Beyond the Prize: Stories of Growth

How would you describe your work in the show? 

This is one of over 90 drawings I made in 2023 of my partner Nathan, a postman in the Scottish Borders. I don’t think many people really think about their postman beyond receiving their parcels and letters. It’s a physically demanding job and takes its toll over the years. I like to show the man behind the red shirt. He’s often exhausted after work but on this occasion he wasn’t. He’d worked a short shift one summer’s day. I had to work fast though, as it’s not a position he could hold for long. I used oil pastels which I'm relatively new to.

Please describe your working process. Has this changed over time? 

My work is always observational and from life. My aim is always to challenge myself to describe what I see as opposed to what I assume. Over time, I think my understanding of how much of what we think we see is assumed from previous experience and knowledge has developed. The balance of looking at the subject versus looking at my work has shifted as I challenge the desire to make a ‘good’ drawing or painting over the process of translating what I actually see. I think observation is a progressive thing that can be developed, much the same as the difference between gazing at a page of text and reading the words, and then learning from those words or having our imaginations ignited. 

How has winning an award impacted you / your practice?

I think being an artist is quite an intrepid choice of path and essentially the work we make is new. It’s almost impossible to assess our own work, and friends are always kind about it. To win an award in an open exhibition is that rare unbiased opinion, a group of trained eyes saying ‘we really like how you did that’. It goes a long way to help us believe our individual style has something to offer the world. It’s made me compare less and do more. 

The exhibition opening is on World Art Day (15 April). What impact do you think art has on the world, now, and in the future?

Personally I think the value in observational, figurative art lies mostly in the making of it. Looking, evaluating and translating what we see into whatever medium we use is a process that locks moments in our memory.

I have drawings of my now grown-up children rendered 20 years ago, and looking at them now, I’m transported back. I can remember the texture of their skin, the smell of their hair, the nuance of their expression and the things they said while I drew them. No photograph can carry so much information since the camera did the work, not our own brain. We live in an increasingly fast paced, two dimensional digital world, where our brains are overloaded with information to the point that holding onto moments like this is harder than it ever was.

How would you describe your work in the show?

My piece represents a very common scene for artists. Sat at the easel, trying to solve a problem while painting. This piece was painted early this year during an artist residency. It was originally a self-portrait study to break an artist’s block, as I was having problems with a much larger painting I was working on. However, its unusual angles and forced perspective helped me change how I was looking at my work.

Please describe your working process. Has this changed over time?

My process begins with sketching, studies, and photography. Often painting self-portraits, I usually start with very rough sketches and ideas to set the scene. I am inspired by baroque painters like Rembrandt and Caravaggio, so light, expression and narrative are often my focus. I introduced photography into my process a few years ago. Initially, I used it for primary sources and references only. However, I discovered I could play with the perspective through unusual angles that I could only capture through photography. I do not hide the use of the camera, instead I highlight its use through painting its effects, such as flash photography and chromatic aberration. I show the lens by which I view the modern world.

How has winning an award impacted you / your practice?

Winning the Young Artist Award has given me great confidence at such a crucial time as an emerging artist beginning their career. It was my first award and the first time I had exhibited my work outside of Ireland. Since then, I have exhibited internationally, made incredible connections with fellow artists and other creatives, have been awarded artist residencies, and I opened my own public gallery/art studio last year.

The exhibition opening is on World Art Day (15 April). What impact do you think art has on the world, now, and in the future?

World Art Day has such an importance to introduce art to the wider public. It makes art more accessible, and hopefully less intimidating for any budding creatives, of any age and background, to join and participate in the art community. In a time of so much uncertainty, art allows us to communicate beyond language with others around the world. This visual language will continue to break down barriers, and thanks to the internet and social media, hopefully inspire more people to nurture their creativity, regardless of education or status.

How would you describe your work in the show?

My painting is from life, worked on at a time in the evening when I felt calm and relaxed. I thought the warm lighting gave an ethereal quality. I soaked up a lot of High Renaissance influences at the time, whilst also maintaining a modern feel. This was also a period of self-reflection and fearlessness when I was going through a chronic health condition. There is a perseverance and self-determination that I wanted to capture.

Please describe your working process. Has this changed over time?

I tend to work with scumbling and glazing techniques. I used to be obsessed with photorealism and flat surfaces but then became more excited by paint, allowing the brushstrokes and textures to really sing and breathe over time. I've also embraced painting from life more confidently and not slavishly copying from a photo. I've learnt to embrace both, but find the energy of painting from life more exciting.

How has winning an award impacted you / your practice?

Winning an award has really aided in my confidence to keep going and self-belief to never give up. My work has become more decisive and I've been braver with choices that I wouldn't have made before. I’ve been able to paint with beautiful paints and buy materials for future paintings of which I would otherwise not have been able to afford. I have realised that I love using lighting in very particular ways to create atmosphere and depth, and have really embraced this wholeheartedly in my practice. I'm so grateful and honoured to have won awards both in 2023 and 2024.

The exhibition opening is on World Art Day (15 April). What impact do you think art has on the world, now, and in the future?

Wow! What a question! I think art continues to endure and flourish in an ever-changing world. I often associate art with the natural world. There is a real human need to create rather than just see something beautiful. Art is integral to our human nature. Art is a means of communication, expression and a genuine connection with other people and our relationship to our planet. Art is constantly borrowing from nature and the human experience and giving back to our intricate world.