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Paul McCloskey
Born 1963
Lives and works in Wexford, Ireland www.paulmccloskeyart.com

Paul McCloskey’s most recent paintings, The Omega 3d, builds on his previous series ‘The Alpha’ and ‘Awakenings Reloaded’.
This is the third in the trilogy of the awakenings theme. They consist of 15 cubes, a number of which are wall mounted and
some of which are suspended at varying heights from the ceiling, allowing the viewer a full 360 degree view of the works.

The work is inspired by the landscape that we perceive as everyday and perhaps ordinary; the places we merely glance
at, not allowing ourselves to become lost in their breathtaking creation and beauty. Despite this, the landscape is primarily
a catalyst in expressing divinity and is therefore secondary to that expression.
The varied and stunning Irish landscape, coupled with the unsettled weather and therefore often fleeting and mottled
light, inspires McCloskey greatly. Often a view will change or an area will be illuminated by a simple break in the clouds,
highlighting as if a shimmering treasure or jewel, a corner of a field, the side of some rocky cliff or the dynamic sweeping
curves of a valley reminding us that we are an integral part of and connected to a whole. Effectively, this encourages us to
see and, most importantly, feel its beauty and spirit and therefore reconnect to this vital part of us.

In a recent review by Jonathan Raddatz for ‘EXHIBEO Visual Arts Magazine’ he describes McCloskey’s art as both “beautiful and
profound”, “My initial response to Paul’s work was a single monosyllabic utterance: “Whoa.” Not exactly T.S Elliot, but the feeling was
there, I assure you”.
This ‘profound’ constituent to McCloskey’s work is directly related to his process, in an excerpt from ‘Art and Spirit’ he says, “When the
painter is taking alert and conscious responsibility for their art, with no real purpose other than to reflect honestly the act of creating,
with no real purpose other than to be open to divine influence, then I believe the painter is at his/her most susceptible to that
unconscious part where creativity emanates. It is here where the painter becomes the mediator, allowing creativity to channel
through them rather than merely from them. This ethereal facet is something not easily communicated, and is dependant on the
visual language of painting to be subtle, delicate and open to itself rather than something controlled, contrived or forced. I believe
it is the duty of the painter to be open to this influence and I would question whether true art can be made without this”.
Indeed one could argue that this ‘beautiful’ in McCloskey’s work is also as a result of this process. But McCloskey believes that
respect for the craft and skill in the making are also essential to enduring art, this respect and skill can be seen throughout Paul’s work
from the Alpha to the Omega series, where he plays masterfully with light, colour, contrast and texture to give the viewer a visual
banquet, drawing us into his world of being, transporting us to that place of no mind. The ‘beautiful and profound’ in McCloskey’s
paintings combine to make something truly desirable, powerful and extraordinary.

PAUL McCLOSKEY was born in Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan and is now living and working in Gorey Co. Wexford. Paul attended the
National College of Art and Design (N.C.A.D) Dublin from 1981 and graduated in 1986. Paul also attended De Montfort University UK and
was awarded a Masters Degree in Fine art painting (MFA) in 2010. Paul is a professional member of ‘visual artists Ireland’. He has exhibited
extensively both nationally and internationally throughout the UK, London, Venice and New York and he has received many awards for his
work, which can be seen in numerous collections.

Right: THE OMEGA ‘My eyes hurt as if never used’, 2014, Oil on Board. h: 30cm w: 30cm d: 30cm, Artist’s Collection.
Top right: THE OMEGA ‘At last my thoughts lay silent’, 2013, Oil on Board. h: 30cm w: 30cm d: 30cm, Artist’s Collection.

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