From an early age I have been attracted to the idea of “The Creator”. That image of “The Creator” was very much coloured and influenced by my catholic upbringing, but at times has reached beyond it, and has endured and inspired me all my life. It was easy for me therefore, when I had the opportunity in the late 1980’s to paint for St. Michaels Church in my hometown of Dun Laoghaire, to get utterly absorbed and fascinated by the challenge to paint a Crucifixion painting; “the Artist suffering for His Art”; in this case the Artist being Christ, and His Art being Humanity, at least as I imagined it at the time. I spent 2 years painting this Crucifixion, half that time spent on studies and all the time working on it relatively intensely 2 days a week, ( the other 4 week days as an architect ), for a total of 1500 hours of drawing and painting to complete the painting in September 1991.

On completion of this Crucifixion I won a scholarship to study fine art for a year in Florence, ( Firenze! ), at the Acadamy of Fine Art in 1991 /1992. What a wonderful experience and exposure to, the very best of Renaissance Art & Architecture that was; as well as the good fortune to share a flat with 2 Italian student architects, who fast became friends, and remain so to this day.

Thereafter on my return to Ireland in 1992, I spent another 2,500 hours over 4 years completing the Last Supper, & the Resurrection paintings to sit either side of the Crucifixion in St. Michaels Church. At the same time, I found myself grappling with my own small architectural practice, which began its life in September 1993, and has continued since then through ups and downs together with my painting endeavours.