An Artistic Journey With April Jarocka

Arts and Entertainment - Arts

Sunday, 21 March 2010 01:00

About April Jarocka:
April Jarocka is a British artist and illustrator based in the Cappa, near Kilrush. April paints beachscapes realistically in oil and acrylic and has sold her work through exhibitions and private commissions. She also has private collections in Uk, Ireland, Poland, Switzerland and Canada. For more see www.apriljarocka.blogspot.com.

“I have been painting the stones from my local shore in Cappa, West Clare Ireland for about three years now. It all started after a walk to the shore one sunny morning when I noticed for the first time how beautiful the stones there were. What had for nine years just been a plain ordinary stone beach to me suddenly became a place of mystery, serenity and sanctuary. Little did I realise that these small stones would be the key to unlocking my creativity. The one thing that would flick on my internal light switch.

I ran home to grab a camera and spent a good part of the next hour taking dozens of photographs. I had spent many years as a frustrated artist not knowing what to really paint so I was all fired up as I put paint to canvas. Thinking people would think I was rather mad to want to paint stones I decided that I would not show anyone what I was painting, but as the painting turned out rather more realistic than I expected there was much delight when my husband came home. He told me to paint the WHOLE beach so this is what I came up with:

As you can see it was a pretty big attempt (80cmx100cm to be exact). It was certainly an usual choice of subject so I didn't expect it to sell, but it did. It now hangs in a beautiful boat house in Cappa not far from where the stones were originally found, which I like. It took me four months to paint and I vowed it would be my last painting of the beach. But it wasn't.  Later that year I was commissioned to paint another beach scene for a wedding gift.

By now the stones were getting easier to paint and I was able to set myself a reachable goal, as with all commissioned work.  I liked this one because it had a more interesting sky and featured a little of our iconic Scattery Island, a monastic island that sits here in the Shannon Estuary. Behind it you can see County Kerry and to the right the peninsulas of South West Clare near Carrigaholt. Perhaps I should explain that the background in these paintings is always in oil, and the beach and stones in acrylic.

I was then commissioned to paint the beach again and this time decided on a morning view of the beach, because the light on Scattery Island (background) is best in the morning. The stone stack above was one I put together on one of my numerous trips to the beach. This is, in my opinion, my most photorealistic painting of the beach and one I favoured for my header to this blog.

This is the same stone stack used in a smaller study and which is due to be featured in the May Issue of Artists & Illustrators magazine, which I am rather pleased about.

So why paint stones? Well, for me it's their amazing detail. I love the play of  light across their surface and the shadows they cast across one another and the darker ones in between them. They still flick my switch when it comes to creativity. I've taken a few breaks from painting stones to paint seascapes, cars, boats, butterflies, horses, people and food.  The stones, however, are  now a strange part of me  - a subject matter I  can  not just abandon because I still feel I have yet to produce that painting that I will not be able to part with.  And besides, how can I tire of painting something so beautiful?  

As for people thinking I am daft to paint stones? No. In fact I was rather overwhelmed by the number of people here and abroad who love stones and received my paintings with such enthusiasm. My thanks especially go to my patrons who have supported me in the last three years. I am currently working on another commission and putting together a few more stone paintings, for anyone who has not had a chance to see my work I will be holding a small solo exhibition of work in Kilrush Library from 27th May - 10th June. All are most welcome.”