Echoes of home
Painting the West of Ireland and the History of the Famine
My collection, Echoes of Home, delves deep into the rugged landscapes and poignant history of the west of Ireland, a place marked by breathtaking beauty and a haunting past. My inspiration stems from both my love of the land and a painful history. The Irish Famine, the Church and The Troubles, the impact of these, linger on in the stories passed down through generations, including in my own family’s experiences.
Growing up, I often heard the fragments of stories from Ireland—accounts of hardship, endurance, and the resilience of my ancestors who lived through the Famine. While researching my family history, these stories took on a new clarity. I began to understand the devastating loss they experienced, the sorrow of leaving their homeland, and the strength they carried as they survived this unimaginable period. These revelations connected me even more deeply to my heritage and planted the seeds of what would become the collection ‘Echoes of Home’.
The West of Ireland has a beauty that’s both raw and refined. Its landscape, from windswept coastlines to barren fields, tells of an unyielding struggle between people and nature. It’s a place of contrasts—the wildness of the sea, the softness of the rain-soaked fields, the isolation of the mountains. In capturing these elements, I aim to give voice to the land’s silent history, which shaped Ireland and its people forever.
In this collection, I use a subdued palette to reflect both the landscape and the somber history of my ancestors’ experiences. Greys and oranges dominate the scenes, inspired by the damp skies and earthy tones of the west of Ireland. These colours are not only present in the landscape but also serve as emotional signifiers, grounding the work in both a natural and historical context. Orange, for instance, is often seen in the fading light of an Irish sunset or the rusted stone walls that once stood as homes and fortifications. Grey, meanwhile, recalls the mist-covered mountains and the clouds that are ever-present, as well as the sorrow that permeates through time.
Texture also plays an essential role in my paintings, mirroring the rugged terrain and the tough lives of those who lived through the famine. Through experimental methods, like using gesso mixed with sand, I create a tactile sense of the land—a surface you could almost feel, like the stony soil itself. These textures add a layer of depth, encouraging viewers to engage with the work not only visually but physically, to feel the weight of history embedded within the paint.
In Echoes of Home, I hope to offer a place for reflection on resilience and memory. While the Famine was an immense tragedy, my family, like so many others, found ways to endure and keep their roots alive, whether they stayed in Ireland or settled elsewhere. This collection is both a tribute to them and an exploration of my own connection to Ireland's past.
In revisiting these landscapes, I feel a strong link between history and place—a connection that shapes both my art and my understanding of who I am. Through Echoes of Home, I invite others to see and feel these echoes, and to join me in honouring the stories that continue to shape our lives today.
