Margaret Purcell
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Artist Statement: Margaret Purcell

I work primarily on paper, generally with gouache, mixed media, acrylic and print media. Drawing is a key skill which informs all my work. Line work exists side by side with the painterly. Usually i work on a small scale. My subject matter focuses on both intimate domestic interiors and landscapes and is largely representational, although my landscapes can have an abstract quality to them. Colour harmony is important to me so I sometimes work with a limited palette. In my printing works I am drawn to definite outlines and the range of tones available, particularly in aquatint.
I approach my interior works as if I were a voyeur in the room, positioning myself at eye level to give a sense of human presence within the scene. I am especially interested in the relationship of objects within the composition, and this dictates perspective, colour and arrangement. The finished painting results from a series of rough sketches, or sometimes I work the sketch up,referring to photographs. I am interested in shape, colour and tonal range. Many of the works do not provide vistas but are enclosed, defined and within the frame.
In my work I try to convey a sense of presence. Even though the interiors may appear to be empty they are full of memories or perhaps the unseen "presence" of the artist. My landscapes also convey a mood or feeling whether that be an approaching storm or the peaceful calm which descends after the storm. I f spirituality and creativity are akin then it follows that art is a form of therapy which allows you to work through powerful emotions and transcend their destructive potential. Rather than highlight the ugly and mundane in life, I prefer to focus on the beauty of the present moment.

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17/11/2017
 
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08/11/2013
 
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08/11/2013