ryan. I'm very proud to have him as part of my family tree. Read all about him on the page above and in my blog archives.

Another itch I needed to scratch was that of writing and I'm currently writing a book so watch this space.

Comments

THE IRISH PINE

I'm stepping back into 'Family Tree' mode again for a bit. My daughter says I have some very interesting people and stories in my family history and I have to agree. I've been doing a bit of research along Fergus O'Ryan 's line because of an exciting piece of information passed on to me by my second cousin...Thanks Ted! Apparently Fergus lost a brother during the war and here's how the story goes.... When hostilities broke out during World War II and Ireland had declared its neutrality during the early years of 1941, the Irish Government realised that they needed to become more independent and self-sufficient because most of its food requirements were being carried aboard allied vessels. Seán Lamass, Minister of supplies at the time (a veteran of the 1916 Rising, the War Of Independence and the Civil War and who later served as Taoiseach) felt that the creation of an Irish merchantile marine, neutral and with no military aims, was necessary. Thi

WEDDED BLISS

Alleluia! I'm finished 'Wedded Bliss' and I couldn't be more pleased and delighted with the way it turned out. There was so much detail in it that it nearly did my nut! The curtain folds and tassels, the lace on the bodice of the dress, the intricate design on the headboard and bedspread, trying to capture the implied light coming through a window from the right, the shadows, the shading, I thought I'd never be finished. But I love it so much that I hate the thoughts of handing it over. It's like giving up my child for adoption!! 'Wedded Bliss', 16" x 20", Acrylic on Canvas I've chosen a 3" wide, smooth, satiny black finish, natural wood frame with a curvy crown profile to finish it off (thank you pictureframes.com ) and I must say, it is perfect for my painting. What do you think? I think I might use the same frame for my ' Turmoil ' as well when I'm ready to frame it. There it is, sitting pretty in the back

TURMOIL

Turmoil by Ruth Kelly . (Oil on canvas board - 16"x12") Finally my first painting in oils is finished but believe it or not, will take the next 6 months or so to dry properly before I can varnish it. I'm still not sure about painting with oils. I do think the result is a softer, more dreamy painting but the waiting game is so frustrating! And now for the profound insight beneath the external ...the meaning behind my composition. Like many others, my life has been strewn with numerous tumultuous events throughout the years. Crisis and turbulence which at the time I struggled to overcome and was imprisoned in my sadness. On many occasions I would distance myself from my torment with a visit to somewhere solitary where I could lament and wallow in my despair and endulge in the pleasure of being sad. Thankfully I realised how gratuitous my melancholy was and managed to get through every storm and come out stronger the other side. This painting

LITTLE BALLERINA

Here's something I finished recently for the Kiddies. I decided to paint it while I was waiting for ' Turmoil ' to dry because I had been asked by a few people to create some children's wall art, so this is No.1. I call it 'Little Ballerina' and am going to call the series 'Ruthie' (my nickname when I was a kid). It'll be my little 'by the way' project in between the serious stuff. Keep watching for No.2...all suggestions welcome! Little Ballerina by Ruth Kelly Acrylic on box canvas. Little Ballerina by Ruth Kelly