‘I love the small country roads where I walk with the children We often walk up along the banks of the River Drowse near our home, towards Lough Melvin, where an abundance of wildflowers and weeds can be found.’

I observe first, and then paint from memory. I would describe my work as "spontaneous and vibrant, visions inspired by reality and enhanced with fantasy". I studied Graphic Design at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology from 1987 to 1991 however my love of Art gradually took precedence over my Graphic Design background. In recent years, I have combined my role as mother with creating works of art. I work primarily in acrylic and oils. My approach to painting is firstly observation-based, followed in many cases by painting from memory. This allows me freedom in the application of paint, while at the same time creating a vibrant energy within the painting. My recent figurative works are inspired by my love of people-watching - their different poses and expressions. I like to mix realism with the abstract.

In the quiet countryside outside Kinlough in the north of the county, surrounded by her family, Brigid Birney works from home. Her kitchen alternates as her studio and is indeed the heart and hub of the household. Working alongside her children, painting and mothering compliment each other. There is no division of roles, no division of time. Her home is a haven of creativity. With the greatest of ease she allows the children to share her passion for her art. Originally producing landscapes, in particular focussing her attention on her home county Donegal, she now prefers to concentrate on her stunning floral studies and her own unique interpretation of the female form. Colour, light and movement encapsulate Brigid's work. Under the guidance of her magic hands, flowers burst open with their natural beauty and display their grandeur. Pulsating with energy, an oasis in the desert, vigorous, vital, Brigid's paintings are a feast for the eyes.

Brigid Birney's unique figurative abstract style has gained her many influential admirers and collectors of her work, both here and in the UK. She exhibits in the Leitrim Design House, Carrick on Shannon; the Bold Art Gallery, Galway; and Clan Art Gallery, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland

There is a bravery and freedom in Brigid's stroke which is irresistible; she would be among my top three all-time favourite Irish Artists…Kevin Sharkey, Artist
Artist's Name
Brigid Birney
Address
Kinlough
Co. Leitrim
Studio open to the public?
no
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