Meet the Artist: Martin Mooney – ‘Never be afraid to make a mistake because some of the best work can come from a mistake’
Belfast-born Martin Mooney graduated from the Brighton College of Art & Design and the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art, where he completed his master’s in fine art painting. He is regarded as one of Ireland’s most accomplished fine art painters.
In 2001, Mooney was appointed official artist for HRH The Prince of Wales’s royal tour of the Baltic states and, in 2003, for HRH The Prince of Wales’s royal tour of Russia.
Now based in rural Donegal, Mooney’s landscapes are informed by his absorption of plein air painting. His billowing cloud formations, and insertions of unexpected colour, epitomise his new relationship with colour and form, along with a new sense of fluidity and freedom.
How my artistic journey began
My artistic career began when I was twelve years’ old although I was always painting and drawing from a very young age. I was sent to evening classes with a local painter. Strangely some of those things I learnt still stand by me today, like adding a touch of yellow ochre or raw umber to the shadow of a cloud.
Artists who have influenced me
Chardin, Manet, Corot, Braque, Nicolas de Staël, Luis Meléndez and Sánchez Cotán, to name but a few.
I have a collection of
I collect things generally; in fact, too much, but I do like collecting drawings. Firstly, they are more affordable and can be interesting as they are often the artist’s first impression. I saw a wonderful exhibition last year of Monet/Mitchell at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris. The exhibition was extremely well-curated. The similarities in their work were astonishing.
An artist whose work I would collect if I could
A Joan Mitchell or a Monet or Nicolas de Staël or Corot.
A place that means a lot to me
I love travelling. I particularly like Greece and spend time there. Athens is a very vibrant city and the gateway to many wonderful islands, each with their own individual characteristics.
A place I’d like to visit
There are many places I have visited over the years and, certainly, there are many places I haven’t visited. I know Italy reasonably well, but I’ve never been to Naples and Sicily, so they would be possible destinations.
In another life I would have been
Perhaps an architect, interior designer or a gardener, as I am very passionate about these three. Though my gardening skills are very limited, I like looking at beautiful gardens, but not the hard work that you put into creating them.
The best piece of advice I ever received
Renowned English art critic, Brian Sewell, told me never to let a painting leave the studio until I had finished it and mulled over it for at least six months. If you haven’t re-worked it, then it’s ready to go. Never be afraid to make a mistake because some of the best work can come from a mistake.
