Although abstract in form, my paintings are most often seen as landscapes - capturing as they do, the essence or emotional significance I attach to a particular place or time.
While my infleunces are broad , my work is largely concerned with the natural world and our place in it. I takes my inspiration on the land - literally - walking the land and immersing myself in the scene - a process I can only describe as 'dropping down' into the landscape - before documenting my response to the surroundings.
Colour and cogency are key concerns in my painting - which tend towards the volumous in composition. My many infleunces include Joash Woodrow, Turner, Cy Twombly, Gerhard Richter & Kurt Jackson - although none so much as the natural world itself. Poets and their work are also a key infleunce, I often use poetry - by way of explanation - as a means into and around my work.
The scale of my work tends to range from very small works on paper to large, rangy pieces created en plein air. I am happiest when working on large pieces outdoors. My methodology, while not rigid, will usually involve creating the bones of larger piece on the flat outdoors with inks and heavy body acrylics before stretchering the piece back at the studio and introducing extensive layers of voluminous oils.
Originally from the south east of Ireland, I spent fifteen years travelling overseas before returning to live in Cork in 2008 - at which time I abandoned conceptual art to focus on painting full time. I works from my studio in the heart of Cork City.