Art News
Meet The Others: Fintan Whelan
The Other Art Fair Exhibitor Fintan Whelan, creates mesmerizing calmness and motion in his large scale abstract paintings.
Fintan Whelan’s method of painting is characterized by “an immediacy of process and an urgency of vision”. Despite the appearance of serendipity in these sweeping landscapes, Fintan’s technique involves constant assessment, measurement and exploration of pigments and their configurations. We asked Fintan to tell us a bit more about his practice and how these pieces come to fruition.
Ease of Mind, Fintan Whelan
Can you tell us about your process and how you began to work in your signature style?
I started using powder pigments while living in Spain. There is something essential and fundamental about pure pigments that I kept coming back to. This led me to experiment with them using emulsions and other media, and over the years my practice has evolved to what it is now. Of course, it’s still evolving and changing, and hopefully will always do so.
Fintan Whelan in the studio
Your work has a mesmerizing calmness to it, is this something you intend for the viewer and is the process of creation calming/ therapeutic for you?
It’s therapeutic for me in the sense that I’m working at something that I really love doing. To be able to create “full-time “ is a privileged way of living. My main intention is to generate a dialogue between my paintings and the viewer. Whether it’s calming or not is secondary. David Hockney once said “food and love are all that really matters” – I aspire to create artwork that is food for the eyes, and for viewers’ and my own wellbeing.
It was recently Earth Day, your work is evocative of natural forms including the ocean, Is the natural world something that inspires you or informs your practice?
My way of making art is essentially organic in the process and in content – it’s what I identify with, what excites me and what is worth fighting for. We all need to be more in tune with the world around us. I can immerse myself in the natural world through my art practice – every day should be Earth Day.
Perpetual Cycle, Fintan WhelanWhat are you working on at the moment?
I’m working on two residential projects and a new series of large canvases in burnt sienna and also a series of large blue/silver paintings, some of which I hope to have for the next fair. Not being able to travel to fairs and the postponement of my London show means that I can concentrate on my studio work.
How are you staying inspired?
By simply going to the studio everyday and observing what’s around me there and elsewhere. It’s very important for me to have a daily routine, to keep at paintings until they’re finished. So despite all the lockdown obstacles, I’m keeping positive and making the most of the extra time in my studio.
Fintan’s work is featured in The Online Studios brought to you by The Other Art Fair. A new online platform offering art lovers around the world access to over 800 Fair artists, The Online Studios will keep our community feeling inspired, engaged, and continue to spread joy through art.
