Rise And Fall

This painting was inspired by one of the most unforgettable stops on my 2025 campervan trip around Ireland: a visit to a falconry school just outside Killarney. Seeing these birds up close was completely surreal… the focus in them, the sheer power behind their wings, and the way they move through the air with such speed and control.

This painting 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”, but without pencils or a traditional sketch underneath. Because the pouring process is contactless, it allows gravity and flow to play an active role in the work. I guide the ink to where I want it to go, but I also welcome the unexpected marks that bring energy and a sense of wildness into the piece, the same kind of unpredictability you feel standing near a bird that could lift, dive, or turn in an instant.

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. These layers are where the atmosphere really builds: the rush of air, the sense of open space, and that sharp, electric feeling of witnessing something powerful in motion.
As the layers build, so does the texture and depth of the surface. The mix of gloss and matte effects means the painting shifts as the light changes, revealing different details throughout the day, sometimes quiet and controlled, sometimes bold and alive. Much like the falcon itself, it doesn’t stay fixed. It rises, it falls, and it keeps moving.