Please can you introduce yourself. What inspired you to become an artist?

Hello! My name is Aisling and I am an abstract expressionist painter. I’m originally from Ireland but have been London based for 10 years. I initially came here after being offered a place on the Masters in Fine Art programme at Central Saint Martin’s, UAL.

I graduated in 2014 and worked part-time as an artist until about five years ago, when I was finally able to work full-time on my art practice. I feel very privileged to be able to do what I want to do and have a studio at Delta House Studios in London, where I work each day.

Becoming an artist was always in my plan however, I first had a career as a professional Irish dancer with Riverdance. I toured the world for almost 10 years, travelling to over 400 cities in 43 countries over five continents, and always had my sketchbook and paints in my suitcase.

While on tour, I made a point of going to see the museums and galleries in each city we were performing in. This gave me the foundations of my art education and really, I was spoiled with what I was able to expose myself to. I got to see Frida Kahlo's house in Mexico City, Louise Bourgeois Maman sculpture in Tokyo and a retrospective of de Koonings work at Moma to name a few.

My mom Doreen Drennan is also an artist, and she was my introduction to the art world. I feel quite lucky to have another artist in my family and growing up art was always encouraged.

Your 2022 series of works is a response to stone wall landscapes that you studied in Ireland. What interests you about this subject? Tell me about your process of creating one of these paintings

In 2019, I was awarded an artist residency at Cill Rialaig Arts Centre, Co. Kerry off the west coast of Ireland. The residency is situated in an old famine village and what were originally huts, are now art studio cottages that look out across the Atlantic ocean.

The residency is situated in a specific landscape of stone that is sharp and sharded. While I was there, I made a body of work inspired by this landscape and that body of work has continued to feed into my paintings four years on. I think there’s something very captivating in taking a rock formation and challenging its visual language by finding elegance, softness and lightness in what is a heavy organic form.

As a painter, I am process-based and always begin the same way when making a new body of work. I start with playing in my visual diary, transfer what’s working onto paint studies on my studio wall and then develop what’s speaking to me into full paintings. I work on a couple of paintings at the same time as one painting informs another - a visual conversation of sorts! This is why you may see a particular colour or brush mark repeated across a couple of my paintings. If I make a brush mark I really enjoy, I tend to wear it out until I’ve explored all its possibilities.

What is it that you like about abstract art?

I like how it challenges the viewer’s level of engagement as it’s a completely different experience from how one engages with say, figurative work. For example, the work of Joan Mitchel will literally give me tingles each time I see it. I’m quite familiar with her paintings as I wrote part of my thesis on her work but even before having that knowledge, I had a physical response to her paintings which is an amazing thing to experience.

have your surroundings influenced your artwork?

Massively! I grew up on the edge of the Burren region in Co.Clare. It offers a fascinating limestone rockscape that is shaped and coloured by the Atlantic ocean. I fly back every few months to make studies on site there and then bring them back to my studio to inform new paintings.

Do you have an emotional attachment to your pieces? Do your paintings reflect how you feel?

Not really as I’m very much about the physical act of painting and mark-making.

What is the importance of colour in your work?

My old work focused on a primary colour palette of red, blue and yellow which was heavy and bold and asked to be seen! My new work is softer and a holds calmer confidence through tertiary colours. I think this may have something to do with becoming a mother.

Out of all the places that you have exhibited, which exhibition are you most proud of?

I am proud of many exhibitions, particularly shows where my work is hanging alongside artists I admire such as Louie Le Broquoy or Gilbert and George. I also think the boundaries of exhibiting and how artists’ work is seen have really changed in the last few years. For example, I’ve worked with brands such as Fujitsu, Gordon Ramsay and Russel Sage Studios. Recently I got a shoutout on Instagram from a reputable institution on St Patrick’s day that recognised contemporary Irish artists to note - that made me feel very proud.

Why do you think art is important in society?

Art offers a necessary form of escapism. I think this and the importance of art, became very obvious during the pandemic– we need art and creativity otherwise what’s the point?

https://aislingdrennan.com

Instagram: @aisling_drennan_art