I made these simplified figure sketches during the lockdown in Dubai. I was pregnant with my son at the time and looking after my toddler. We were only permitted to leave our apartment once every three days for an hour after requesting a permit to get some shopping. I had no time or space for painting -as my husband had to work from home in the space where I would usually have painted- and so in my tiny little sketchbook, one evening, sitting on the sofa full of cabin fever in 2020 I began to draw. Out of a craving for some lightness, space and simplicity in a challenging time, these little figures were born!

*Available here from March 15th

silverstrand, galway

Although I walked by the sea almost everyday in Dubai, it never had the same salty crisp fresh air that it does in Ireland. We’re home to make some footprints here now!

In 2019, I wanted to put together a collection of beach paintings. I moved away from the sea and sand itself and focused on the figures. I also wanted to get a deeper understanding of colour mixing and combinations to create more harmony, so during nap times I studied up on it and spent a lot of time trying out different colour schemes. Despite limiting myself with different colour palettes, I ended up having a more free and playful response to using colour, tone and line resulting in a more harmonious yet lively scene! I then brought all of my paintings from Dubai home to Ireland and exhibited them in my hometown of Tuam in a local cafe. It was my first time having all my paintings on a wall for people to see and hopefully not the last! There are a small number still available here and a select few A4 prints are available here, you can also view works from that collection that were sold in my archives section.

JBR, Dubai

Whether the the days were bright and clear or hazy and humid, it was always interesting to look out from 17 floors up at what looked like little figurines moving around on the sand or long strips of white foam hitting the shoreline.