Andrew McIlroy

“My elemental paintings are evocative intimate visions, embedded with individual experiences. Painted in strong saturated tones, they portray expressive seascapes with tumultuous, unpredictable seas and stormy skies and often include images we may all recall of diving or tumbling into too-deep, dark waters.If they went only this far, they could be viewed as outward looking, non-sensual depictions of nature.  However, there is something deeper going on.  From their composition and palette, the paintings capture my mood and are imbued with a strong sense of emotion, illuminating the ever-present forces of nature.

In the isolation of my studio I immerse myself in imagined landscapes. These elicitations have their basis in reality, referencing plein air studies, but are more produced from a memory.  They remain deeply sensual works and at times heightened with imagery of disturbing experiences – capturing the fear and awe that one experiences when confronted in nature by both the things we can see and the things we cannot.

My paintings are deeply personal; posing a metaphor for the fears and anxieties that gripped me as a child.  I know I am not alone in these life experiences so I hope to emotionally engage, confront and connect with the viewer using such familiar symbolic images and shared experiences in the tradition of the Romantic painters of the past.”

Andrew McIlroy