The Poverty Line Setter Painting

I was in Dublin, Ireland, in 1961 and continue to live and work here. I am a principally a realist painter although I make collage and photography, both of which feed my painting. The National Gallery of Ireland recently purchased my Portrait of Catherine Corless for their permanent collection. I believe that the visual arts, like music, have the ability to communicate concepts directly to an international audience, without the need for translations or interpretation. The image, combined with a title, can be immediate and powerful and can transmit ideas, and ideas are the basis of all art. My personal vision is to make iconic memorable images that have a universal timeless appeal. The universal themes of love, hatred, social justice and the environment run through my work as a constant narrative. My work is informed by my wide variety of interests, especially science, nature, psychology and anthropology. My sources are advertisement, magazines and TV as well as direct observation. I filter out trends and attitudes to make exaggerations that create a drama that unfolds as a 21st century baroque. I use painting and photography with strong lighting and cinematic angles to create scenarios that have their finger on the pulse of what it is to live in the information age. In common with much of the art of the post-modern era and indeed dating back to Dada in the early 20th century, I use imagery from popular culture and give them a new context. Using advertisement imagery validates my concepts because a picture editor or an advertisement agency believed that the chosen image was best to sell their product. The public is bombarded with images telling us how the ideal family should look, the right weight to be and how best to spend its money. I add another layer of meaning by re-presenting commercials and combining them with my own imagery to form an anthropology of contemporary Western society. I like to imbue my art with humour where appropriate. I generally use acrylic and oil paint. I also explore composition through drawing and these drawings in coloured pencil and watercolour can become the finished work.