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Colin Dunne 

BA [Hons] Art

Colin Dunne is an Irish-born artist living in Wicklow town, with a background in furniture production. His works focus on the duality within people’s lives and the spiritual journey he has embraced in order to appreciate his current life. He explores these subjects through a range of media, working with paint, both oil and acrylic, occasional ceramic 3D forms, music box mechanisms, cement, gold leaf and mirrors adding visual texture. He has exhibited in the United Arts Club (2019) and Tinakilly House (Hospice Foundation 2021) and in the IADT student exhibition Propositions (2022).

Colin Dunne, Let your forest Burn, 2022 Acrylic, tree bark, ceramics, and ash. 60 x 60 cm
Colin Dunne, The Man in the Mirror, 2022 Acrylic, gold leaf, and mirror on board. 60 x 60cm
Colin Dunne, Dreams, 2022 Acrylic, glitter, and candles are on board. 60 x 60 cm
Colin Dunne, Epstein's Dragon, 2022, Acrylic, silver leaf, and music mechanism on board. 60 x 60 cm
Colin Dunne, Lullaby, 2022, Acrylic, oil, and music mechanism on board. 60 x 60 cm
Colin Dunne, A Bloody Button, 2022, Acrylic, cement, and buttons on board. 60 x 60 cm
Colin Dunne, Awakening, 2022, Acrylic, oil, gold leaf, and cement on board. 60 x 60cm
Colin Dunne Resurrection 2022 Acrylic, grass, and ceramic on board. 60 x 60 cm
Colin Dunne, Aim Up, 2022, Acrylic, gold paint, and ceramic on board. 60 x 60 cm
Project Description

People’s dreams, childhood trauma, harmony and spiritual awakening are some of the themes I have explored. There are seventeen pictures in the series, each one with a philosophical strand connecting them. I am not fulfilled solely by painting forms and the challenge I have taken on is to materialize a specific concept in each work, sometimes using structures such as diptychs and triptychs.
My compositions require close attention, guiding the viewer towards the theme. I apply many layers of paint, so these layers can be rubbed back to reveal the undertones to achieve the required mood. The faces that appear in my compositions may be cold or warm, sometimes with their bodies twisted, and the perspective altered to create unease. Some of my pictures have been cut to reveal a second picture, perhaps involving an object to suggest the inner world of the subject.



Thesis Title; The Conscious and Subconscious Mind of an Artist

I examined this subject with the question; "Is the lens of an artist directed by their formative environment as a conscious exploration of the self?"
There has always existed a debate, as to nature V nurture. I believe it is both and this thesis examined this question with research, published papers, and an interview with Irish artist, Patrick Graham.
Chapter 1 looked at childhood and environment. Chapter 2 examined Graham's early years, and chapter 3 gave a critical examination of Graham's work.
The process was a fascinating look into the deeper meaning of life, how we express ourselves and spiritual fulfillment.


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