From early childhood I can remember I had this drive to make drawings, the idea that I could make images has always been there and during my school years my teachers were very encouraging and suggested that I should study art. The opportunity to study art came later and I feel very fortunate and grateful that I was given the chance to do that, it was important to me because I felt that having a knowledge of what already exists would create a strong foundation for my own work. I have been painting since the early 1990’s and my work now is the result of years of study, practice, experimentation and observation, it is the result of my life experiences and my creative journey. As I continue my art practice, I find that my interest in creating artwork is stronger than ever, it does not diminish and my goal is to keep working, to produce work that I am happy with and work that will reach out to as many people as possible.
Upon reflection, the emotional content of my work is important to me, it should be connected to the human condition in some way, it should be expressive and meaningful and I hope viewed in this way by others. For this reason I have been influenced and inspired by artists who have these qualities in their work, for example, the painter Jack B. Yeats who depicted Irish subjects with such tenderness and humanity, or the dark powerful emotional energy captured in the paintings of Caravaggio. In my work I tend towards using one or two figures to suggest story or meaning because I think this can create a powerful emotional image, also it is important to me that the thoughts behind my paintings have been informed by an event or a place, something I have witnessed, experienced or read, this is the starting point for my work. When I paint I work in a free way allowing the painting to evolve, I try not to force the work into a literal interpretation of the subject matter, preferring to explore abstracted forms in my work. My favourite medium is oil paint, I love the way it moves it is so versatile, I use it to create passages of thin layers or apply it thickly using rags or brushes. Working with oil paint in this way has allowed me to create work that is more about intuition and freedom of expression than a structured formula.
Looking back it was my early childhood I remember as a happy period in my life, when I lived for a time with my grandparents in the South of Ireland. Growing up in a household that was filled with music, love and faith, which was important to my grandmother. These roots remind me of who I am and that remembered love which has influenced my life and work.
EXHIBITIONS
- 1998 Solo show at Woburn Fine Arts Gallery in Woburn, Buckinghamshire
- 1999 Joint show, ‘Mystery’ with Fabio Piscopo, Woburn Fine Arts
- 2000 Group show, Gallery 77, New Bond Street, London
- 2001 Solo show, Woburn Fine Arts
- 2002 Group show, Woburn Fine Arts
- 2003 Commission, St. James’s Club, Buckinghamshire (7 large paintings, classical nudes)
- 2006 Solo show, John Bly Galleries, Tring Buckinghamshire
- 2008 Solo show, Woburn Fine Arts
- 2009 Group show, Woburn Fine Arts
- 2010 Group show, Woburn Fine Arts
- 2011 Solo show, Woburn Fine Arts
- 2012 Group show, Woburn Fine Arts
‘I remained with Woburn Fine Arts Ltd. until the closure of the gallery in 2013, when the owner Mr. Bieganski retired to Malta. He was a dear friend and I thank him for his support and advice over the years.’
Commissioned works in private collections in London, Malaysia and Malta
Permanent exhibits, St. Mary’s Church, Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire, ‘Crucifixion’, Oil on panel, 122 x 122 cm, ‘Pieta’, O/c, 140 x 140 cm
STUDIED
- 2004 – 2006 MA degree, Fine and Applied Art Practices, University of Hertfordshire
- 1994 – 1997 BA Hons degree, Fine Art, University of Hertfordshire
- 1992 – 1994 BTEC Art and Design, Bedford College