My journey as a self-taught artist began with abstract painting,  inspired by the ancient rock art markings found in Ireland’s rocky landscapes. There was something powerful in those simple but as yet not fully understood carvings, a type of dialogue across millennia.

But the moment I discovered ancient bog pine, dated by Queen’s University Belfast to around 5,000 years old I knew immediately that this would be my material for sculpting. Working with this piece of history connects me to the past in ways that are sort of humbling and combined with the archaeology directs my creativity. 

While my early work was abstract, my paintings have since evolved toward a more representational style. I naturally used techniques that I did not even know had a name, perfected by the Old Masters creating that dramatic contrast and intensity I am always searching for between light and dark.