I had two submissions this year for the Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition 2025 in the Ulster Museum in Belfast. One of my paintings was entitled, “The Cross”. The other was called, “The Young Irishman”.
My painting entitled, “The Cross” has to be my biggest painting to date stretching 150cm x 110cm. The surface was a custom made wood panel painted in oils. My paintings are all usually inspired from personal experiences. In this case I used my eldest son as the main subject for the theme of this painting . When I start a painting I always start with a rough pencil sketch which can just be a few simple scribbles or marks.
The painting is about struggling with change. Moving house and trying to make it into a family home while dealing with a social issue in the area. A change over in schools which adds further chaos making life unsettled.
The main character in the painting is of a young man growing up with an interest in boxing. The pose of the young man is a symbolic gesture of the family mindset fighting, pushing back at life and trying to remain positive hoping for a prayer being answered for life to settle living peacefully. Hence the shape of the Cross.
The title, “The Cross” hopefully resonates with most viewers where they see part of themselves in this painting. Everyone carries a cross in some form or another whether it be a burden or an opposition in life.
The shape was also inspired by a painting that is a permenant fixture in the The National gallery of Ireland. Robert Ballagh’s painting entitled “Noel” is a painting I seen years ago. I always remembered the shape .
This painting now resides in the Royal Ulster Academy Art Collection and was funded by the Arts Council NI.
https://www.royalulsteracademy.org/about/the-diploma-collection/
My other painting that I have in the exhibition is a painting entitled “The Young Irishman”.
A smaller 45 x 30cm painting completed in oils on wood. Inspired from the love of the west coast of Ireland. This painting is about a new generation passing on their love of Irish culture.
This mainly comes from the beauty of the landscape and love for the coastline both on the east coast of Ireland but especially the west. My father especially has a love for the west coast where we visited growing up going on holiday.
He has a love for Connemara, Dingle and the surrounding areas around Galway where we would once frequent as a family when we were kids. I am now doing the same with our children and my family.
Photos of the opening night of the Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition can be seen below
