Paint on my fingers

Stella

Stella Little is an Irish landscape artist painting in oils. Her subjects range from the scenic grandeur

of Ireland’s west coast, with which this Gallery begins, to the beauty of the tree-topped drumlins and

loughs around her home in County Monaghan and beyond. She especially delights in the mountain

vistas and seascapes of Connemara and Dingle, where she is pictured (above) in 1993 up on the

Connor Pass in a high wind. She loves her medium, enjoys experimenting with paint textures and

often uses her fingers alone to achieve the effect she is looking for in her pictures. A Gallery of her

paintings follows. Further explanation can be found on pages 4 and 16, or from stellalittle@eircom.net

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"White water near Letterfrack, Connemara" 1989. The rocks near Letterfrack with its hinterland of

rolling drumlins, occasional dwellings, and beyond the Garroun mountain (600m) on the left, and in

the distance some of the peaks of the Twelve Pins range (rising to over 700m)

“Turf and mountains, Connemara” 1997 (sold to South Carolina, USA)

2

“Shark rock, Connemara” 2004 (24 x 37 ins)

Stella walking on Slievanea mountain (620 metres) in Dingle

3

“The boats at Renvyle” 1989. Renvyle is on a desolate and rocky north shore in Connemara

“Connemara coastline” 1989

4

Stella lives on the border between Counties Monaghan and Cavan. Here on a remote and verdant

hillside (below) with a distant view over the Dromore River, its loughs and drumlins (lower picture),

she has run her family farm and brought up four children, singlehanded since the early death of her

husband. As a farmer she has an abiding love of the land, her animals and of the natural world, all of

which shines through her art. Her family (the Cunninghams of Aughnamullen and Irwins of

Lisnagalliagh) have farmed in this area for at least two hundred years and she has a keen

appreciation of the historical significance of the places and people she paints. This and the deep

enjoyment of the beauty she sees each day walking near her home is reflected in many of her

paintings. Further explanation is at page 16, or from the artist herself at stellalittle@eircom.net

"Freame Mount" 1987. Stella’s farmhouse. For a photo and the history of this great

House, built by Charles Mayne in 1772, see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/899866

"'MacMahon Castle', Dartrey, at sunrise" 1989. The view from Freame Mount (above).

More on ‘MacMahon’s Castle’ at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1607389

5

"The Inner Lough, Dartrey" 1985. For a wider view of this beautiful lough

and the history of the old Dartrey estate, see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/897437

"Dartrey woods in spring" 2006. The old woodland depicted is not typical of Dartrey today,

where the conifers of the Forestry company, who own the estate, now overwhelm it.

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"Dartrey demesne". A view from near where ‘Dartrey Castle’ once stood. See full details of the old

estate at http://www.geograph.org.uk/gallery/dartrey_a_great_irish_estate_paradise_lost_11444

"Spring bluebells in Dartrey"

7

“Bellamont Forest Estate in winter and summer” 1987.

Left: looking across the Dromore River from Right: the view is again across the Dromore

Dartrey is the Bellamont Forest estate on which River, but this time from the bridge which links

stands this 18th century villa, described as Black Island to the mainland. This once fine

“one of the finest examples of Palladian metal structure has an expensive cast iron lattice

architecture in Ireland”. Photo and details at: design, similar to that of the Eifel tower in Paris. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1657237 It can be seen here after damage by vandals

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1619804

The artist can be contacted at stellalittle@eircom.net

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"Dromore Lough, Dartrey"

See photo of river and lough at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1620206

“Blue boots on a windy shore” 1989. “The painter” 1991

(self-portrait)

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“Pink carnations” 1994

“Sheep and Little Sugarloaf, Wicklow

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“Seagulls at Bray” 2003. Bray is a favoured seaside town, just south of Dublin,

where some of Stella’s grandchildren live http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1679908

“Catherine” 2004

11

"Lough Gill, Sligo" 1996. Photo of the lake at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/980391

"The meeting of the waters, Killarney" 1993. See http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1595777

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“After school” c.1995

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"Leitrim bridge" 1996. This atmospheric Leitrim landscape featuring Devorgilla’s Bridge over the

River Bonet at Dromahair has a historical link. The bridge is near the ruins of the castle of the

O’Rourke’s who ruled 12th century Breffni (Cavan–Leitrim–Sligo). Devorgilla was a feisty lady

married to Tiernan O’Rourke, but in 1152 she eloped with Dermot, the king of Leinster. It seems that

two years later when Dermot was deposed by Tiernan and others, she added to the dissention by

returning to Tiernan. Whereupon the revengeful Dermot obtained help from Henry II of England &

France which resulted not only in Dermot’s successful reinstatement in Leinster but also in Henry II’s

invasion of Ireland in 1171 which changed Irish history. Devorgilla has a lot to answer for!

Devorgilla’s Bridge

Dermot stood alone among a tracery of Leitrim trees

Struggling in mist to reach the river bank below,

Tripping ’cross roots and falling to his knees,

He stopped, and listened closely to the Bonet flow,

Pounding across the stones on its river bed.

No sound yet of the pursuit that wished him dead,

But his mind’s eye saw only a girl in a silken dress,

With whom for two years he had shared his life and love,

His thoughts dwelling on their last night of tenderness;

She’d left in haste to return to Tiernan’s evil thrall,

Leaving Dermot bereft, hunted like a dog, no more a king.

But he was strong, ready to take whatever may befall,

While poor Devor’ at Dromahair was surely weeping

First for a love lost, and then in plea for absolution.

On reaching the river he found a wide fast-flowing run

But far upstream, as the morning mist began to rise,

Was the outline of a tall bridge boasting a double span,

White and majestic, it seemed like the Taj Mahal in size,

Yet strangely insubstantial – a mirage? His doubts began;

But soon he reached it, walls as sturdy as his castle keep,

No guards, and with a fervent prayer of thanks he crossed,

Heading south for his Leinster home, there to weep

For Devorgilla, and plan revenge for the love he had lost.

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"The rose garden, Polesden Lacey" 1995. A National Trust property near Dorking, Surrey,

which has a famous walled rose garden. Photo at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1438389

Left: "St Kevin's church, Glendalough and Right: the Round Tower" 1999. Two parts of an early

Christian monastic settlement in the Wicklow Mountains, consisting of seven churches and a

cathedral. Founded by St Kevin in the 6th century, it attracted students from all over Christendom

until destroyed in the 14th. Photos of the church at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1573736

and of the Round Tower at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1545526

15

“Wicklow hills in winter” 2002. This view painted in winter contrasts starkly

with the beauty of these hills and woods visited by many in summer as in this photo: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2446739

"Brodick Bay, Isle of Arran” 1998. Mountainous island off the south-west coast of Scotland

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As inferred by the title of this Gallery, Stella developed an almost symbiotic relationship with her

medium. The touch, feel, smell and consistency of the paint became for her a vital avenue for closing

on her subject and expressing her feelings in the paint. She had always used her fingers as well as

brushes and knives in her work, but she also took up formal “finger painting” and in 2010 was the

subject of a television programme in which she demonstrated her methods:

The artist at home: Stella (left) after recording her demonstration of ‘finger painting’ for the “Lesser

Spotted Ulster” UTV programme in 2010, with the presenter Joe Mahon (centre) and her son, Brian

Little who now runs the farm, at the entrance to the home farmhouse, Freame Mount, which can be

seen here http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2198323 . The artist herself is at stellalittle@eircom.net

It was around 2000 when Stella began further developing her technique by using more texture and

colour in her work. She experimented by painting on a variety of surfaces, crushed eggshell and other

unusual textured bases. She searched too for more spontaneity in her work, using the play of light and

colour to capture a joyfully impressionistic vision of her subjects. The effects of these changes can be

seen in some of the succeeding pictures in this Gallery.

“Drumlins” 1999

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"Blue moonlight" 2003. (Oil on board 30" x 38")

Stella’s early inspiration came from the beauty of the drumlins, lakes and wildflower meadows of her

home, and she has painted them at sunrise and sunset and in many different lights and seasons. “Blue

Moonlight” was her first night painting, and represents her move towards a more impressionistic

style. It was professionally selected for the Cavan Artist’s Touring Exhibition of 2004.

“Waiting” 2004

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“Charles” 2006 (oil paint on egg shell base)

"October in the Park - Virginia Water” 2006. Photo of Stella contemplating the trees she is going to

plant in her garden: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1606858

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"Mascudo" c.2004. (oils on egg shell base). This great bull’s head, lovingly portrayed, and Stella’s

sheep, her dogs, and the other animals and birds which appear in her pictures, remind us that for all

her working life she has been a farmer

“Cream and Gold” c.2005

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“Free range” 2006.

“Daybreak, Connemara” c.2004

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“Castle Caldwell” 2001. The walls of this once great castle are fading into the past in this mesmeric

painting. The castle has stood on an isthmus beside Lower Lough Erne for five centuries since it was

built as part of the ‘Plantation of Ulster’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/plantation/ . A photo taken

ten years ago, under which the castle’s history is described, shows the walls still just visible at:- http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1113036 . But today it is reported that the ruins are completely

swallowed up by ivy and the surrounding woodland and no longer visible – Sic transit gloria mundi.

“Slea Head beach, Dingle” 1998. This beach, just south of Dunmore Head directly faces the westerly

gales across Blasket Sound and is popular with surfers despite strong off-shore currents. Beyond is

Slea Head. It was on this (northern) beach of the Bay that most of the shipwreck scenes in David

Lean’s film “Ryan’s Daughter” (1970) were shot. A video of this windy beach at high tide is at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrZhlCR1qAo&feature=related

22

“Autumn rendez-vous” c.2008. It rather looks like a hot date,

but there’s a river between the two which should cool them down!

"Mother and child" at Leitrim 2009.

23

“Autumn colours” c.2007

"The lane in winter" 1999. (after Rowland Hilder)

24

“Consuming passions” c.2008 (Oils and acrylic mixed media).

A critic commented on this picture in 2010 : “Consuming”? - I found this arresting painting, which was I understand

inspired by a TV cookery programme, something of a conundrum. The appendages hanging down against an interesting darkness

at the bottom of the picture do bring sausages to mind. However, above them one cannot escape the strong desert theme which

overwhelms the design: snake-like traceries surround what appear to be two eyes in a dark, lined and distorted face, the head

covered by the distinctive Arab Keffiyah, here unusually yellow – one imagines to reflect the desert sand and sun. The headdress

is held in place by the blood-red band of brotherhood, and by goggles, to protect against the next sandstorm (the only modern

touch this). Overall the clear inference is that the artist has been reading too much "Beau Geste"!

“The house by the harbour” c.2006. Part of a West Indian commission of four pictures.

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“Night of the storm” 2005

“In Dingle harbour” 1994. Dingle, the only town on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, lies below

Slievanea mountain. The town’s beautiful natural harbour, facing Dingle Bay to the south, has

colourful boats like these. Harbour video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATW_6UZrC6k

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“Visit to the beach on a blustery day”. Stella experimenting in watercolour 2013

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FAMILY MEMORIES

The illustrated history of Stella’s Irish family can be viewed at

Cunninghams and Irwins .

Stella’s uncle Arthur was one of the casualties of the First World War, whose early death had a

profound influence on her family. In his memory and on the occasion of the centenary of that dreadful

war, the plate below records his gallant service and the three major battles in which he took part.

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Paint still on my fingers

Stella in her garden at Cootehill 2014

Anyone interested further in Stella’s art is welcome to contact her by e-mail stellalittle@eircom.net