British Isles: More Photos of Cobh, Ireland

After returning from Fota House, we climbed Cobh's steep hillside to St. Colman's Cathedral above the port and train station. 

Every facet of the cathedral inspired me with its beauty.  I feel like this door alone could be a painting.

A resident Peregrine falcon perched high atop the spires and gargoyles.

Full of beauty, Cobh charmed me at every turn with sights like this door labeled "Magic Place."

Even the tiny ferns and flowers growing out of the ancient rock walls inspired me.

As we walked back down the hill to return to the QM2, I marveled at these eye-catching houses, stalwart and brilliant.  Their vivid colors must remedy the gray skies of winter.  

I hope you find something here to inspire you to make a sketch or splash some paint on the page!

Happy Creating!

British Isles Voyage: More Photos of Fota House

Fota House and its grounds were so beautiful, so different than where I live, that I took loads of photos.  I thought you might like to come along on a tour of its arboretum and grounds.

Massive, ancient trees greeted us from the moment we set foot on the grounds.

Majestic beeches, oaks, and exotic trees like this Eucalyptus cordata (below) from Tasmania filled the landscape.  

Autumn's colorful show had begun.

Over and over again, I was fascinated by the ancient, magical-looking trees that seemed to be enchanted personalities from a fairy tale.

I half expected to see elves and fairies dancing beneath them.

The Victorian gardens mixed the rugged beauty of ancient stone walls with formal, courtly plantings.

I loved the garden gates and the sense of having rooms within the landscape.

I hope you've enjoyed this armchair tour and found something to make a sketch or painting of.

Happy Creating!

Touring the British Isles on the Queen Mary 2

David and I have returned from a tour of the British Isles aboard the Queen Mary 2! We have made Transatlantic crossings on this amazing ship in the past.  This voyage, we circled the UK, from Southampton England, past Wales, over the top of Scotland and back to Southampton.

The first stop on our journey was Cobh, Ireland, port city for Cork.  Kindly, local folks heard that our famous ocean liner would be pulling into the dock, and they came to see her.  We struck up a conversation with one of those locals, a red-haired, blue-eyed woman named Ann, who recommended that we visit Fota House, a restored home built in 1700 with working Victorian gardens and an arboretum. 

Along the dock & train tracks, we saw a mural celebrating local butterflies, right next to a lovely pollinator garden. I love how public art turns plain buildings into uplifting spaces!

We took a short train ride to Fota House, and walked through the grounds, finding this Victorian greenhouse.

I made a quick watercolor sketch of the gorgeous lilies I found inside.

The picturesque building was full of flowering plants like this scented geranium.

We also toured the arboretum, where I marveled at ancient, massive trees like this one. Many of the trees were planted in the 1800s.

I admired rose bushes like the one that bore these fruits.

If you'd like to learn more about Fota House and its history, check out their website here:

https://fotahouse.com/

If you find this inspiring, I hope you'll create art from these photos.

Happy Creating!