‘The Salt Line’

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“Ceobhrán” Gillian Murphy

The Green Door Gallery brings the work of Irish artist Gillian Murphy to Brussels. 

Gillian Murphy divides her time working between her studios in Valentia, County Kerry in the South West of Ireland, and Dublin. Working in a variety of media, most of the paintings in this exhibition are rendered using cold wax and oil on panels. This is a multi-layered technique lends itself beautifully to Murphy’s exquisite rendering of the misty landscapes and the dramatic wave formations of the Atlantic ocean.

Alongside the exhibition which opens on Saint Patrick’s Day (17th March) the artist is also planning two introductory workshops to demonstrate and teach the cold wax technique. These take place in the Green Door Gallery on 13 and 19 March. 

A lot of the titles are given ‘as gaeilge’ in the Irish language. Murphy says “Like the Inuit with their many words for snow, Gaeilge has myriad terms for describing the weather and the elements. For example one of my paintings is entitled “Ceobhrán” which describes a certain type of misty drizzle in one single word.“

Painting from a studio quite literally on the edge of the ocean, not surprisingly Murphy describes her work as being “…highly influenced by my love of our coast, the play of ever changing light and the drama in the surrounding landscape. My paintings are intuitive and atmospheric and range from loose ephemeral landscapes to richly textured abstract and semi abstract compositions. Whether figurative or abstract, they are often a collage of remembered places and emotions.”

The title of this exhibition ‘The Salt Line’ refers to the invisible boundary where fresh river water meets the saltwater before reaching the open sea.

Vernissage / Opening reception: Saint Patrick’s Day, Sunday 17 March 12 – 6pm

Opening hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday 12 – 6pm. Until Sunday 14 April 2024