The Slow Road Home

This painting was inspired by a simple, unforgettable moment on the road along the peninsula to Dingle… sheep dotted across a quiet country lane on one of those properly bright Irish days where everything feels a little more alive. I loved the contrast of that calm rural scene against the energy of the colour and light, and I wanted to capture the warmth, the humour, and the character you get in those split seconds when you round a bend and the whole view just stops you.

This piece was poured onto an illustration board 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. The pouring 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 unexpected marks that bring a sense of life and movement into the piece.

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 feeling of that sunny Dingle day comes through, those bright, optimistic colours and soft shifts that make the scene feel warm and full of atmosphere.

As the layers build, so does the signature texture: raised details, varied finishes, and a surface that responds differently depending on how the light hits it. The mix of gloss and matte effects creates an ever-changing look, subtle and quiet from one angle, then suddenly full of depth and shimmer from another… making it a piece that reveals more of itself throughout the day.