Ross Stewart is an Irish artist working in painting, illustration
and animation, notably conceptual design and art direction.
He was Art Director on the award winning film 'The Secret of
Kells' recently nominated for an Academy Award and has worked on many other award winning animated short films, in an art directing, background producing, conceptual or directing role.
His personal artwork is semi abstract; based on drawn studies
but organically developed, focussing on the atmosphere and mood
of the piece, rather than the representational form. His highly
textured mixed media paintings suggest wide expanses of bog
or moor, solitary trees or natural forms with vivid, intricate details
submerged under glazes of earthy colours. Ross Stewart has exhibited
across Ireland and the UK over the last 15 years and his work
is held in public and private collections internationally.
Current
Gallery exhibitions
Battletown
Gallery, Newtownards
Russell
Gallery, Burren, Co. Clare
Art
Exposure, Parnie St., Glasgow
Joan
Clancy Gallery, Dungarvan. Co Waterford
Killarney Art Gallery, Co. Kerry
The Waterfront Gallery, Westport, Co. Mayo
The
Powerscourt Gallery, Dublin
Forthcoming
exhibitions
'Form A Line', exhibition
with Andew Ludick for Kilkenny Arts Festival,
4th - 15th August 2011
Castle Yard studio, Design Centre, Kilkenny
Previous
solo exhibitions
'Steel Bridges, Bog Bodies'
The Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, April, 2011
'Stained
Earth, Strong ground'
The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards, October, 2008
'Sound off',
Kilkenny Arts Festival
The Parade, Kilkenny. August, 2008
...Pause,
Compose...'
The Design Centre, Kilkenny. August, 2007
'Line, Colour
and Earth'
Courthouse
Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow. Feb, 2006
'These are
for people!',
Kilkenny County hall. Sept 2005
Stormont
Gallery, Belfast. June 2005
'Return
to Archaic Form',
Bank of Ireland Arts Centre. April 2005
'Constuction
Continued'
Excel Gallery, Tipperary. October 2004
'Construction
on the Horizon'
Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny. August 2004
'Footsteps'
Rothe House, Kilkenny. August 2002
New Paintings
Frameworks Gallery, Kilkenny. August 2000
Previous
Group Exhibitions
2011
'Drawing the Line', Urban Retreat Gallery, Dublin
Cill Rialaig Group show, Ballinskelligs
2010
Clancy Brothers Cultural Legacy exhibition, Dungarvan
2009
RUA Annual Exhibition
Case'09, The Lavit Gallery, Cork
Tipperary Arts Centre, Clonmel
Estate Yard '09, Design Centre & Castlecomer Estate Yard
William Street Gallery, Kilkenny
The Powerscourt Gallery, Dublin
Joan Clancy Gallery, Waterford
The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards
Russell Gallery, Co Clare
2008
RUA Annual Exhibition
Butler House, Kilkenny
Estate Yard '08, Castlecomer Estate Yard
2 -3 James Street, Kilkenny
Mermaid Greenstar Open submission, Bray
Éigse
open submission, Carlow
Joan Clancy Gallery, Waterford
The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards
Artforms Gallery, Carlow
Russell Gallery, Co Clare
2007
Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray
Hazel Williams Gallery, Kilkenny
The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards
Castlecomer Estate Yard, Co. Kilkenny
Art Dublin 2007, BT2, Dublin
2006
The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards
The Blackbird Gallery, Kilkenny
Schull Gallery, Co. Cork
2005
Lavit Gallery, Cork
Kilkenny Art Gallery, Kilkenny
'Seomra 5', Castle Yard, Kilkenny
Art Exposure, Glasgow
'Eigse' open submission, Carlow
2004
Wicklow County Buildings, Wicklow
2003
'Living Arts Festival', Kilkenny
'Unseen Voices' Tig Fili, Cork
'Seomra4' Upstairs Gallery, 93, High st., Kilkenny
2002
'Five Years On' County Hall, Kilkenny
'Seomra4' Vicar st., Kilkenny
1999
Upstairs Gallery, 93, High st., Kilkenny
Public Collections
Bank of
Ireland National Collection
Clare House, Belfast
The Kilkenny Design Centre
Residencies
Cill
Ríalaig, Ballinskelligs. Mar '10
Cill Ríalaig, Ballinskelligs. Oct '07
Artist's
Statement
“I am
an Irish visual artist working from Kilkenny and produce paintings
inspired by gestural landscapes, anatomical studies and animated
background compositions. These mixtures are imbued with a a
contrast of calm and chaos, the energy of exploration and the
light and atmosphere of imagined places. I have always been
inspired by the beauty of the Irish landscape and tried to capture
the subtle atmosphere, light and moods of the land. I use limited
palettes, natural hues, high contrast focal points against subtle
gradients, anything I can to help convey the emotion of the
place. Using this as the starting point of the piece, I allow
it to develop into something more than a landscape painting.
The painting can become a mix of abstract shapes and symbols,
perhaps interspersed with small sketches or printed shapes,
developing organically toward an amalgam of real and flat space.
My art is always about hidden items and layers covering layers.
It is about balance of opposites; calm versus chaos, light against
dark, colour amid greys; how the shapes within the frame can
play with emphasis, tension, symmetry and balance. I am constantly
exploring the varieties of textures available through the mixing
of oils, acrylics, charcoal, thread and other media and using
these to enhance the energy and mood of the work.. I would like
to think of the finished piece conveying that energy - the energy
of exploration, of the creative process, of hiding and revealing
precious elements and layers, of working to achieve that ultimate
balance or tension.”
Commissions
I am available
to produce artwork for commission using a particular subject,
theme or size. Though my artwork is abstract/semi abstract,
I have completed portraits and still lifes for commissions.
See below for examples.
Contact me for more information.
