Eadaoin Glynn | Cork, Ireland
Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your work
As a 17 year old who had a place in Art College and in University, a coin toss sent me to University to study English and French literature. I worked in Paris, London and Dublin before returning to my home in Cork, Ireland. As a self-taught artist, I work from my home studio where I paint abstract landscapes, mostly in oil and cold wax medium.
I am interested in exploring the emotional response to place and the power of memory of place. I paint intuitively, abstracting landscapes, primarily in oil and cold wax. The painting process starts with an image, a memory or an emotion. I build layers of oil and cold wax. The process of adding layers and marks, then excavating, scraping and dissolving them, builds texture and depth, creating a history, echoing how land is laid down, compressed and eroded over time.
Tell us about the themes you pursue in your work
Places hold memories; memories of childhood, memories from previous generations. I am interested in how memory and story create power and connection to certain places; there is a feeling of loss, of something gone, the passage of time, the erosion of memory, ageing and death. I am influenced by Irish mythology and significance of place and land. Story and place are part of the Irish oral tradition and pre-literary culture. They connect the past, present and future through emotions and memories, passed through generations.
Is there something you couldn't live without in your studio ? what is your most essential tool?
There are two essential items in my studio : one is a medium and the other is a tool. I use Gamblin cold wax medium. I love the way cold wax blends with oil to create a thick buttery mixture, how it spreads and interacts with other colours, how it holds marks, creates translucency, texture and depth. My favourite tool is a squeegee. It’s a versatile tool which I use to spread oil and cold wax on the board, to make interesting marks and to remove paint and mineral spirits.
Tell us how you organise, plan, and prioritise your work
In order to paint, I have to be selfish and put my painting practice before family, children, other work and responsibilities. I start each session by looking over the notes I wrote in my studio notebook at the end of previous session to remind myself what I was planning to achieve next. I assess the work from the previous session, see what I like and what I want to change. Responding to what is already painted is easier than starting afresh. I paint on multiple boards at the same time. This keeps my work energetic and fresh and helps prevent me from overworking pieces. I usually mix up a very limited palette – two to three colours, add a generous amount of cold wax and dive in. Music is also very important while I’m painting. At the moment I’m listening to Nils Frahm.
How do you navigate the art world?
As an emerging, self-taught artist, I find Instagram very useful and I love the community of artists who comment and interact. Art podcasts have been a great source of information. I’ve invested in classes and workshops, both online and offline, to help accelerate my learning.
Professionally, what is your goal?
My goal is to make great work, to keep improving and evolving and to find an audience for my work. I would love to exhibit abroad.
