Her Skin. Her Armour.
I wanted to share a little about the new body of work I’ve begun - Her Skin. Her Armour.
AvailA
This piece is available to purchase in in Urban Oasis Tullamore
This series marks a real shift in my work. I’m painting in a way that feels more honest to me, allowing the marks, textures, and imperfections to remain rather than trying to smooth everything away.
These are not paintings about perfection.
They are paintings about experience.
The women in this series carry traces of life on their skin. Through texture, layered paint, worn surfaces, and flashes of gold, I want each piece to hold a sense of what has been lived through - sadness, hope, strength, tenderness, and quiet resilience.
For me, skin is never just skin.
It tells a story. It remembers. It protects.
That is where the title Her Skin. Her Armour. comes from. The skin in these paintings becomes a kind of armour - not something cold or hard, but something formed through living. A protection shaped by experience, by endurance, by feeling deeply and carrying on.
But what matters to me just as much is that softness still remains.
Even when life toughens us, it does not always take away our gentleness. There is still vulnerability, heart, and delicacy beneath the surface. That balance between strength and softness is at the centre of this work.
I think that is why these pieces matter.
They speak to something many of us recognise - the effort of holding ourselves together, of becoming stronger without losing tenderness, of carrying what life has given us and still remaining open-hearted.
Each painting in this series is built slowly in layers of oil paint, creating depth, texture, and an atmosphere that changes as you move around it. I want the work to feel alive - something you do not just glance at, but return to.
This new series feels deeply personal, but I also hope it connects with others in a meaningful way.
If you are drawn to contemporary Irish portrait art that explores emotion, resilience, and the beauty of imperfection, I invite you to explore this work as it develops.
You can view my available paintings and follow the progress of this series through my website and shop. The pieces on this page are reserved for upcoming exhibitions but if you are interested please contact me