Paul McCloskey – Anniversary Art Exhibition

• Artist Portfolio Magazine
• Pail McCloskey – Gorey, Ireland

ARTISTIC STATEMENT
My visual influence is determined by the surrounding landscape, but its intention is primarily as a catalyst in expressing divinity and is therefore secondary to this expression, the primary purpose being process, allowing, presence and place.
The varied and stunning Irish landscape, coupled with our unsettled weather and therefore often fleeting and mottled light, inspires me 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 therefore reconnecting to this vital part of us.
The suggestion of heaven and earth in constant struggle, merging yet separable, solid yet amorphous all suggest the multidimensional nature of the spiritual, the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega, the struggle within, between the conditioned self and the divine/spiritual self.

THE OMEGA SERIES
My most recent paintings ‘The Omega (awakenings 3d)’ builds on my previous series ‘Awakenings (The Alpha)’ and ‘Awakenings Reloaded’ this is the third in the trilogy of the awakenings theme. They consist of a number of 15 cubes, a number of which are wall mounted and some of which allow the viewer a full 360 degree view of the works.
Also inspired by the landscape, what we perceive as everyday and perhaps ordinary, the places we merely glance at without allowing ourselves to get lost in the breathtaking creation and beauty that surrounds us. This visual influence is determined by the surrounding landscape of my environment, but its intention is primarily as a catalyst in expressing divinity and is therefore secondary to this expression, the primary purpose being process, allowing and presence.
The cubes question and challenge the staple of painting being confined to the two dimensional surface, pushing the boundaries into the third dimension. The cubes suggesting the dichotomy of spirit, being all things in all directions at once and is also a more literal translation of the work of post impressionist painter Cezanne and the subsequent Cubist movement, however the painted surfaces of my work has more in common with the Romantic philosophy , in particular that of Turner.
The varied and stunning Irish landscape, coupled with our unsettled weather and therefore often fleeting and mottled light, inspires me 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.