padraig mccaul

"I work in oils, using brushes and palette knives. For some paintings, particularly land and seascapes, I like to work quickly, always aiming to capture a spontaneity, a freshness in my work. Other work, such as buildings or clusters of quiet houses, take more time as I build layer upon layer of paint to give the impression.

I like to immerse myself in a particular place, walking the beaches, hills and mountains, discovering the views and looking for those special moments when the perfect composition for a painting seems to jump out at you . In my compositions I aim to achieve a harmony between the land, sea and sky.

I carry my sketchbook and camera on my walks. Once back in the studio I will use the photos and sketches as references and begin working the canvas with very rough brush outlines, mapping out the general composition and colour tones with swift brush strokes.The painting is then brought to life with the palette knife using primarily pure unmixed colours which are blended into the canvas or laid on thick.
 
My work is inspired and influenced by the classic Irish landscape paintings of Paul Henry and Roderic O’Connor, as well as contemporary artists such as Donald Teskey. My use of strong, vibrant colours to describe my Irish landscapes has been inspired by the French artists, Cezanne and Claude Idlas. My colours come from what I see, sometimes exaggerated in order to bring out the life and energy in the landscapes and seas."