Where do you belong? - Recent paintings by Ross Stewart.
May 5 to August 4, 2012
Ross Stewart
Ross Stewart is an Irish artist well know for his work in painting, illustration and animation, notably conceptual design and art direction. He was Art Director on the award winning film ‘The Secret of Kells‘ recently nominated for an Academy Award and has worked on many other award winning animations, in an art directing, background producing, conceptual or directing role. Most recently, he worked with Laika in Portland, Oregon, on visual development for their forthcoming follow-up feature to the award winning ‘Coraline’. His personal artwork is semi-abstract; based on drawn studies but organically developed, focussing on the atmosphere and mood of the piece, rather than the representational form. His highly textured mixed media paintings can suggest wide expanses of bog or moor, solitary trees or natural forms with vivid, intricate details submerged under glazes of earthy colours. Ross Stewart has exhibited across Ireland and the UK over the last 15 years and his work is held in public and private collections internationally.
Wet Bog and Ruin
Says the artist, “My inspiration for my paintings always comes from the land. I feel a great connection to the natural environment around me and my paintings can be born of the emotive response to that. I am more concerned with capturing a fleeting glimpse or a mood of the place, almost like gestural drawing, with the landscape elements replaced by dark brooding shapes, mist like glazes or textured objects. The landscape around Ballinskelligs has inspired many artists, with me being no exception, with the power of the Atlantic, the huge awesome mountain tops, the ancient relics dotting the fields, and the toil of generations on the slopes of hills. I am drawn back to my times at Cill Rialaig again and again in my mind. ‘Where do you belong’ is the question I ask myself when I think on my sense of place and my connection with the land. I would like to think that each of the paintings in this exhibition is an answer to that question.“
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