Artist Bio

I was born and raised in county Cork, and currently live and work in the city centre. My practise is non-traditional and can be referred to as contemporary post disciplinarian, which is a fancy way for saying I use whatever material and technique I feel best expresses ideas and beauty in physical form.

I studied English and philosophy in university where I realised I needed a more tactile and visual form of communication. So, I went on to practise metal art object making in St. Johns, with welding on the side, and have been picking up different tools and techniques ever since both in formal education and self-taught.

The weight and solidity of metal with its unmistakable lustre attracted me initially. It is also wonderfully versatile and can endure a lot of work. Wood is more accessible and can have a warmer, more organic feel to it so it's an elegant compliment to metal. Also, I can do with wood what I can't with metal, and vice versa making them a most helpful pair.

In terms of influences, philosophically, I am drawn to the eastern schools of thought such as Daoism, Buddhism, and Shintoism, and have been influenced by Japanese bamboo art, and early Chinese ink paintings. Closer to home, I look out for Nuala O'Donovan's fractal porcelain sculptures, and Joseph Walsh's sculptural furniture.

Artist statement

The topics I am focusing on at the moment are centred around the stages of the creative process (see 'Steps'), and the idea of the self (see 'Reconnection' and 'The Uncarved Block'). With respect to the latter, I explore different ways of seeing or conceiving the self, of relating to the self, and which ways are the most useful, joyful, and harmful. Making art is a practice of discovery I use to help process and understand living, and if I come across something that echoes with me then I want to share it in the best way I know how. And not least, I get to play around in a workshop.

How I make is a fluid process rather than linear. On a day to day basis I'm watching out for objects and images in nature, art, architecture, film, books, photography and so on. I try to be alert to anything rousing an emotional or intellectual response in me, like an image, a behaviour, an idea, or a gesture, and I dive into that. I write about it to find out where I am on it, how it fits into my experience, and sketch any arising images, all the while imagining different materials and techniques that might worßk, and running through pictures I've seen or taken, and any associations I might have.

I continue to refine, and make maquettes, until I can go no further. If the idea is formed enough to want to see how it might turn out, I can start. If it's not ready, I let it sit for awhile and continue work on something else until suddenly I know what to do.