When my friend Larry Looney asked me to consider creating a CD cover for his album of Irish and Scottish ballads, I was flattered. Having never been to Ireland, I set out to research and glean photos from friends and Irish Tourism on-line. Larry talked to me about the atmospheric look he desired, and I had him cut several pieces of watercolor paper in the dimensions of the cover. I did a preliminary watercolor sketch that I didn't like, and decided as a warm-up exercise that I would do full-sheet watercolors of the Irish coast. The first to be completed was The Emerald Isle. I kept it loose and focused on the colors of the shoreline. I think the cloudy sky really makes the colors 'pop'...!
The Emerald Isle
I hung it up for the editing process, and began the second large watercolor of a small house nestled by a creek near the shore. The creekbed gave me rigors, as it was difficult to make it 'read' correctly in the eyes of the viewer. I think I got it right.
Irish Fishing Cottage
For the third painting, I chose as a photo reference a dramatic view of the beautiful Mountains of Moher as they 'run down to the sea' (as the old song by Percy French goes). I loved the vibrant colors of the minerals within the rocks, exposed by the drop-off to the ocean. Because of the details in the topography, this one required significant drying time between painting sessions. That gave me the opportunity to begin to work on a series that led to the actual CD cover. At this point, I wasn't sure how the large paintings were going to be used, or, if indeed they would be used at all.
The Cliffs of Moher
In the meantime, I was looking through old photographs I had taken for painting reference purposes, when I spotted a panoramic shot of Santa Cruz from a beach, near the Monterey Peninsula. Amazingly, the mystical colorization of the land, sea, sky and figures was just what Larry had in mind for the cover. I suggested he use the photograph, which he considered. He decided to go with his 'purist' instincts and held out for a fourth watercolor. This took some work. I did it as a miniature from the start, being the actual size of the CD booklet cover, and it took several months to evolve. Patience paid off, and we were both well-pleased with the result.
Wave up to the Shore
...and here's my photograph, which served as a reference for the painting...
Santa Cruz Sunset
As you can see, I 'Emerald-ized' the landscape in order to give the painting a more vivid 'sense of place', in tune with the Irish theme. We actually used the left side of the photo for the rear tray of the CD, and it works very well as a background for the song titles and other printed information. The colors of the photograph and the cover painting compliment each other so well that some people have, on first glance, thought that one was a continuation of the other.
I am very proud of the creative results, and of being a part of this endeavor. Larry's music is beautiful, and I thought you might enjoy hearing an example from the album. The song is 'Kilkelly', named after a town in Ireland (Cill Cheallaigh in Gaelic), in Co. Mayo. It was written by two Americans, Steven and Peter Jones, and is based on letters from their great-great-grandfather, Bryan Hunt, to his son John, their great-grandfather. As Bryan was illiterate, the letters were actually written by the local schoolmaster, Patrick McNamara, who had been a friend of John's. Its haunting lyrics and melody are overwhelmingly melancholy, like so many things about Ireland and its people. To hear the song, simply click on the orange arrow below...
The next time I paint the Cliffs of Moher, it will be on location on the Emerald Isle...!