I-Stood--on-White-Strand-JohnOGrady-www.johnogradypaintings.com

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I Stood on the White Strand, ©John O’Grady 2014
Oil on deep edged canvas, 12″ x 24″ x 1.75″
(approx 30.7 cm x 61.5 cm x 4.5 cm, no need to frame and ready to hang)

SOLD

All along the West coast of Ireland there are beaches called ‘White Strand’.

You can wander along and not meet another soul, particularly on a wet and windy day.

The sand can be really white and stands in stark contrast to the deep browns, greens and purples of the land that surrounds it.

I wanted to capture the feeling of standing alone on the empty strand with the power of nature sweeping over as the tide comes in.

The starting point for the painting came from one of my favourite songs by an Irish band called Planxty that were around in the 70s. The song is called ‘The West Coast of Clare’. It’s hauntingly beautiful and evokes times gone by.

The use of colour captures a little bit of that melancholy.

I would love to hear what you think.

Here are the lyrics and a video of Planxty’s performance.

The West Coast Of Clare
Written and composed by Andy Irvine

Sorrow and sadness, bitterness, grief
Memories I have of you, won’t leave me in peace
My mind is running back, to the west coast of Clare
Thinking of you, the times we had there

I walked to Spanish Point, I knew I’d find you there
I stood on the white strand, and you were everywhere
Vivid memories fade, but the mood still remains
I wish I could go back, and be with you again

In Miltown there’s a pub, its there that I sat down
I see you everywhere, your face is all around
The search for times past, contain such sweet pain
I banish lonesome thoughts, but they return again

I walk along the shore, the rain in my face
My mind is numb with grief, of you there is no trace
I’ll think of this again, when far off lands I roam
Walking with you, by this cold Atlantic foam

Sorrow and sadness, bitterness, grief
Memories I have of you, won’t leave me in peace
My mind is running back, to the west coast of Clare
Thinking of you, and the times we had there.