The land, sea, people all inspire Donegal artist to create

Here she talks to The Impartial Reporter about her biggest influences, where she exhibits her work and what her art means to her.

What is your artistic background? Are you self-taught or did you go to art school/do courses?

At 16 I was delighted to be accepted to the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Dublin, but my parents had other ideas.

I studied geography, teaching and an MSc in counselling and therapeutic communication. Self-trained in painting over the last 15 years, I am always researching and studying painting theory, working and studying with other professional artists through the Royal Ulster Academy, Visual Arts Ireland and Artlink at Fort Dunree.

Sea wall.

What inspires your art?

I draw inspiration from my experience of the land, sea, people, conversations and written word. In summer I began sea swimming. This impacted my work in its sense of scale with greater freedom and motion. There is an elemental sense of freedom when you are part of the immense ocean.

Still...life March 2020.

Who/what are your biggest influences?

Joan Eardley and Melita Denaro. I love the style of Brian Ballard and am intrigued by Eamon Coleman.

Is there a specific place that you do your work? Do you have a studio?

I mostly work from my studio, which is attached to the Inishowen Artists’ Retreat. I also work en plein air (outside) which I find informative and challenging. The light is ever changing; it’s absorbing but can get cold.

Of the Sea.

What has been your most ambitious piece, to date?

‘The sea was soft and full of secrets’ (1.5x2 meters) is my largest painting yet. Painted in response to an experience I had in the sea one Sunday morning, how the landscape zoomed away beyond the horizon and I was left feeling a very small but still important piece of a greater existence.

I felt compelled to share that; sometimes we don’t realise our individual worth and value. This work was selected as a finalist for the John Richardson French Residency Award.

Warriors in wait.

What different artistic media do you use and which is your favourite?

I mainly paint in oils, sometimes adding other media like acrylic, blue clay slip, charcoal, collected dust and powdered pigments. I enjoy working with oil paints; I find they have a mind of their own, and you have to allow the paint to inform the painting as you go ... They can be unpredictable.

What are you currently working on?

I work on several paintings at a time. My mind is constantly thinking about colour and light even when I’m doing other things. I plan and think about a project beforehand but sometimes an image will appear in the structure of the paint, so it can turn into something completely different.

I’m working on a series of sea paintings; a portrait of a single mum and a few landscapes. In truth, the face is like a landscape where features and shadows reflect the life of that person.

The Sea was soft and full of secrets.

Do you exhibit your work anywhere?

My gallery representation is with the wonderful Hambly & Hambly at Dunbar House; they really work hard for the artist and I love their ethos.

I am grateful to have been invited to join a touring exhibition, ‘A5’, with The Drawing Box – an incredible, co-operative run, international artist initiative.

We have shown in Paris, The Institute of Fine Art in Athens, New Delhi, Ghent, New Mexico, Lithuania, Cyprus, Germany, Australia, Scotland and the Netherlands.

I would like to thank the founders, John Crabtree, Andrew Crane, Patil Rajendra and Diane Henshaw for their vision.

Soulful Place.

Any new artistic ventures planned for 2022?

Yes, I’ve been invited to exhibit my work by Echo Echo Dance Theatre in Derry during the Illuminate Festival (February 17 to 27).

The exhibition, ‘Lucent’, will be opened by my friend and colleague, Noelle McAlinden, on February 1 from 7-8.30pm and will run to March 29.

My drawing, ‘Oscillation’, will be shown as part of a group show, ‘A0’, by The Drawing box at The Kanu Nayak Art Foundation in Mumbai later in the year.

A long-awaited three-person show with myself, Josephine Kelly and Paul Murray, will take place at the Hyde Bridge Gallery in June. We’ve had to postpone twice.

Our Artists’ Retreat (artstaysdonegal.com), set in an 1800s cottage by our home in Inishowen, will be opening soon. A place where I can facilitate up to four artists, sharing my experience and knowledge of painting while focusing on innate style and ability.

It will be amazing to realise this project as we’ve been working on it for 10 years, practically rebuilding it ourselves using lime.

Where to next.

What have been your favourite projects, to date?

Working with the education team on the Turner Prize in 2013 or the Rivers of the World project with the Thames Festival and The British Council (Foyle and Londonderry College and Royal and Prior in Raphoe), creating sculpture and video, and recently compiling a book for young people on Creative Wellbeing with the Churches Trust.

What are you up to when you aren’t creating art?

Looking after my family and caring for my folks. Delivering projects for woodlands and wellbeing with the Donegal Sports Partnership and HSE, combining my interest and knowledge on trees and mental health recovery.

Mountain.

How would you describe your artistic style?

My paintings are based largely on intuitive response to personal experiences and observations of people and place, real and imagined.

I develop paintings, drawings, temporary land art and photographs. I like to create the illusion of detail through energetic mark making, focusing on abstract Impressionism.

What does your art mean to you?

It is how I communicate best. It allows me to show what’s going on in my life, demonstrating my perspective in visual form.

The boy and the sea.