Artist Statement

The theory of residency to me is not a finality but a period in time — for many it means permanence, for some it is transient, for others it is out of reach.

When we explore this concept across all cultures, it begins with a structure: the structure we call home.

My current series explores the vacancy of homes along the western coast of Ireland — some left behind as families moved away in search of a better life, others kept as holiday homes by descendants eager to hold onto a connection to a previous life. The structures themselves lie stark against the landscape, but each carries a deeper history within it.

"Whatever a house is to the heart and body of man — refuge, comfort, luxury — surely it is as much or more to the spirit." — Mary Oliver

I work using acrylic paint on a mixture of surfaces including paper, canvas and board. I like to create a discord between the beauty of the landscape and the starkness of the structures almost as if they are a stain on an otherwise beautiful scene.

I share the process behind the work — sketches, false starts, the days a painting finally comes together — in my Artist's Diary. If you'd like to follow along, join my studio list below.