James A. Truett I Artist

26/08/2026

The first turf fire of the season seemed fitting today.

There was just enough of an autumn chill in the County Clare air to light a small fire in the woodstove as I took in the news of Dolly Parton's passing.

Few public figures have earned the universal respect that Dolly did. Beyond her extraordinary talent, she lived her values every day with kindness, generosity, humility, and a genuine love for people, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or circumstance. The world feels a little dimmer without her.

One of my favourite Dolly quotes has always been:

"Happiness is your commitment to appreciating all that is good in life."

Rest in peace and power, Dolly. Thank you for showing us how to live with grace, compassion, and joy.

24/08/2026

Autumn is beginning to make its presence known here in County Clare. The mornings have taken on a gentle chill, and the delicate aroma of turf fires drifts through the countryside once again. It's one of those unmistakable signs that another Irish autumn is on its way. See Beauty Everywhere.

21/08/2026

I’ve always loved paths.

There’s something about a path disappearing into the distance that makes me want to follow it, simply to discover where it leads.

I photographed this one high on Tountinna in County Tipperary, where the mountain was wrapped in cloud, and the landscape seemed to appear and disappear around me. The path offered a direction, but no promise of what I would find ahead.

Perhaps that’s part of what I love about exploration. You don’t need to know exactly where a path will take you. You simply need enough curiosity to keep walking.

While writing *The Kindness & Gratitude Effect*, I kept returning to a similar idea. So much of life is shaped by the small choices we make along the way: how we treat someone, what we choose to notice, whether we stop long enough to appreciate where we are.

Kindness and gratitude are choices we can make as we travel. They don’t remove the clouds or tell us what lies around the next bend. But they can change how we experience the journey.

And sometimes, the most interesting paths are the ones where you can’t quite see what’s ahead.

See Beauty Everywhere.

17/08/2026

County Clare is filled with castles.

Some have been beautifully restored. Others stand roofless and abandoned, slowly surrendering to weather and time. Some overlook the Atlantic and Shannon Estuary, while others rise unexpectedly from fields, woodlands and villages.�

Over the years, I’ve photographed dozens of these remarkable places while wandering Clare. Here are ten favourites, each with its own story and character.

Which one would you most like to explore?�

1. Dromoland Castle | Newmarket-on-Fergus
For centuries, Dromoland was associated with the O'Brien family, descendants of Brian Boru. The castle we see today was largely rebuilt between 1800 and 1836 in Gothic style. It became a luxury hotel in the 1960s and today is one of Ireland's best-known five-star castle resorts.

2. Ballyportry Castle | Corofin
Rising above the countryside near Corofin, Ballyportry Castle is a remarkably well-preserved 15th-century tower house associated with the O'Brien family. Its tall, imposing form is a striking reminder that these medieval buildings were fortified homes, designed as much for security as comfort.

3. Gleninagh Castle | The Burren
Standing near the shore of Galway Bay, Gleninagh is a 16th-century tower house built for the O'Loughlens, once a powerful family in the Burren. Its unusual L-shaped design and imposing size reflected both their status and the turbulent world in which these fortified homes were built.

4. Bunratty Castle | Bunratty
One of Clare's most recognisable landmarks, the present Bunratty Castle was built by the MacNamaras in the 15th century and later became an O'Brien stronghold. After centuries of change and decline, it was extensively restored during the 1950s and reopened in 1960.

5. Ballygriffy Castle | County Clare
A horse grazes quietly beneath Ballygriffy Castle, a reminder of how naturally these centuries-old towers have become part of Clare's rural landscape. Ballygriffy is associated historically with the O'Griffy family, its stone walls surviving as the countryside around them continues to change.

6. Carrigaholt Castle | Loop Head Peninsula
Rising beside Carrigaholt Bay and the Shannon Estuary, this 15th-century, five-storey tower house was the fortified residence of the MacMahons, chiefs of West Corcovaskin. Its position beside the water made it both a stronghold and a commanding lookout over one of Clare's great maritime landscapes.

7. Dangan Castle | County Clare
The ruins of Dangan Castle have a history that isn't entirely settled. Local historical sources attribute its construction to the MacNamaras and suggest the surviving castle may date to the early 14th century. Today, stone, ivy and summer flowers share the site, centuries after Dangan was an important stronghold.

8. Ballinalacken Castle | The Burren
Perched high on a limestone outcrop, Ballinalacken Castle commands sweeping views across the Burren toward the Atlantic. Probably dating from the 15th or early 16th century, the tower house occupied a strategic position overlooking routes between Lisdoonvarna, Doolin and the coast.

9. Dough Castle | Lahinch
Little remains of Dough Castle today but this solitary wall near Lahinch. The O'Connors established a stronghold here in the early 14th century, strategically placed near the mouth of the Inagh River. Its eventual destruction came largely through unstable sandy foundations and repeated collapses rather than battle.

10. Doonagore Castle | Doolin
High above Doolin and the Atlantic stands Doonagore, one of the Burren's distinctive round tower houses. The present structure probably dates from the 16th century. Its beautiful setting hides a darker history: survivors of a Spanish Armada wreck in 1588 were captured and executed nearby.

See Beauty Everywhere.�

12/08/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹

Yesterday morning, I took a short walk around the lake in Lissycasey, County Clare. I haven't been out exploring nature nearly enough lately, and I almost immediately wondered why I'd waited so long.

The morning sun was streaming through the trees, catching the red and orange Rowan berries against layers of deep green. There was something enchanting about this little footpath disappearing beneath the canopy, as though following it around that bend might somehow carry me into a quieter, more peaceful world.

But, as so often happens with my work, I didn't fully see what I'd captured until I got home.

As I worked on the image, something unexpected happened. I found myself back there. I lost track of time, completely immersed in the colour and light. It felt almost like being wrapped in a big hug from Mother Nature.

I finally stopped working on it and let it sit overnight. When I opened it again this morning, it genuinely took my breath away.

The layers of colour. The light. Those brilliant flashes of red. And that little path inviting me to keep going, without revealing where it leads.

Sometimes you don't have to travel very far to find something extraordinary.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸.

10/08/2026

While waiting for my cousins before our weekly family lunch at Ballycorick Church, I wandered through the old churchyard with my camera. Sometimes the most memorable photographs aren't planned. They simply appear when you slow down long enough to notice.

Beauty has a habit of finding us when we're not looking for it.

08/08/2026

There is a quietness to James A. Truett’s work that invites you to stay a little longer.

Inspired by the natural world, James creates atmospheric compositions where light, landscape, color, and stillness come together. His images capture more than a place. They preserve the feeling of being there. 🌿

From intimate woodland paths to sweeping coastal perspectives, his practice reflects a deep sensitivity to the environments around us, transforming fleeting encounters with nature into works that feel calm, contemplative, and timeless.

Plogix Gallery is proud to represent James A. Truett and share his distinctive vision with collectors and audiences around the world.

Discover more from James A. Truett | Artist

07/08/2026

A Gentle Reminder

Most of us spend far too much time looking for what's wrong.

What if, just for today, you deliberately looked for what was right instead?

• One kind conversation.
• One unexpected smile.
• One patch of sunlight.
• One quiet moment.

When you train your mind to notice these things, your experience of the day begins to change.

"Where you place your attention shapes the life you experience."

One of the reflections from my book, "The Kindness & Gratitude Effect".

If you'd like to explore more ideas like this, the book is available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook on Amazon.

IMAGE: A path in Dromore Woods, County Clare.

The Kindness & Gratitude Effect: How Small Shifts in Thought and Action Change the Way We Live

06/08/2026

A moment of quiet beauty from my visit to the Japanese Garden in Budapest, Hungary, last year.

Water lilies rise clean from muddy pond bottoms and open their radiant blooms to the sun — a beautiful symbol of purity, rebirth and peace.

Their beauty also serves the pond around them. The floating leaves provide shade, help keep the water cool and offer shelter for fish, while the plants contribute oxygen to their aquatic environment.

Water lilies have inspired artists for generations. Claude Monet famously painted them in his garden at Giverny, creating a celebrated cycle of paintings that became an enduring meditation on nature, light and peace.

Sometimes the most beautiful things rise from the mud.