Skimming the Surface Painting

I work from my garden studio in the picturesque South West of Ireland. My subject is wildlife, but in a contemporary minimalist style. I endeavour to capture the essence and soul of the animal I am portraying, shaking off superfluous detail to expose a faint imprint of that creature - a shadow that encapsulates their core being in as few lines, shades, and tones as possible. I like to leave some of the image for the eye and brain to configure, sometimes creating an unintended abstraction. To make minimal, one has to begin with excess. I achieve this by visiting reserves and marine environments to sketch, photograph, record and observe. All image sources are my own. I work with ink on cotton paper. Paintings are using natural hair Chinese ink brushes, painting with water before applying ink. I love watching the ink meander through the water of its own accord - it affords the work a life of it's own - a randomness I like as I can't really control it. The paper is very specific. Sustainably sourced from England on a 10m roll, this large format means the work can be sized exactly. None of my pieces are the same size - the image and the subject dictates the format and size of the work. Working initially within a far larger size, the finished image is scaled down by tearing, a precise procedure using a hand ruler that can ruin a piece if not executed correctly. Prints are done using the monoprint method, the effect is something orphic, almost reticent. Marks made through the process are capricious because of the many variables – the final picture becoming a dreamlike transgression from the source image. Imaginings and stories develop through this process. I intend to create such stories, telling tales of the lives of my studies - the difficulties faced in this increasingly anti-wildife age. My message is to communicate the dilemma facing us as one of many species in a shared world. I hope my work will inform the viewer as such, create a quiet pensive space for admiration of our diverse world and the richness within it - to become aware, one must be still. The work delivers a peace, a simple beauty.