| Ross Stewart CV and artist's statement |
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| view Ross Stewart's paintings | |
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| Ross Stewart is a
Kilkenny based artist . His artwork is semi abstract; based on landscape
studies but organically developed, focussing on the atmosphere and mood of the
place, rather than the representational form. His highly textured mixed media
paintings suggest wide expanses of bog or moor, solitary trees or boulders with
vivid, intricate details submerged under glazes of earthy colours.
Ross Stewart has exhibited across Ireland and the UK over the last 10 years and his work is held in public and private collections internationally. He has also worked as Art Director on the feature film 'The secret of Kells' due to be released this year by Cartoon Saloon/Buena Vista. Current Gallery exhibitions Studio 2, Castlecomer Estate Yard Battletown Gallery, Newtownards Russell Gallery, Burren, Co. Clare The Blackbird Gallery, Kieran St., Kilkenny Art Exposure, Parnie St., Glasgow Joan Clancy Gallery, Dungarvan. Co Waterford Forthcoming exhibitions Joan Clancy Gallery, Dungarvan. May 2008 Eigse, Carlow. June, 2008 The Hayloft Gallery Kilkenny Arts Festival, August 2008 Previous solo exhibitions '...Pause, Compose...' The Design Centre, Kilkenny. August, 2007 'Line, Colour and Earth' Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow. Feb, 2006 'These are for people!', Kilkenny County hall. Sept 2005 Stormont Gallery, Belfast. June 2005 'Return to Archaic Form', Bank of Ireland Arts Centre. April 2005 'Construction Continued' Excel Gallery, Tipperary. October 2004 'Construction on the Horizon' Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny. August 2004 'Footsteps' Rothe House, Kilkenny. August 2002 New Paintings Frameworks Gallery, Kilkenny. August 2000 Previous Group Exhibitions 2007 Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray Hazel Williams Gallery, Kilkenny The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards Castlecomer Estate Yard, Co. Kilkenny Art Dublin 2007, BT2, Dublin 2006 The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards The Blackbird Gallery, Kilkenny Schull Gallery, Co. Cork 2005 Lavit Gallery, Cork Kilkenny Art Gallery, Kilkenny 'Seomra 5', Castle Yard, Kilkenny Art Exposure, Glasgow 'Eigse', Carlow 2004 Wicklow County Buildings, Wicklow 2003 'Living Arts Festival', Kilkenny 'Unseen Voices' Tig Fili, Cork 'Seomra4' Upstairs Gallery, 93, High st., Kilkenny 2002 'Five Years On' County Hall, Kilkenny 'Seomra4' Vicar st., Kilkenny Public Collections Bank of Ireland National Collection Clare House, Belfast The Kilkenny Design Centre Residencies Cill Ríalaig, Ballinskelligs. Oct '07 Artist's Statement “I like to think of my painting as being of an Irish style while possibly being blended with a more global design sense. I have always been inspired by the beauty of the Irish landscape and tried to capture the subtle atmosphere, light and moods of the land. I use limited palettes, natural hues, high contrast focal points against subtle gradients, anything I can to help convey the emotion of the place. Using this as the starting point of the piece, I allow it to develop into something more than a landscape painting. The painting can become a mix of abstract shapes and symbols, perhaps interspersed with small sketches or printed shapes, developing organically toward an amalgam of real and flat space. My art is always about hidden items and layers covering layers. It is always about balance of opposites; calm versus chaos, light against dark, line and shape, colour amid greys. It is always about the composition - how the shapes within the frame can play with emphasis, tension, symmetry and balance. I am constantly exploring the varieties of textures available through the mixing of oils, acrylics, charcoal, thread and other media and using these to enhance the energy and mood of the work.. I would like to think of the finished piece conveying that energy - the energy of exploration, of the creative process, of hiding and revealing precious elements and layers, of working to achieve that ultimate balance or tension.” |