We are delighted to introduce the work of artist Geraldine Leahy whose practice involves observations of traces and imprints in the coastal landscape resulting from natural and human activity. As she walks the coastline, Leahy explores impermanence and mutability by investigating the residual marks left in the environment following severe weather events. Her paintings seek out the unexpected in the landscape – incongruous objects and situations that are the result of natural processes and human actions. A discarded bicycle gear interrupts the natural beauty of the place. Unravelling fibres of rope possess strangely organic characteristics. Plastic strands, deadly to marine life, ironically generate diaphanous forms that float elusively in the water. Leahy’s approach involves working with layered processes that reflect the mutability and temporality of a fragile environment. Perception of local memory, embedded and submerged, resurfaces and is exposed in personal belongings as the terrain disintegrates and subsides. Fragments of crockery and broken bottles jut out of the sand. Walking is interrupted by tilting fence posts, collapsing dunes and scattered fragments of corroded metal. Coils of wire, flex cable, netting and splintered wooden planks lie in the sand. These items linger on the beach, traces, and imprints of the processes of a changing climate. It is disquieting to consider how long it took this tenuous landscape to form and yet how relatively quickly it can be destroyed.
Self–taught or art school?
I am a mature student with the Open College of the Arts, currently studying at Level Three on the Painting Degree Pathway. Formerly a teacher, I have a Diploma for teaching Art & Crafts in the Primary School.
If you could own one work of art what would it be?
It’s a difficult choice – I can think of many! However, one of my favourites is Monet’s The Magpie (1868-69). I love the luminous whites and the wonderful sense of light and shade. I think it exudes a lovely impression of the quietness that follows a snowfall. It is definitely a painting I could live with! Apart from this, I adore the sensitive mark-making in the drawings of Rembrandt and Van Gogh and would be happy to have any piece by them hanging on my wall.
How would you describe your style?
My style shifts in and out of abstraction. I use materials that have been embedded in the sand due to coastal erosion as a starting point for my work. Some of these are monoprinted which creates an abstract textural background to the paintings, whilst some are painted from observation.
Can you tell us about your artistic process?
Most of my paintings begin with a monoprint of a shoreline material such as found plastic strands or pieces of rope. I add layers of acrylic and gouache to embed the monoprint into the surface and wash away some areas to suggest erosion. I respond to each layer as it appears, so to some extent, things happen unintentionally. This element of chance reflects the mutability of a changing landscape.
Is narrative important within your work?
Yes. My paintings communicate the transience of the eroded coastline along with a sense of memory in the landscape. I work in layers in order to add intrigue and mystery. Monoprinted materials from the beach mutate into strange creatures that are stricken by the happenings on the coastline. My work encourages reflection on the effects mankind has had on the environment.
Who are your favourite artists and why?
I will name just a few here. Emma Stibbon’s work has been influential for my own practice.
She acts as a witness to climate change in remote parts of the world such as the Polar regions. My practice is centred much more locally, yet the concerns are global. Bernadette Kiely records atmospheric effects on her local river and depicts weather events such as flooding. She recognises flooding as a global as well as a local concern. Donald Teskey paints large-scale depictions of Ireland’s west coastline which communicate the incredible power of the sea. His paintings are a combination of recognisable places and abstract episodes. Many historical artists also inspire me. Helen Frankenthaler’s soak-stain technique is interesting because it allows the paint to merge with the canvas. I try to achieve a similar sense of embedding with mono-printing. Artists who began to paint the natural world outdoors, such as Constable and Turner, are also hugely inspirational. Joan Eardley is another favourite artist.
She possessed an immense talent for painting the sea and coastline in Catterline, Scotland.
What or who inspires your art?
My main inspiration has always been the natural world. I love its unique textures, shapes, and colours. I am fascinated by the traces and imprints of lines in the landscape. I also find inspiration from other creative people – not just artists, but also writers, poets, photographers, and so on. I am constantly amazed by the imaginative ideas and outcomes they produce.
Where’s your studio and what’s it like?
My studio is a room in an extension to my house. It seemed such a large room when it was first built but has somehow managed to shrink over the years as more work has been produced and stored there! Every so often I try to have a clear out but it can be difficult to let go of some things.
Do you have any studio rituals?
I wouldn’t really describe the way I work in terms of rituals, although I generally proceed with each painting in a similar way. As a student, I have to do contextual work as well as practical. I generally begin with research and then let that feed into my practice. Some of my work is done on the beach, such as walking, observing, sketching, and collecting suitable materials from the shoreline. In the studio, my paintings are worked in layers. This means that they can sometimes take quite a while to complete. I photograph each stage of the work and study the photos carefully. Comparing photographs helps me to judge if I have worked a particular area too much or not enough.
What are you working on currently?
My practice involves the observation of traces and imprints in the landscape resulting from natural and manmade activity. My current body of work is concerned with coastal erosion in my locality. I recognise that this is not just a local concern but also a global one. Therefore, I don’t make my paintings too specific to the location.
Where can we but your art?
I haven’t begun to sell my current work yet as I am hoping to hold a solo exhibition sometime next year.
