Golden March Hare

This painting was inspired by the quiet, watchful presence of the Irish hare, a creature that feels both wild and familiar. I’ve always loved how a hare can look almost carved from the landscape in winter, still and poised, yet full of contained energy, as if it could disappear in an instant. Surrounded by wintry foliage, this piece is about that in-between season: the hush of cold air, the softness of muted greens and browns, and the sense that life is resting, but never truly gone.

This piece was poured freestyle onto a prepared surface and built up in layers over time. The first layer began with a black, inky mix poured to create the foundation of the composition, essentially my drawing without pencils or a traditional sketch underneath. The process is contactless, which means gravity, flow, and a bit of unpredictability become part of the work. I guide the ink where I want it to go, but I also welcome the unplanned marks that add movement and a feeling of wildness, the same kind of untameable quality the hare carries.

From there, the painting develops through layers of colour introduced by pouring, dripping and splashing with pipettes, then pushing and blowing inks and washes across the surface before they dry. This is where the winter atmosphere comes in: cool shadows, soft, earthy tones, and sudden flashes of warmth and gold that lift the piece and hint at the promise of spring beneath the frost.

As the layers build, so does the texture and depth of the surface. The mix of gloss and matte effects means the hare and foliage shift as the light changes, sometimes quiet and velvety, sometimes catching a glint that makes the whole piece feel alive. It’s a painting that reveals itself slowly, like a winter landscape, understated at first glance, then full of detail and presence when you spend time with it.