Peter P McNally

The artist lives and works in East Surrey, England.

Peter attended the National College of Art, Dublin for five years where he trained as a Fine Artist (oil painter) before qualifying as a teacher.  Peter has spent 36 years in education heading an Art & Design department, mostly in Surrey.

 Peter maintained a sporadic output during his period in education and now devotes his time working daily at his studio in Caterham, Surrey.

The artist`s work is primarily representational and he works from the observed environment though not a slave to it.   The subject is progressively manipulated and managed to effect and depicts a personal representation of the subject.

No conscious reference has been made to previous art forms, movements or styles to inform production.   Whilst visitors may see similarities in his work to other artists this similarity may be accidental, notwithstanding that there are unconscious influences in our lives.

The artist works primarily and contentedly in the medium of oil paint on canvas or board and his drawings are executed in the mediums of pencil, conté, charcoal and pen and ink. There are also watercolour paintings and studies.

He is not confined to a single genre – evidence can be found of production in landscape, still-life, portrait painting and interior studies.

The landscapes seem to be concerned with light and time whilst the still-lifes tend to freeze time and impose that stillness on the viewer.   The artist believes that the high contrasts of light and dark helps to generate a third dimensional reality.

The process of painting transcends time and space and allows the receptors to be engaged fully, hence sensitising the artist (and viewer) in recognising the ordinary world inordinately.