Galway artist Mary Horan is a full-time painter born in Galway and now living in Moycullen, Co. Galway. She opened the Farmlane Gallery in Moycullen in 2010. The gallery is now closed but Mary continues to exhibit and sell her art online. She tries to reach the uncertainty of our changing environment beyond what is seen or expected. She believes art, music and drama are essential to help understanding and connectivity in our communities. To feel connected is to live.

Having close regard for the environment Mary ekes out the deep thoughts and shadows of her subconscious mind, fuelling her creativity while endeavouring to capture the essence of the present but also of our past and perhaps our future. Sometimes these thoughts can be fleeting and other times they linger. Mary’s inspiration can be triggered by a word, a thought, a piece of music or poetry or more recently by her surroundings.

Even though she paints in isolation she never feels alone. All our lives are shaped by darkness and light and this is very evident in Mary’s work. She applies paint generously at first and then removes, scrapes away and adds again, experimenting and exploring until her thoughts are laid bare on the canvas.

She likes to leave her work open to interpretation allowing the viewer to come back to the piece long after they have left it behind.

Her paintings have a connection to the environment and landscape which involves a spiritual interaction with the elements. She hopes her work evokes a similar sense in the viewer.

Mary was selected in 2017 to exhibit in the NOA 21^st National Open Art exhibition at the Bargehouse in London’s Oxo Tower.