‘Bridget Fahy paints ambiguous figures in scenes filled with texture and patterns like a quilted blanket’. Quote from ‘ Today In Art’
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I was born in Limerick, Ireland and took an Honours Degree in Fine Art Painting, at Limerick School of Art & Design(1990 -1994)before taking off to spend a year in New York. In 1996 I returned to my home city and gained a 1st class Diploma in Art Education, after which I spent eight years teaching, taking advantage of the long holidays to travel to India, South-East Asia and North Africa. In 2005 I settled in Cyprus.
How come you ended up in Pafos?
I came to Pafos in 2004 for my friend’s wedding. I met a local Cypriot from Tala, a familiar story! I decided to move here permanently and to concentrate solely on my career as an artist. I work and live in Kissonerga Village.
In the world of Art in Cyprus, how do you see things?
I believe that Cyprus has produced some fine artists. I love the paintings of Savva, Christophoros, In particular I am struck by his close affinity to the essence of Cyprus and its people. Cyprus hosts an eclectic mix of art today, with a lot of foreign artists residing here, new styles, new ways of seeing the world, lending to a more exciting multi – cultural environment.
What materials do you use and what is your method of work?
I paint in oils, usually on board but also on canvas. All my works derive from plein - air drawings. A lot of my paintings evolve from early morning drawings of workers in the field, later finalized in my studio. My work is characterized by a combination of colour, line shape and form and employs a range of differing textures. Marks are buried and rediscovered allowing traces of the paintings construction to be revealed.
What Subject do you paint?
My recent paintings attempt to describe the duality of farming life within the rural parts of Cyprus. The vibrancy of the colours of the plantations is magnified by the great variety of shape and pattern of the land. My paintings try to portray the utterable beauty of this secluded landscape with fruit orchards and vineyards through the dramatic use of colour and light. This colour could easily blind us to the symbolic importance each acre of land has for its owner. This wonderful patchwork of shapes could hide the more profound meaning this land has for the people. Each person carries his patch of land in his very being. The black clad woman recalls this harsh reality. She is our link to the past. Despite the back breaking labour of my subjects, they convey a sense of love for the land, a sense of belonging. The deliberate impersonality and nose to the ground activity of the figures gives the effect of timeless acceptance.
Any Upcoming shows or recent Exhibitions?
My work is currently on Exhibit at the Apocalypse Gallery Nicosia –Summer Show. I also have some pieces in Petros Gallery Limassol. Most recently one of my paintings won a competition reflecting the life of the people in the Troodos Region. This exhibition will be held later this year. I represented Ireland at the Florence Biennale in 2009. I have paintings in many private collections in Cyprus, Italy, Ireland, England, USA and the Netherlands.
For further information about my work please visit my website http://www.bridgetfahy.com