At home in the Landscape
I am a contemporary landscape painter based in Cork city Ireland. The short and simple version of this intro is: I love to paint because it makes me happy, The less abridged version is painting has helped me make sense of the world and my place in it.
I came to art relatively late. Beginning 'accidentally' just before my 30th birthday, I've been fortunate to spend the subsequent 2 decades enjoying art-making while developing my practice and creating bodies of work in response to landscape. It is a labour of love - maybe a devotion.
My Work
Although abstract in form, my paintings are landscapes – they capture the essence and emotional significance of a place and / or time. While my influences are broad, my work is largely concerned with the natural world and our place in it.
I am interested in the elemental - the energy and community of things - land and sea and that which connects us in nature. My practice has evolved over 20 years - every which way - form, methodology, materials and scale. I paint in oils - using up to 50 layers to complete a painting - but enjoy experimenting with mixed media (especially with those elemental aspects of the the landscape). A key part of my practice involves making work in response to extended sabbaticals (residencies) in the landscape.
The increasing scale of my paintings has seen a strong studio practice develop alongside my work in the landscape . Over time, I have found my work is evolving to become more autobiographical - charting the inner landscape, as a response to sensations and situations as well as place. Earlier work such as 'Ballads to the Bog' (Ciarraí/Kerry), 'The Mayo Lakes' and 'Mexican Odyssey' were made in nature. The Covid years put me at a remove but brought about an imagined and/or sensory dimension to my work. A much postponed exhibition on Spike Island resulted in 'The Idea of an Island' exploring imagined landscapes and longing. Themes of Devotion, the human condition and where inspiration comes from have featured in recent collections including 'Begin to Hope', 'God is in the Roses & The Thorns' and 'From Source'.
International Participation, Praise & Collection
Gallery representation, solo exhibitions and my participation in prominent group shows has resulted in positive press reviews and feedback from international collectors, notably for 'Mexican Odyssey' a touring exhibition of my work with the Mexican Embassy. I have been a recipient of Arts Bursaries (Cork City) and selected for artists residencies and fellowships in Ireland and overseas. My work is in public collections including the Office of Public Works (Ireland), University College Cork, Mayo County Council, The Embassy of Ireland in New Zealand and private collections throughout the world.
Elemental - Connecting - Home
Having lived overseas for 15 years (prior to returning to live in Ireland in 2008), the notion of home has been a constant throughout my work. In 2018, 'Home' a book celebrating 10 years of my painting in Ireland was released and received warmly throughout the world.
In 2023 - 2024 I renovated and restored a city centre building to become my studio, showroom and home. In late 2022, I hosted 'Threshold', a site-specific exhibition of 10 large (5ft sq.) paintings in the building before work commenced. At the close of 2024, I moved lock, stock and paintbrushes into 42 Douglas Street. There I am ably assisted by Celeste Burdon (Studio Manager) and Ms Dougle Dawg (Studio Pup).
