Going through my own archives recently, I was confronted with a much larger volume of artworks than I had realised- pen and ink drawings, charcoals, pastels, oil and acrylic canvases, paper cut outs, worked over at least four decades.
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| "Untitled" paper cut out collage 84 x 60cm 2010 |
Reaching another decade, is a time to look back and reflect. So, as I turn sixty this month, I have taken on the task of selecting a dozen or so key pieces, which in sequence, act as a kind of autobiography - and in a way........painting my life.
1. Beginnings: No. 14 Upper Dorset St, Dublin
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I was fortunate to have both a sculptor, - Colm Brennan and a surrealist- Jimmy Burns, as art teachers in secondary school. Both of these, nurtured my talents and at times, departed from the school curriculum, so as I could develop my style and technique further. "The Garden" was completed a few years after leaving school and is a tribute to the artists, writers, philosophers, performers and scientists, I had admired the most. It pursues the theme of mortality and art.
I originally trained in design and was awarded Diploma in Visualising in 1980. Working for advertising agencies, I became influenced by graphic art techniques. I was pleased to have a drawing accepted by the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1985 and thereafter awarded prizes in the CDL National Art Competitions in Ireland.
"Transcendence" combined many images I had come across in finished art manuals, books I had read and reproductions from Durer's etchings. The face of the writer Herman Hesse is featured in the central triangles. This large A1 size drawing explores the question of identity, the trauma of life itself, spirituality and our place in the cosmos.
4. The Cheese Shop, Muswell Hill.
I moved to London in March 1989, two days after my birthday. I soon reconnected with my roots via a series of Celtic paintings and exhibited them at the Crocodile Gallery in Muswell Hill. Living in this quaint part of North London, I became interested in the Edwardian buildings and shop fronts surrounding the Broadway. "The Cheese Shop" is one of a series of paintings, in which, I also made limited edition prints. 
The traditional way of learning art is that good drawing is also a base to good painting. I was largely a representational artist at the time and my drawing was heavily governed by a graphic art approach, with a strong emphasis on linear accuracy.
I attended life drawing classes in a studio in Crouch End, not far from where I lived. The tutor had a vast knowledge of the anatomy, how to represent the figure through observation and I learned the importance of correct timing. After a lot of practise, I began to loosen up and make suggestions rather than direct representations. This would help me later on, when I journeyed through abstraction.
It was at the Hampstead School of Art in 2007 that my art took on a new dimension. I was fortunate to have a Head of Painting, Wynn Jones as tutor. He encouraged me to push my boundaries and in his own words to explore artistic "radicalism". I had already been introduced to Mark Rothko's work from another artist friend and I began to delve into the works of the American Abstractionists. I very quickly arrived at a new place in my development as an artist and became absorbed by the use of abstract colour.
I first visited St. Ives, Cornwall in 2006. I was aware that this had become a post war artists colony and had been the base for eminent British artists such as Patrick Heron, Peter Lanyon, Terry Frost and Ben Nicholson. I attended classes at the St. Ives School of Art and learnt about the value of print making as another form of expression. The recently opened Tate St. Ives gallery, premiered the first full retrospective of Roger Hilton " Into Seeing New". I have returned to St. Ives several times since, always appreciating the surrounding space and light of the landscape.
Continuing to experiment, I developed a further variety of techniques at the Slade School of Art, London in 2011. I became interested in the relationship of poetry to visual art and used Japanese Haiku, as a basis for some work. I also developed the continuous line technique, drawing on large sheets of paper placed on the studio floor. These drawings have started to form a base for future paintings and more finished pieces.
9. "Sidney" Understanding Dementia
I first became exposed to dementia in 2010, after the diagnosis of one of my parents. Seeing how this develops and changes the personality of the individual, is a painful experience. It requires patience and tender, loving care. After my mother passed in 2o15, I became involved with a dementia charity in North London. "Sidney" is dedicated to one of it's earliest members, who has never been forgotten.
My climate change paintings entitled " Something is Changing" were first exhibited at the W3 Gallery, Acton Town, Eco Arts Exhibition in 2018.
To date, I have completed six pieces on the theme of Global warming, using bands of colour to suggest temperature, atmosphere and the changing face of our planet.
I am passionate about our responsibility to take action on climate change. It's consequences will affect the lives of future generations.
Faith and spirituality has influenced my work in more recent years. Kandinsky once said " The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul".
I dedicated the oil painting, "Shambo"in 2007 to the slaughtered Hindu bull. "Revelation" reflected on the biblical plight of the Israelites and "Hymn to the Mother of God" was based on a religious piece of music by John Tavener.
As a Christian, I had seen many contemporary versions of the "Stations of the Cross" but I decided to interpret each step in complete abstraction, avoiding any direct figuration. I completed these acrylic sketches in 2017.
No one, would have expected that 2020, would be the year of the pandemic. We would see significant illness and deaths. We would be asked to confine ourselves to our homes for lengthy periods.
This painting was completed during the first lockdown in London. I was short of materials, so I painted over a previously worked canvas, leaving some of the original marks exposed. Ironically, there is great energy and vibrant colour in this painting. One can almost hear a voice which says "Be creative....... Carry on!"
I have actually, sometimes given up on art, but it for some reason, has never given up on me. So, sixty years on, I will do my best to "Carry on".
Thanks to my family, many friends, muses, teachers and acquaintances who have supported my artistic endeavors over the years.
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