Page 2 - Art Talk Collective

PM: Without a doubt the varied landscape in Ireland from north to south and east to west is
beautiful, however it’s the light that’s really special, fleeting, varied and fluctuating light often
transforming a familiar landscape into something new and changing one’s focus on varying aspects
of a scene. Highlighting the seemingly ordinary and transforming it into something extraordinary. A
simple break in clouds can transmute a scene with endless variations.

AT: When discussing your oil paintings, your palette has such a vibrant contrast between dark and
light that seem to just spark on the canvas. What inspires this energy on the canvas? What inspires
your colour palette?

PM: Certainly, my trilogy series ‘The Alpha’ ‘Reloaded’ and the ‘Omega’ have strong light and dark
contrasting elements, in this series I wanted to place emphases on the emerging light to yes highlight
the ordinary, the luminosity of light and colour is central to all the work, light being used to reflect
birth or life; for without light there is no life. but more importantly to suggest a personal growth
towards enlightenment towards an awakening. The dark into light is very much a spiritual
representation for me. The Awakening trilogy is consciously addressing the three parts of the whole,
mind, body and spirit.

AT: You have worked in both abstraction and figurative, do you prefer one to the other? Does one
provide something the other does not?

PM: I prefer to abstract the subject rather than meticulously represent what is in front of me, my
work is mainly based on landscape, this is the starting point based on a accumulation of memories,
interpretation and surrounding views. Landscape gives the viewer an initial starting point a familiar
focus which invites them in, once in then the work is open to the viewers interpretation based on
their own memories, emotions and mood. Abstraction allows for this emotional interaction both for
me the artist and the viewer. However process is primary for me, the act of doing of allowing is
where the magic happens irrespective of the subject.

Installation view of The Omega 3D. 2018. Courtesy of the artist.