How The Old Brogue Irish Pub Became My Major Art Muse
One of the major worries of mine when this pandemic first struck was how do we preserve those beautiful aspects of our everyday life before it -- the restaurants we loved to visit, people who we love to see, businesses that we work for or rely upon. One in particular I worried about is the Old Brogue Irish Pub - Great Falls Virginia's equivalent of the Cheers Bar and a gathering place over decades. It's a big business with a huge heart -- part of so much good within the community and beyond.
The Brogue is a couple of doors down from my joint studio at the Artists' Atelier in the Village Centre but even before I took up painting, Randy and I shared family dinners with our then young kids there. It's the connection between this place and my art that were the subject of a very long thank you note I sent a couple days ago to the Brogue's owner and Great Falls unofficial mayor, Mike Kearney. I'm "re-publishing" that letter here.
Dear Mike,
I'm so grateful for the huge impact that showing my work at the Brogue has had on my career as an artist and connection to the community. I think I was the first or second artist showing in the Snuggery, way back when ... but your gathering spot you've built was a huge inspiration even before then. "The Brogue" was my postcard cover image for my first solo show at the Art League in Alexandria -- when I was one of 10 artists out of 1000+ members chosen to take over the solo room for a month. That painting was based on photographs taken in the Snuggery when it still had the bar and dark paneling -- at a private event of the Vecchi's. Francie was one of my close artist friends in this new art path of mine.
"The Brogue," 30"h x40"w was the first painting in my Brogue series and the postcard image for my first major solo show in 2008 at the Art League
This month, my painting "Ladies Lunch" - of my Mom and her friends celebrating a birthday group lunch in Katie's while my art hung there for the month -- is featured in three major National art magazines: Art of the West, Southwest Art and Fine Art Connoisseur. That's unbelievable ... and all the more amazing since none of those placements were paid for by me. The painting was selected for an exhibition by Women Artists of the West (WAOW - I'm a signature member) that was supposed to happen in Dubois, Wyoming which was then switched to an online only exhibit. The promotions chair for WAOW designed an ad for the organization with only two paintings featured out of the hundreds in the show -- and "Ladies Lunch" was one of those two -- appearing in this month's Art of the West Magazine.
Multiple paintings were presented to Southwest Art for a Show Preview article - and "Ladies Lunch" was published along with 4 other pieces in the July issue. Then, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine selected one piece for its "Off the Walls" exhibit announcement section and "Ladies Lunch" was again it. The only one. So two magazine editors and a WAOW organizer all saw something in this painting and what it depicted and wanted to share it. In talking to the WAOW organizer, she let me know that it really resonated with what the organization is all about - women supporting women. For others, I think it is about all of those wonderful regular life gatherings and celebrations that we cherished then but miss so terribly now.
For me, that painting is special because it is set in the Brogue, a place that is so strongly ingrained in my memory of all things good and there's my Mom, who "sneakingly" made sure her friends were exposed to my art for a long, leisurely, wonderful lunch.
"Ladies Lunch" in Southwest Art, July/August 2020 issue
"Ladies Lunch" in Art of the West Magazine - July/August 2020
"Ladies Lunch", 16 x 20 inches, oil on linen-lined panel - private collection
Other Brogue related art stories:
Whenever I meet a local person, they invariably tell me they recognize my work from having seen it at the Brogue. There's an instant connection and they saw it in an environment that's just how I'd hope they'd experience it. Warm, homey, happy.
"Tea for Two," 20 x 16 inches, painted from life inside the Brogue, available - influenced my 100 Faces in 100 Days Project
My first time painting people from life, without their being a model and having to be still was "Tea for Two" - painted with permission in the Snuggery while they were having tea. After they finished, I stayed in the Snuggery for hours -- painting the walls, tablescapes, etc. and keeping your diligent staff from clearing the table for as long as possible. That painting planted the idea for my "100 Faces in 100 Days Project" and also immediately led to my painting "Colleen's Boys." She had been in the Snuggery writing on her laptop while I was painting "Tea for Two" and asked what would happen if her three sons showed up there on a certain day that week. I agreed to paint them as a commission -- although at that time I was in the middle of one of our many moves. It took a bit of time and scrounging around to get organized to paint that day, and by the time I was sort of ready, all the smoothies and food had pretty much been consumed and it was a struggle to keep the three contained for long. Still turned out.
"Colleen's Boys," 16 x 20 inches - painted from life and some photos right after "Tea for Two." Private collection.
I painted in the bar one day during one of my shows ... and turns out that one of my subjects in the painting was David. Marjorie, David's wife, who I had not met yet caught word of the painting and immediately called me to purchase it as a surprise gift for his big birthday party there in the Snuggery where it was allowed to sit for the evening on the mantel. This has led to an incredible friendship with Marjorie who has a Jill Banks roomful of art, including "Spring Gathering, Great Falls" - one of the big pieces I painted plein air on the hill -- that was published on the cover of the Celebrate Great Falls Annual Schedule of Events.
"The Brogue Bar," 18" x 24," oil on linen-lined panel. Private collection.
"Spring Gathering, Great Falls "- 24 x 36 in., painted plein air from up on the hill. Private collection.
Detail of "Spring Gathering, Great Falls" on the the cover of the annual Celebrate Great Falls Schedule of Events
There are tons of Cars and Coffee paintings including one from last year painted on the Atelier porch. Another looking up toward the Brogue "Village Light" (also in Marjorie's collection). I painted out back for "St. Patrick's Day" - plein air - at a little distance from the green beer, just in case.
"Cars and Coffee" - my first one in that series. 16"h x 20"w. Private collection.
"Cars and Coffee Two" - second in the series. 16"h x 20"w, oil on linen-lined panel. Private collection.
"More Cars and Coffee" - the latest one painted from the front porch of the Artists' Atelier in the Great Falls Village Centre. 24"h x 12"w, oil on linen-lined panel. Available.
"Irish Pub" - was awarded the Leila Gardin Sawyer Award (one of the top prizes for an oil painting in this particular competition) at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's Open Juried Exhibition at the National Arts Club in NYC. That was neat. 18"h x 24"w, oil on linen-lined panel. Private collection.
"The Snuggery" - I still have this one. You were stopping by Bob and Candace's table - making the rounds. 18"h x 24"w
"St. Patrick's Day" - 12"h x 16"w, oil on linen-lined panel. Available.
"Village Light" - 24"h x 12"w. Painted during Paint Great Falls Plein Air competition 2018. Private collection.
What you built -- this place where the community can come together -- has interwoven so many lives and made such a difference. Your sharing your walls so many times with me afforded a real presence, recognition and struck chords with so many people who have become friends and collectors. It was those extended hours of seeing what something felt like to be around, repeat performances that created art lovers and buyers out of people who would not go to an art opening. That was a huge blessing!
The toll this pandemic is taking everywhere is unfathomable and you are taking the lion's share of the load in keeping alive this business of yours that's a centerpiece for the community. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do for all of us. If there's a way to return those decades of kindness, let me know. This story of how you have helped shape the trajectory of my career and fit so well with my favorite subject is pretty amazing. I hope that it can help in some way.
Again, huge, huge, huge thanks!
I truly hope that the Old Brogue and other businesses that are at the heart of our communities find the continued support that they need from all of us that are able. Help means patronage, conversations, guidance, thanks, willingness to pay higher prices to cover increased costs, connecting, checking in ... and whatever else we can come up with. It also means being completely responsible in keeping those on the front lines and patrons around you safe. Mask use, distancing, personal care, self quarantining if exposed to risks. That alone can relieve a lot of stress.
