Lights Camera Action Art and What's Right With Tampa Bay

What's Right With Tampa Bay is a weekly feature by Fox TV Tampa.   They contacted us in March asking if they could follow us as we painted for a morning.  Brian Grey is a talented interviewer and photographer.  We were immediately made feel comfortable as his camera zoomed in. Brian has been to the finest museums and galleries in Europe and before long we were chatting like long time friends.

Three hours of filming and interruptions with passing traffic and enthusiastic tourists passed all too quickly.  As you can see from the shadows, we were in the noon hour sunshine. Temperature was 88 degrees and our umbrellas provided relief

Fresh Florida strawberries and oranges replenish our energy

 Back at Mary Rose Holmes studio for afternoon tea and refreshments.

Artists Mary Rose Holmes and Violetta Shtumeyzen Chandler

We extended an invitation to Brian Grey and Fox TV Tampa to join us in Ireland on June 13th at The Old Market House Arts Centre, Dungarvan, Co Waterford Ireland, when Coastal Cottages Series 18 is unveiled.  The show features paintings of Ireland and Florida and last count it looks like we will have 36 new paintings.

Artists Mary Rose Holmes and Violetta Shtumeyzen-Chandler 

Click on Video Below to View What's Right With Tampa Bay

Do you get nervous when speaking publicly?

Bluebell Festival, A Folly & His Lordship

The Fox hounds entertain us

Our destination this morning was Curraghmore House for the Bluebell Festival, a benefit supporting cancer patients.

Curraghmore House in Waterford is the historic home of the 9th Marquis of Waterford, Henry de la Poer Beresford also known as Lord Waterford.  His ancestors (the de la Poers) came to Ireland from Normandy following a 100-year stopover in Wales around 1170.

Some 2,500 acres of formal gardens, woodland and grazing fields make this the largest private demesne in Ireland.

A Folly - The Shell House Photo Helen Tilston

The Shell House

Hidden in a shrubbery near the main House at Curraghmore, is the most enchanting Shell House, created by Catherine Countess of Tyrone with 'her proper' hands in 1754.

Statue of Catherine, Countess of Tyrone by John Van Nost

The decoration of the folly took her 261 days to complete and the intricate patterns of shells from all over the world still glow with colour above a statue of the Countess by John van Nost.

Interior of Shell House Photo Helen Tilston 

Records indicate that Lady Catherine herself negotiated with Captains of ships sailing to and from the important Georgian Harbour at Waterford to collect and return shells to her from all over the World.  

We were thrilled to meet Lord Waterford at the Shell House and hear from him about it's construction. 

I apologize for the quality of my photos, taken on i-Phone on an overcast Sunday.