Night Sky over the Sugar Loaf ©John O’Grady
10″ x 10″ oil on panel, requires framing
NFS
The Sugar Loaf mountain is a landmark as you head south from Co Dublin into Co Wicklow. Although not great in height, once climbed it commands fabulous views across land and the Irish sea.
I have never climbed it at night but can imagine the open night sky away from light pollution.
This painting came to me during the week after seeing some photographs of swirling forms that had been cut into rocks close to the Sugar Loaf such as ones seen on Tibradden hill.
What lies behind these markings is still debated though many theories refer to a night sky.
When looking at these, I too see stars and the swirling life force emanating from the centre.
Thousands of years ago, on clear nights, local people must have climbed the Sugar Loaf to marvel and possibly make sense of their world.
These patterns also brought to mind one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, ‘Starry Night’.
I believe Van Gogh felt the same awe, the same energy for these swirling forms as those ancestors. I have.
This painting evokes that sense of wonderment felt across time and place when stargazing.
Do you feel it too?
“Wonder” and “awe” are the words that immediately sprang to mind. The blues, greens, and violets are so profound, and the lights so quietly thrilling, burning away in the velvety firmament. (The Milky Way-like spill reminds me of Oliver Sack’s “sky powdered with stars.”) The Sugar Loaf seemed illuminated from within. This painting also has for me a kind of naïveté, in the best possible sense — an impression of how a child might feel looking up into the night sky, and of how the memory of that image might stay with her for a lifetime. The whole landscape and the spangled sky are alive with magic and mystery.
Hello Jo,
It was a year ago last week that Oliver passed away, so thank you for the timely reminder of his beautiful words. I love your term ‘The Milky Way-like spill’ it’s so descriptive of what we see across the night sky. I agree the Sugar Loaf seems ‘illuminated from within’set
against the black of the night and yes your words really resonated with me ‘an impression of how a child might feel looking up into the night sky, and of how the memory of that image might stay with her for a lifetime’. Perhaps those ancestors had a ‘beginners mind’ thank you very much.
Ho ! isn’t it the perfect view for this special day which is the one of my birth… a few years ago !
It spreads all over my wishes and hopes in and for this world, in a fancy or perfect spiral as the emblem of Newgrange !
Love it !
Thank you Dominique,for your comment and the perfect spiral! Have a lovely birthday.
Your blog really made me think of the effect the night sky must have had on ancient people but also how perhaps in modern times we might benefit from keeping hold of some of that awe. I love the way you have made a connection between the swirling rings like a coiled spring full of energy, the starry sky and Van Gogh’s painiting. The ‘Night Sky over the Sugar Loaf’ encapsulates the mysterious and magical feeling we can still get when looking at the night sky – so much to admire; so much we don’t understand…it is a lovely painting John.
Hello Chris,
Thank you very much as always for your thoughtful comment. I agree with you about ‘the mysterious and magical feeling we can still get when looking at the night sky – so much to admire; so much we don’t understand’ Often we spend a lot of our time looking down or at eye level and not up. And of course with light pollution we are hindered as well. I think those ancestors saw the night sky and the stars must have really twinkled.