What the Burren Teaches

I've just returned from teaching a Workshop in Wild Places class in the Burren in County Clare, Ireland. Writing this post, I'm reminded of another post I wrote after visiting Inishmaan, the middle of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland several years ago. Stone walls crisscrossed the island in tight webs like a fisherman's net. I wrote then that the web of stone walls made me think of the idea of putting limitations on our painting as a way of exploring more deeply and how walls give limits against the limitless.

 

 

It was a magical dream-like trip. We had gorgeous weather every single day. It only rained on the day we left. On our early morning tour of the Cliffs of Moher, we climbed the tower for a better view, then traveled to Spanish Point beach where we walked precariously on the upturned barnacle-covered rocks to gather seaweed on our wild seaweed walk with Oonagh O'Dwyer, from wildkitchen.ie



Our workshop was at the Burren College of Art, a small but internationally recognized art college tucked away beside a castle tower in a small valley between two bare limestone mountains.


Nearby is the 6000 year old Poulnabrone Dolmen. Like a sentinel in the heart of this rugged landscape.


To more deeply connect with the land through writing, as well as painting, I organized a 2-day writing class with Man Booker nominee and inspirational writing teacher, Paul Kingsnorth.