I have a few paintings on the go at the moment, it helps me try not to over work the painting. Something I struggle with a lot of the time.. The ‘knowing when to stop’ is something I think most artists try to do and for me I find leaving the painting for a day or so can help see where to go or not to. Its a bit different each time and how I see something differs all the time, so it is sometimes based on my mood or thoughts at that time.
My last few days in the studio have been very productive. I’m hardly able to stay away at the moment.. I’m really excited about this new direction and the work that seems to be flowing right now with the energy I have. I hope it keeps coming. Abstraction allows me to paint straight from my heart without too much thought. There is a sense of great freedom and I’m so excited about being back here.
I have finally decided to add my own online shop to my website, It has just been added and I am putting up my original art works for sale online. Its just new and I want to put up work with as much detail as possible so you can have a real feel for the painting and whats on its surface, colour and texture. I hope you bare with me as come back often to see whats for sale.
I have lots of new work on the way and I am very excited with the new direction my work is taking me. I hope it can bring some joy to you and perhaps even make you want to have some of my art on your wall in a new home for always. Making art brings me so much happiness and I hope it can bring something new and fresh to you!
Come back to check my new work out as it develops and be part of my journey!
I have been doing a lot of plein air drawings lately out in the open landscape. I want express through these drawings a sense of atmosphere in the landscape I have been surrounded by. I am abstracting what I see and also what I don’t see. I am really enjoying expression in an abstract way through these drawings.
Transferring this onto canvas is a very different experience and I see the drawings more of a study or observation for painting but in a non analytical way, similar to visual note taking of what I want to express on canvas. These drawings and sketches have surprisingly helped me push abstraction in a more free and loose way. Like gestures of the memory of a place or thing or sometimes neither a place or thing.. It just feels right and I am more excited than ever to be in my studio painting and painting, probably for the first time ever..
I am painting a lot of new work and I will share these here on my website in the near future. Come back again soon if you’d like to have a look.
I am very happy to be part of this charity exhibition in aid of Wicklow Dementia Support. Alongside many very talented artists I have 5 paintings on exhibit.
The show opens at 7.30 at pop up gallery, La Touche Place, Greystones, Co. Wicklow. All are welcome.
‘Sheep Farmer’
70x70cm
When out sketching in the open landscape today I met a sheep farmer who was walking up the hill towards where I was stood doing some sketches. He stopped to ask what I was painting and I told him I was just doing some abstracted sketches of what I’m seeing. He wondered if there was a market for that and the conversation went on to his days in school and how he hated it.. I responded with the same feeling and said how I loved the art class though. He was out walking up the hills looking for his sheep and asked if I’d seen any on my trail. That’s was it really..Its the small things..
This is my new painting ‘The Sheep Farmer’
and today’s experience prompted me to title my new series of paintings
‘Trails’
This painting went to many different places as it progressed. I painted layer over layer and made marks where later I lifted them again. I spent days looking at it until I could see where it wanted to go.
Sometimes I have to destroy certain elements of a painting before I can take it any further.. I try not to overcrowd the work which can be very difficult sometimes. The painting set out so different but as it has come to near the end, the narrative has finally emerged that I was looking for. My feelings of nature and the beauty it brings.
