Cill Rialaig Artist Retreat

In October 2019, I was an artist in residence at Cill Rialaig Artist Retreat in County Kerry, Ireland. Staying in a pre-famine, slate-roofed, stone cottage, I spent many afternoons watching the wild weather sweep across the bay. In the howling wind and white rain, punctuated by bright moments of sunshine, I painted the changes as best I could and listened to the rain pounding on the roof above. I saw rainbows every day, and on my last days I watched the rain turn to sleet in the patches of sunlight. I rolled acrylic paint on Yupo, using the color of the waves below, and left them outside in the rain, creating rain imprints. I called them “Clagarnagh,” the Irish word for the sound of pelting rain on a roof. While hiking around the area, I learned about the gorse and bracken in the hedgerows and hills. I listened to the choughs (sea crows) as they soared above the hills dotted with sheep. While climbing, I startled Irish hares from their hillside homes and watched them dart away. High above the sea and in the shadow of the mountains to the west, I discovered ancient stones. In this hermitage on the edge of the world, I learned more of who I am. In the silence I could hear my voice the loudest.

Below are the artistic imprints of my time there. I hope you enjoy the echoes.