Yanks

So far, 13 American artists have signed up to join us here in Ireland in July. The organisers are very proud of having a festival so many want to come to and grateful for this support and encouragement of some great artists. We are looking forward to it, too. And of course, we aren't by any means finished yet.

Click on the link above to make sure you are included and if not, visit www.artintheopen.org and register soon.

Good luck at the Plein Air Convention, Lori, Jane and Louise.

Wish I could be back with everyone, but I will keep up with AITO 2013 online.  Enjoy!

Hi everyone, I just signed up for Art in the Open! I'm looking forward to meeting everyone and exploring Wexford!

This is great! Pints for everyone!

Hi Deb, That is good. Lori knows the natives are friendly. The brass band is tuning up for 'The Yanks Are Coming' as we speak.

Hi Elaine. You can cheer us on from the sidelines this year. All the best to you from your friends here.

I wish I could join you! I'll look forward to hearing all about and seeing your wonderful art!

Thanks, Tony.  I will be keeping watch on what's going on.

Hi everyone. If you have traveled to Ireland in the past, have you any tips on your experiences with mobile phones, call credit ect ?? There has been a couple of inquiries so I would be interested to know how you managed??

Marc Delassio kindly offered the following advice :

"I got a sim card at the airport. I think it was 5 euros. The guy was really helpful with all the options and I never used up the money on the sim (international guests can receive calls for free).Some Americans can't change their sim cards though."

Any thoughts would be helpful, thanks

I will watch this with interest.  When I traveled to Ireland, and other countries, I never took a phone, but very much wished I had one.  

When I'm overseas, I usually buy a local throw away phone and a local sim card for about $20.  That way if the locals call me or I call them, it's a local call.  I haven't done it in Ireland yet.  US cellphones are usually locked to the carrier and you can't use a foreign sim card, but many overseas phones aren't.  If you already have an unlocked phone, you can get a local sim card which has a local phone number and a certain number of minutes.  Just plug it in your unlocked phone and go.

I have skype on my iphone. If I happen to be on wi-fi, the calls are free. If I am not, the calls are still dirt cheap.  I've been in Europe for months and never gone over about $10. using it.  I do use it more sparingly than I do at home though. A local toss phone isn't the best option for me personally since most of my calls are back to the U.S.

Will miss you Elaine! I'll drink a pint for you.

Thanks Charlie and Lori..There are a few options there for people depending on the type of phone you are going to  use.

For anyone thinking of buying an Irish sim card , here's a useful link :

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowTopic-g186591-i88-k4793989-Where_to_p...

I just bought my tickets.  I am getting so excited.  I arrive on the 22nd.  Looking forward to getting some "Green" paintings in before the event starts.  Karen, we will arrive in Wexford on the 28th.

Rhonda, You'll have no problem with the greens since you're from Longmont! It's the neutrals that always get me in Ireland. Lots of sensitive greys.

Hi Lynda,

I'm assuming you have your own painting set-up (pochade and tripod) as all you will generally find here in Ireland are full and half French easels. Anyone over here in Europe who has anything else has probably made it or imported it from the USA where there are so many more available. We lag behind in those!

Regarding consumables, such as paint and to a lesser extent, brushes, as you are coming for several weeks, you could just buy a set here. In Wexford, if you are heading there first, you'll find Michael Harding oils, Winsor & Newtone (Artists' and Winton ranges) and Daler-Rowney oils. Also there are Rosemary Brushes as well as other brands but brushes are more personal so you may want to bring a few favourites with you.

Europe also lags behind in lightweight panels. We don't have the range you have in the US. Most plein air artists here use the readily available canvas panels (primed  cotton canvas glued onto cardboard), stretched canvases or make up their own.

The lightest way to travel is to cut loose primed canvas one inch bigger each way than your painting size and to tape the loose canvas to a light panel of your chosen size using masking tape. At the end of your trip, interleave with grease-proof paper and roll the paintings gently inside a postal tube for carrying or posting home. A little Liquin medium will ensure your paintings are touch-dry enough to do this up to 2 days before departure homeward.

Finally, if you want to mail some of your gear a couple of weeks in advance, you can use the Spectrum address (see the advertisement in the column on the right) and they will store it for you to collect on arrival.

Hi Lynda et al,  Here are some tips from my blog on traveling to Europe to paint. Tips for the Winged Artist.

You'll also find packing tips here: Tips_MSDS.pdf

Making my plane reservations this week!

Thanks for the suggestions! I was wondering the same thing myself.

Lori, do you use a pochade box? I'm thinking of investing in one, since I only have a half-box French easel and I think it'll be too clunky to bring.

Hello All,

We just booked our flights today, Knoxville, Tennessee to Philadelphia to Shannon. We took care of our lodging several weeks ago. We are looking to rent a car at the airport. Any recommendations on rental car companies.

Thanks

Can anyone give me some recommendations on frames.  Are you all bringing them or getting them in Wexford?  How many should we expect to need? 

Lynda, I was at AITO two years ago, and LOVED it!  don't worry about not knowing anyone, the Irish, and everyone else there will make you feel right at home.  It was one of the most memorable things I've done, and hope I can come back sometime.  After AITO I went to the west, visited some people there, and just soaked in Ireland.  I loved going to Doolin, the Aran Islands, Cliffs of Mohr, and much more.  Wonderful music.  Just relax, smile and talk to people, and you will have the time of your life.  Oh yeah... paint too!

Thank you Lori,  I had two artist at my house in Crested Butte last night that know you.  Greg Barnes and Jim Wodark.  They think very highly of you.  I am looking forward to meeting you. 

Hey Yanks anyone thinking of going to west Ireland? After the event I plan to kick around in the western part of Ireland, Dingle, Kilarney, etc., for a few days of painting. Anyone up for doing the same?  I will be flying out of Shannon.

Sherry and I are arriving early and heading to the west with one of our destinations being Donegal, coincidentally an ancestral home for both of us. Unfortunately our flight home leaves early on the 8th. Sherry would have loved to have painted and as the Sherpa spouse I could have done more pub research. We are planning to visit Ardmore on the 7th as we wind our way from Wexford to Shannon. I think Sherry has read all of Nora Roberts books multiple times.

Thanks for all the tips on packing, etc! Tony, I'm going to take you up on your offer to have some gear shipped to Spectrum Art. It's way too much of a hassle with security at the airport and I'm paranoid that they'll take something away or something will be damaged! I'll be sending it this week. I hope that's alright with you. Thanks!

Hi Lynda,

I'll be coming on my own from the States too. :) So you're not the only one! You will love Ireland. The people over there are very friendly and welcoming. And the country is beautiful! I'm leaving next week for Galway to check out the art festival there before I head out to Wexford. Looking forward to painting with everyone! See you all in a couple of weeks!

Hi Everyone,

I am getting so excited about painting in Ireland.  I was wondering about the show which is part of  the Plein Air event.  We can submit 3 paintings.  I will be leaving the 10th.  Does anyone know if we are required to leave our paintings up for the whole show?  Or can we take them down after a few days.    Not sure how all that works for us people flying in. 

Really looking forward to Ned Mueller's workshop.  Any of you attending?

You may take your painting(s) with you. Or we can ship unsold ones at cost afterwards. - Or collect them when you come back next year ;-)

I have AT&T.  I am just paying the $30 for international.  That will give me enough minutes to get buy.  Have you checked with your carrier?  I am also getting international texting, $10.  Hope that helps. 

That is great that you found what you want.  Maybe I need to change.  How do you get calls from home?  Will they need to make international calls?  How much is that phone that you found?  Can you also get text? 

There's a discussion on phone options running on the discussion forum  above Here's the link :http://pleineire.ning.com/group/yanks/forum/topics/using-mobile-pho...

Perhaps it will help with some of your queries.... 

That's weird...about to post re: Dunnes and ya vanished :)

http://www.localmint.com/ie/dunnes-stores-wexford-redmond-sq-openin...

Sunday 1am-7pm

Good to meet you today, Lynda. Glad to see you are settling in and doing some exploring.

Just heading to Waterford's Copper Coast with Micheal R. this am. ..if anyone with "wheels" would like to join us...?

my number..0879335456

Hello:  Thanks for the warm welcome.  Looking forward to interacting with everyone.  Getting my gear together.  Dorothy

Hey Monica! 

I just joined the Yanks group..thanks, Tony Robinson, for letting me know about it!

You may want to join the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters' Association (MAPAPA)..lots of chances to paint with others and a terrific newsletter. I live close to the Wayne Art Center and hope to meet you!