Suzy O’Mullane is an expressionist painter from this neck of the woods, from Cork on the south coast of Ireland, and has done much to bolster the local art scene over the last 20 years. Infact she founded Art trail, Corks only Visual Art Festival – which I was on the board of for a year – which is sadly no more.
These days shes internationally recognised as an allegorical painter whose use of pre-christian motifs such as hares, wolves, flowers, birds and the female body are interwoven into a narrative that is drawn from personal, historical, religious and mythological stories, a pictorial language that is rooted in the cultural landscape of Ireland.
Using paint and charcoal O’Mullane creates simple yet beautiful images that are both particular and universal, personal and public, each one imbued with a deep and profound expression, full of life and dynamism. These are pictures made by a mark maker who is musical, intuitive and sensitive, a poet with a piece of charcoal, a brush. Here’s what she has to say about her work:
The intention of the work is to convey emotional and sometimes metaphysical connection, as well as absurd hypothetical situations. Humans and animals have interchangeable roles, and are devoid of accepted markers.
As a practicing artist, my work is largely concerned with issues of personal significance, and therefore representations of the body from life are very important to my work. I use the mediums of paint, charcoal and oil crayon on paper or canvas, as this format contains the greatest physicality and rhythm for my work.
Unfortunately these were the best images I could find. O’Mullane’s paintings are better served on a wall. So if you happen to come across one of her shows be sure to stop in and have a look.
