painting the nation
In RTE’s ‘Painting the Nation’, I met six of the most wonderful artists and together we battled it out around the country; Wicklow, Louth, Kerry, Dublin, culminating in a head-to-head in Westmeath on the beautiful Lough Ree.
‘Painting the Nation’ was a televised amateur painting competition, each week we were set painting challenges and each week one artist was eliminated. The host of the show was Mrs. Doyle herself, Pauline McLynn, and the artwork was judged by artists, Una Sealy R.H.A. and Gabhann Dunne.
Myself and fellow finalist, Agnieszka Ryan, painted our hearts out en plein air (in the rain) to attempt to capture the beauty of the mystical Lough Ree. This wonderful experience was topped with me taking the win and my painting of Lough Ree was acquired by the OPW to hang in Dublin Castle.
“This was a difficult decision," said Una Sealy, "but we felt Sinead's piece captured something of the atmosphere of the Shannon, a misty peacefulness”. Gabhann Dunne added: “It was very close but Sinead's landscape just had something more of the lake and its surroundings, giving her the edge”.
‘Misty Ree’ 2016 - oil on canvas, Dublin Castle
