I began painting when I was about 7 years old. My Mother thought I had some feeling for paint and she took me into a shop in Patrick Street, Cork, Ireland where she bought me a nice cream coloured box of oil paints. Then she took me down to a lady who ran some classes. She lived on an Island, called the Red Island. It had a causeway joining it to the main road. I went every Saturday afternoon, and loved Maud Bennett. She was of Australian origin, but came to Ireland after the War. Her house was 200 years old, and built by the Huguenots. It was a wonderful place. A young boy's imagination could run riot in the huge ramshackle house. It was in very bad condition. In summer I could cycle down and wander in the grassy spaces behind the house. It was bliss. Later when I reached the age of 17 my father, a very successful solicitor, persuaded me to enter the Law. I became a barrister, but after some years I left with my wife Carla and daughter Trudi, to go walk about. We went to the South of Spain and spent six months there learning some Spanish and painting, and wandering.
After that there were further travels in the West Indies. We settled again in Dublin. I went back into legal practice for some years, but eventually retired about 12 years ago. I now paint most days, but my love of plein aire painting has been replaced by studio work. Recently, I have become very interested in a small lake in the Phoenix park, a Park across the road from my home, and a river nearby. There is enough there to keep me going. I find the Lake fascinating. I stretch it wide, and shrink it narrow again, and change it and invent how I see it. I spent a year painting in the park across the road: the four seasons. Whereas years ago I painted alla prima, and plein aire, now my work is considered over a long time. The process of painting is really slow and painful. But that is how it is, changing my mind all the time, and trying to find the perfect notes.
What I am presenting on the new website, is all new work done over the last two years. These will form the basis for a new exhibition later this Autumn (2025) when I shall celebrate my 80th birthday.