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• Featured
  by Agnes McGuinness

  Just popped in to RB for a minute before doing a bit of tidying up, and discovered that my image Crumbling Down is featured in the Histor…

  Just popped in to RB for a minute before doing a bit of tidying up, and discovered that my image Crumbling Down is featured in the History group. I am pleased and honoured to be featured with the great artists here. Thank you, History group. Agnes:)

• Lonely Tracks Wins 1st Place...
  by Angi Baker

  Found out today that I won 1st place at the County Fair in Photography in the Black and White Division With Lonely Tracks… WOW! I could…

  Found out today that I won 1st place at the County Fair in Photography in the Black and White Division With Lonely Tracks… WOW! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I walked in today and saw the blue ribbon hanging there… It was such an honor.

• Happy New Year
  by cynthiab

  just wanted to say a happy new year to all, thank you so much for all the wonderful comments left for me, / what a start to the new year …

  just wanted to say a happy new year to all, thank you so much for all the wonderful comments left for me, / what a start to the new year have just sold a card of the county cottage thank you so much to who ever bought it / when something sells it makes me want to go and try harder with my digital art thank you

• If you love Irish music...
  by Avril Brand

  Irish Music is art in it’s own right. The lyrics are poetry and loved by many all over the world. If ever you come to Ireland, please vis…

  Irish Music is art in it’s own right. The lyrics are poetry and loved by many all over the world. If ever you come to Ireland, please visit County Clare, the Banner County and home to Irish Trad. Relax in one of our local pubs and enjoy a night of traditional music, a glass of black gold and let your feet tap to sounds of Ceili. / Session in Crotty’s Pub, Kilrush, Co. Clare I hope these links work and you have lots of joy listening to this little selection of some of my favourite Irish songs: My absolute, most favourite, lovely, adored Irish song … (I am biased because I LOVE County Clare and this song makes Ireland my home): Paddy Reilly’s version is beautiful From Clare to Here This song is for all emigrants who feel homesick. The Cliffs of Dooneen – I have always believed to be somewhere along Loop Head, or maybe Dingle… anyway… if you can see Kilrush and Kilkee, then you are close enough! / The Cliffs of Dooneen For Australians with Irish heritage: Athenry is a beautiful little town – the old castle still stands. / The Fields of Athenry A beautiful Irish Love Song: / She moved through the fair The famous Dubliners!! Sing a-long and have fun!! / Whiskey in the Jar The Dubliners: if you don’t know this song… / Molly Malone And my lovely husband’s favourite song. He was, at first alone in Ireland before I joined him and he always says this song made him think of me! / The Galway Shawl And what fun this song is!!! The video is hilarious… / Seven Drunken Nights For Gary: / Molly Ban For James: / Galway Girl For my County Clare: / Rose of Clare My Irish Molly by Frank Patterson Danny Boy – with scenes of Ireland Galway Bay by Frank Patterson When you were sweet sixteen by the Fureys All For Me Grog – The Dubliners The Town I loved so well – the Dubliners Raglan Road – by Luke Kelly Lisdoonvarna – Christy Moore The Wild Rover – Dubliners Dirty Old Town The Holy Ground God Save Ireland Lord of the Dance – Cry of the Celts And don’t miss this one!!!! if you have not seen this before, prepare to be stunned Lord of the Dance – Flatley

• 'More than Fair' Results
  by Ann Rodriquez

  As most of you know, I entered some framed photos in the Elizabethtown Fair this week. My first big disappointment came when I showed up…

  As most of you know, I entered some framed photos in the Elizabethtown Fair this week. My first big disappointment came when I showed up with my nine entries and was told that, though I couldn’t find it ANYWHERE in the written rules, only one entry is allowed per category. The really frustrating thing is that the categories are so broad…for instance, people and action sports are in the SAME category. This ruled out 5 of my 9 entries. What a bummer! So anyway, after the time and energy I spent on this project of preparing the photos, I was very excited to see what my results would be when we went to the fair last night. After wading through some of the entries, I found my ‘Sunday Drive’ picture, taken during our honeymoon last year, and saw that it had a Third Place Ribbon on it! That was rather thrilling, this being the first time I’ve entered a fair or contest with a framed print. Then I found ‘Tiger’ and ‘Do I Knose You,’ which didn’t have any ribbons but I’m hoping that many got a good laugh out of the cow. : ) After completing our circle of all the entries, I realized we hadn’t seen my favorite of the photos, ‘Wonder.’ We made the loop again, but to no avail. I was starting to get irritated, thinking that they LOST my picture before it even had a chance to be judged. How frustrating and disappointing! So I found a fair worker and was semi-impatiently standing, waiting for her to finish talking with someone else, when I glanced over at the table I was beside and lo-and-behold, THERE IT WAS, with a blue First Place Ribbon and another, large ‘Best of Show’ Ribbon! (sorry, I tried to paste in the image I took of the ribbon and art last night, but it was with my cell phone : ) so is poor quality – click on the link to see it!) You can imagine that the irritation faded quickly and I got rather excited : ) and hurried over to find my husband. I was floating most of the night, and must confess that I’m still doing so today. : ) Though I knew that I personally LOVE the picture of my nephew with the sparkler, I would never have thought that the judges would have deemed it the very best photo of all the categories of adult entries. I’m THRILLED! / / Just wanted to share with those of you that I thought would be interested, and/or have played a large part in my process of growing as a photographer. Thanks for the encouragement and support you’ve given me! / / Ann

• My photo of De Burgo Castle
  by Agnes McGuinness

  Here’s a little history of De Burgo Castle. I’ve copied it from a website because they tell it better than I would, and I have credited t…

  Here’s a little history of De Burgo Castle. I’ve copied it from a website because they tell it better than I would, and I have credited them, so here goes: Greencastle, County Donegal, Ireland http://www.r-l-p.co.uk/greendgl.html Greencastle is one of those ivy clad ruins which one so seldom comes across now in an age of cleaned up and neatly presented heritage and you get a real feeling of exploring the Castle rather than just being another tourist at another tourist trap. The Castle was built by Sir Richard de Burgo (Earl of Chester amongst other things) around 1305 to attempt to subdue the troublesome O’Donnells and O’Neills and also to guard the entrance to Lough Foyle. It may well have been designed by the same architect as Caernarvon Castle in Wales and shares a number of features with that pinnacle of Castle design. In 1316 when Edward Bruce invaded Ulster he quickly took Greencastle, and with it the important access supply route to Derry and Lough Foyle. He died two years later and the Castle returned to the de Burgos. William de Burgo, who was murdered in 1333 (probably not undeservedly), was responsible for one of the more gruesome events at the Castle. Walter Burke, de Burgo’s cousin, had been left to starve to death in the Castle’s dungeon. William’s sister was so moved by Walter’s fate that she tried to sneak food in to feed him. William caught her and had her flung off the Castle battlement. When de Burgo was murdered the Castle passed to the O’Dohertys, who added to the Castle. In 1555 the Castle was badly damaged in the internecine wars of the O’Donnells and by 1600 was already “all ruined”. Greencastle is owned by Páirceanna agus Séadchomharthai Náisiúnta na hÉireann (or the Irish Ministry of Works) and is open to the public throughout the year. © Text copyright – Raving Loony Productions and Andrew J. Müller

• Alameda County Fair Logo contest
  by Leah Highland

  / The theme this year is “Su…

  / The theme this year is “Summer Starts Here” / The guidelines are that you portray the theme as well as incorporate fair activities. / The prize is $500 USD / Wouldn’t that be nice? LOL! / Wish me luck!

• Featured in Nowhere Like Northern Ireland
  by Agnes McGuinness

  I’ve just discovered that I was featured in the group Nowhere Like Northern Ireland with Sunshine and Snow. Thank you very much, Northern…

  I’ve just discovered that I was featured in the group Nowhere Like Northern Ireland with Sunshine and Snow. Thank you very much, Northern Ireland group, I appreciate this very much. All the best, Agnes.

• Kilrush Art Exhibihition
  by Avril Brand

  Dear friends On Thursday, 31st July, Kilrush Art Group (I am a member) will be holding their annual art exhibition in Kilrush and shou…

  Dear friends On Thursday, 31st July, Kilrush Art Group (I am a member) will be holding their annual art exhibition in Kilrush and should any of you be in Ireland or visiting Co Clare and of course, be lucky enough to live here, please come along as it is open to anyone. Our little group of about 15 local artists have lots of fun and show our talents once a year at our exhibition. I have been ‘disappearing’ on and off for a while now as we prepare for the exhibition as well as working on my art courses. Hopefully, I will be here more often after next week. Please feel free to contact me should you be interesting in more information about the exhibition. Thank you / Avril

• Enagh Lough 3 featured in Nowhere Like Northern Ireland
  by Agnes McGuinness

  Once again thank you to the Northern Ireland group for featuring one of my photos, Enagh Lough 3. I am thrilled to bits. Agnes x.

  Once again thank you to the Northern Ireland group for featuring one of my photos, Enagh Lough 3. I am thrilled to bits. Agnes x.

• An Interesting Sale this Week!
  by Dawne Olson

  I finally decided to have a very large print made of “Clay County Park” for my husbands office. I spent quite a bit of time choosing a …

  I finally decided to have a very large print made of “Clay County Park” for my husbands office. I spent quite a bit of time choosing a mat and frame at our local framer. After the framing was done, he displayed the work in the front window of his gallery (that was reward enough in my book….! Walking down main street and seeing your framed art in a store front window!?) I told the framer I would come by at the end of the month to pick up the picture to put in my husbands office and when I walked in last week he had SOLD it! Boy was I happy!! (I put that check in my pocket and then went right out and had a whole bunch more pictures printed!.... AHHH! the addiction!!!) / I just keep wondering where the picture ended up? It would be such a nice surprise to walk into a room someday and find my artwork hanging on the walls of someone who I didn’t even have to “convince” to buy from me! / / P.S. I hope it isn’t in bad form to celebrate a sale that happened OUTSIDE of RedBubble. I’m just very happy and I know my fellow RedBubblers will be able to appreciate my enthusiasm!

• Fuel for the mind
  by MickyMc

  Today my daughter and I went for an adventure. / We jumped on the Metro and went to the Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel, pausing briefly to look at…

  Today my daughter and I went for an adventure. / We jumped on the Metro and went to the Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel, pausing briefly to look at the statue of the two chubby Vikings in Jarrow town centre. Onwards past the Tyne Tunnel Breather Outlet, and down one of the four longest wooden escalators in the world ; into the wonderful world of the Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel. Faded greens, creams, and browns give the place a real earthy feel. The resonance is amazing! / We had fun at the border that wasn’t (In 1974 when Northumberland and Durham were shrunk to create Tyne and Wear, this border ceased to exist! You now have the slight surreal option of being able to jump between County Durham and Northumberland, when in fact their borders are miles away.) / At the other end we climbed the 360 steps of one of the other longest wooden escalator in the world, as it was turned off for maintenance work. We paused for breath, and had a drink of apple juice by the fish sculptures; before walking up to the Gas Training Centre at Howdon, just in time to see the lads going out for their bait, reminding us it was time to go home for ours! / I think it was the fact that my mother used to do things like this with me, filling my head with colourful lasting images from the hidden wonders of the ordinary world; that I love writing, reading, taking photographs, and making music. / The seeds we plant in our children’s minds help them to achieve their potential.

• PAINTING ENNISTYMON
  by Tipptoggy

  PAINTING ENNISTYMON Years ago I used to dabble in water colours, we’d no children back then and I had the sort of job that gave me ti…

  PAINTING ENNISTYMON Years ago I used to dabble in water colours, we’d no children back then and I had the sort of job that gave me time off in the evening. It was a great relaxation to sit down at a piece of stretched paper and work on the discipline of painting. Some days I was OK, most times my efforts were more therapy than Tate gallery. Then I got back into photography, started earning money from it, got myself a copy of Photoshop, hung around designers, did a few print things and without blinking it was ten years since I had lifted a brush. Then my father died and a few years after my mother, so I had to clear out the old home , a tough job as anyone will tell you who has ever had to do anything like it. But I cracked on and the physical effort of doing the job took a bit of the edge off the grief. Part of the effects from the home place was my Grandfather’s pine and mahogany box, it was always “Grand-Dad’s box”, although I’d never met him, he died before I was born, we’d always had the box in the family . It was just called the Black Box, and in a way it turned out to bea flight recorder. The outside of the box is really unremarkable, fading black gloss paint with lost of scratches in it, a few holes too, but lift the lid and inside it’s the richest reddest mahogany and what a smell. It’s a painter’s box from around 1910 and it is scented with cedar wood to keep oput the moths , oil paints and linseed. The drawers are long enough for brushes, the bottom of the chest is wide enough for rolls of canvas, it must have been some pricey object in its day. You see my Grandfather was an artist. And I inherited a few sets of his sables, His father died when he was about 6 and he was brought up in an extended Irish family in the North of England, his mother raised a few fine looking sons, three of the eldest didn’t get the best of deals in the Boer war, Galipoli and the Somme. Michael my grandfather missed out on military service too young for South Africa too old for Flanders. He showed an early talent for art, he won a few drawing prizes and eventually ended up at the Slade in London, his contemporaries would have been t / Gwen and Augustus John, Rodin taught there then, so my Granddad got this late Victorian art education and the box was I suppose a gift to start him on his career. Well he went all over the place, there are postcards from Germany and Switzerland and letters from a life on the road. His first job on returning to the UK was as a set designer for a traveling theatre company. I don’t know where he went, but we have one tantalizing bit of evidence a blank set of scaled down screen panels from one of the theatres in Dublin. He had a penchant for theratricall dress too, wide hats, swanky suits, waistcoats and all the moustachioed paraphenalia of an Edwardian gentleman, although I suspect he never had a spare brass farthing to his name. The point in all this was finding the box and discovering my grandfather for the first time from the artifacts he left behind . it gave me the kick in the pants I needed to start freeing up my own graphic work. You see that you only get one slug out of the dirty bottle of life. Taking shots at gigs and doing family portraits is grand, it brings a few Euro in to the family coffers, but now and again you just have to cut loose and make images the way you see the world. Well last year when I finally said goodbye to the family home, I went off on a water colour course at the Burren Painting Centre in Lisdoonvarna County Clare Ireland, more expensive tnan a shrink , less intrusive than a priest and the wine was much better. The weather was glorious, hot days and wonderful blue skies , Clare never looked finer. I got back into the painting quickly. I hadn’t forgotten any of the techniques and for a couple of days it did the trick, I chilled out. Then we went to Ennistymon to paint the Sheen Falls. On the face of it this should be a fun assignment. The Falls are a cascade of foaming peat stained water thundering down a small valley. There’s a five star hotel nearby so there’s no shortage of diversion when it inevitably rains , which in fact it didn’t in July 2006. Now painting the Falls left me high and dry, other folks were doing the simple photographic stuff , just hitting the scene button in their minds and trying to be as faithful to the view as their skill would allow. And some were exceptionally good. I tried that a few times, it didn’t work for me, I could have that with photography and much more, I could lie on my belly and try an unusual angle. I knew I could push and pull the image in Photoshop and work on the color, hues and textures. Painting couldn’t give me any of that anymore. I sketched and sketched, made loads of notes and didn’t even attempt to make a picture from the view in front of me. I knew then that whatever I was going to make would hit me later,that it wouldn’t be a faithful reproduction of what I saw, that had no interest for me at all. So I went back to the studio and got to work on some images. The first one was all angles , I tried to reduce the picture down to planes and shapes, to understand what I had captured in my mind. The more I worked on it the more I knew there was something wrong with the scene, more accurately with the place we were taken to capture the scene. There was no way out of the picture. We were visually trapped in the valley, a row of not very inspiring Victorian buildings, the grubby back of a pub and a hotel, formed the skyline, and they held everything in the composition in a visual vice. My reaction was to paint a picture that attempted to capture this feeling of enclosure. It must have driven my tutor mad , because from that day on I began seeing things as cartoon arrangements, we went to the seaside and the other folks painted boats at anchor and gulls over the receding tide, I found a pile of old fishing gear and using the wildest of colours made a flat image of fishing boxes and bits of old nets, more Disney than Degas. The more I worked on the course the more I knew that photography and it’s ability to get below the horizon, to change our normal upright viewpoint had become the way in which I see the world. It was a wonderful learning experience. I came home, waited a week and got out the brushes again and from memory tried my hand at the Sheen Falls. This time the rush of the water came back to me, the noisy chaos of that little wooded valley, the salmon race strangely angular in what is an ancient weather worn natural landscape. And over it all that wall of houses above the Falls. I looked back at my photographs to get a good outline of the houses and then worked away from their formality to find something more abstract and energetic deep inside my memory of the place. There are two pictures here from that series, not really made to be hung on the wall, their making was their major worth to me, having to face the challenge of building a picture from its remembered components is what you are seeing here. Has it helped my other picture making? I think so. It’s given me the discipline to ask some big question when I make an image, things like is there a narrative here, is that more or less important than the arrangement of shape, lines, hue and tone ? Will reducing the picture to simple fundamentals bring out more of that story or will it simplify it to a mere one line cipher? If a picture doesn’t have a story how can I represent its character? How true do you hsve to be to the palce to convey a sense of place is another area I am exploring. I’m currently writing an essay on place and music for the online magazine Folkworld.de, and those ideas of the social, personal and emotional space will be explored in some depth there. Enough now back to the Photoshop.

• ART UNDER GLASS - Spirit of Movement by Debra Ann Kasimakis
  by Pandadoll1

  Spirit of Movement is the next installation for a rotational public art program, ART UNDER GLASS, at Tilles Center fort he Performing Art…

  Spirit of Movement is the next installation for a rotational public art program, ART UNDER GLASS, at Tilles Center fort he Performing Arts at Long Island University, Greenvale, Long island, N.Y. It was chosen three years ago by the theater’s Art Committee. It will be installed later on, this AUGUST. A reception will follow some time in September 2008. The piece is a representation of movement through space depicted by 5, silhouetted, “life sized” figures bounding upon trapeze. The spirit of being alive is “movement” I hope the piece will instill the wonderful nature of love of life that I feel. Spirit of Movement will be on display September 2008 through May 2009 in The Tilles Center Atrium.

• About my work and about the proceeds to benefit charity
  by KLPhair

  My work is something that I like to call my own. I do appreciate support for my work and I do hope to have people buy my work and display…

  My work is something that I like to call my own. I do appreciate support for my work and I do hope to have people buy my work and display it whether it is in the form of a card, mounted print, or a framed print. I will be expanding my gallery over the next few months, and I hope that everyone likes the creations that I also make out of the photos I take. I do appreciate everyones support for my work and all of the views and positive comments and messages. Part of the profit earned from Red Bubble from the sales of my work, I will be donating a small portion of those profits to non-profit charities located or operating in Maricopa County which is the county for Phoenix and the surrounding valley. I do this to support my local community.