Artist’s Statement
The natural world provides an unlimited supply of light and colour and ever changing scenes. It is from this world that I draw inspiration for my paintings, blending natural scenes with my own ideas. I like a painting to be full of contrast: bold colours, dramatic lights and darks, and everything from bare canvas to rich impasto. Combining thin brush layers and thick palette knife strokes is my specialty, and gives paintings extra depth and an almost sculpture-like quality. Oil paints are my medium of choice due to their richness and the range of effects it is possible to create with them.
My most recent work has become more and more focused on wind, water, weather, and the fluidity they create. These have always played a big part in the scenes I paint, and now they also drive the way I use paint and even how I build canvases. The result is paintings that are full of movement and energy.
I have always been interested in the work of great impressionist painters such as Monet, and this is strongly reflected in the bold, colourful strokes of my own paintings. Other influences include Irish artists such as Jack B Yeats and Liam O’ Neill. Both of these artists use the highly textured impasto technique, which I have always enjoyed.
Background
I have a degree in mechanical engineering and a Ph.D in biomaterials and nanomaterials; not a typical education for an artist but it does give an interesting perspective and provides some rare inspiration for paintings. Art and engineering are not as different as people sometimes think, as both depend on creativity and an interest in experimentation, and I think that each one helps me to be better at the other.
Although not a full time painter, my art career got an early kick-start through winning the Texaco children’s art competition and a UTV young artist of the year award in 2002. I built on this with more awards through my school days, including winning a competition to design the Wexford GAA crest in 2006, my Leaving Cert year. Instead of choosing 3rd level art, I went for engineering in University College Dublin, but stayed dedicated to painting in my own way as well. Since then I have taken part in group and solo exhibitons in Gorey and Dublin, as well as selling privately by commission.
Previous Exhibitions
- 2018 – ‘Take the Sky Road’, The Gaslamp Gallery, Gorey (solo)
- 2017 – House, The RDS, Dublin
- 2016 – Wexford Opera Festival, Whyte’s Hotel, Wexford
- 2015 – ‘The Irish Summer’, The Gaslamp Gallery, Gorey (solo)
- 2013 – Taaffe’s Food Gallery, Trim
- 2012 – SCOOP Charity Art Auction, Dublin
- 2012 – Greenacres Open Submission Show, Wexford
- 2011 – People’s Art Exhibition, Dublin
- 2009 – Partridges restaurant, Gorey
- 2008 – ‘Reflections’, Trillium House, Gorey (solo)
- 2008 – Ueno Royal Musuem, Tokyo
- 2007 – Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin
- 2007 – Nua Art, Gorey
- 2005 – Dublin Castle, Dublin
- 2002 – Hunt Gallery, Limerick
Collections
- The state art collection, Taoiseach’s office
- UTV (Ulster Television) collection
- Texaco Ireland collection
- Somers High school, New York
Awards
- Winner of Texaco children’s art 2002
- UTV (Ulster Television) young artist of the year 2002
- 2nd in Texaco children’s art 2006
- other prizes in Texaco 03, 04, 05
- Designer of Wexford county GAA crest