Paintings

Bantry exhibition by West Cork artist and musician West Cork artist Rebecca Howles will exhibit her abstract landscapes at Organico in Bantry from June 25 until the end of August. Rebecca’s mother, Donna Twydell, and her uncle, Ted Webb, ran Ireland’s only miniature painting gallery in Ballydehob in the eighties. Now living in Dublin, as well as being a talented artist, Rebecca is first and foremost a musician. Her main focus has always been music, with most of her time spent playing shows around the country and writing songs. She released her first EP at the age of 17. The busy lady also manages to find time to run a small, hand-crafted fused glass jewellery business called Silver Lining. Rebecca’s passion for painting developed two years ago when she became very ill with ME/CFS. “I was living in Dublin and working on my music career when I became ill. I moved back home to West Cork to recover. During the year that I was sick, I began painting. I felt a strong need for a creative outlet and since I couldn’t lift my guitar, I lifted a paintbrush instead. Now that I have completely recovered, painting will always be a part of my life,” explains Rebecca. Rebecca paints abstract landscapes. She uses her imagination and finds inspiration in everything. “I think that’s why at times painting can be so elusive or overwhelming,” she says. Fortunate to live on the seafront, with her studio enjoying a view of the ocean, many of Rebecca’s paintings are influenced by the sea. “I think if I let myself, I could paint the view over and over again and nothing else.” Rebecca’s routine is to paint with complete focus and for days on end until she is happy with the result. Nothing else is allowed to interrupt. The artist has been very influenced by her mother and her uncle, both artists. “They are phenomenal at what they do and have always helped me to find my own style of painting,” she says. The passionate artist and musician hopes that one day Bob Dylan will own one of her paintings! “Even if I have to break into his house and put it there myself,” she says smiling. You can see Rebecca’s art, music and jewellery on her website www.rebeccahowles.com.