First Snow, ©John O’Grady
8″ x 12″ oil on panel, requires framing.
Not For Sale
It’s impossible to miss the Nephin mountain in Co Mayo.
When you travel through the countryside, it rises to 800 metres. Standing proud in the landscape, its distinctive rounded form looks like an inverted finely thrown Japanese bowl.
A dusting of snow fell in the west of Ireland during the week.
I started to wonder, what would the snow look like sitting on the upper slopes of the mountain standing out in the dawn light, glowing as one looks across the bog, the clouds and mist swirling around its slopes delicately lit by the rising sun…
This painting is how it might look.
Nephin derives from the Irish Néifinn that translates as ‘heavenly’, ‘sanctuary’ or ‘sacred place’. It’s a fitting name for this landmark.
I look forward to reading your comment.
Here are a few other landmark paintings you may like:
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Love the colors in this one John. Yours was the 3rd mail I received in a row with the subject of first snow, the other two were from New Mexico and Oregon!
Thank you Sarah,
It must be that time of year again 🙂
It’s hard to tell where the mountain ends and the sky begins — Nephin seems more of the sky than of the earth. It floats in the ether, conveying a sense of mystery and otherworldliness. The snow-filled clouds hover like heavenly minions above it. Such beautiful color work. The earth changes over distance from feeling solid in the foreground to more indistinct as it approaches the mountain, moving into that sacred space. That dark path, which seems to disappear into a decline beyond our vision, brings the eye toward the peak. So beautiful and atmospheric, John.
Hello Jo
What a moving reading of the painting, you have left me speechless, thank you so much.
‘Heavenly’ or ‘sacred place’ describes the mood of this lovely painting for me John; it has an otherworldly atmosphere. Although the mountain is portrayed beautifully as a solid mass, there is an illusion of light and air as the clouds float above, drawing the eye upwards. The snowy summit shines through and the lights below remind us of human life amidst the wonder of nature. It is awe-inspiring!
Hello Christine,
I agree with all you have said, your reading says it all so beautifully, I couldn’t add more myself.