Kathy Cronin

February 2023: Limerick-based artist Kathy Cronin works mainly in acrylic. A graduate of Fine Art Painting at LSAD, Kathy’s work explores the human connection to the space which we inhabit.

Title: Alone Again Dimensions: 45 x 50 cm Medium: Acrylic on panel Artist: Kathy Cronin

Alone Again (Acrylic on Panel) by Kathy Cronin

Kathy Cronin’s work explores the human connection to the space which we inhabit. Using the plastic-like properties of acrylic paint in an almost sculptural manner, she depicts spaces through the lenses of spirituality, sexuality, and mental illness. Through painting, Kathy examines the contrasts between intimate and alien spaces. She reflects these conceptual contrasts within the physical application of paint within her work, by contrasting thick, textured brushstrokes and intense colours with the smoothness and cleanliness of thinner coats of paint. Kathy uses photographs that she took during walks around Limerick before daylight, as well as photographs taken in her domestic spaces to inform her work. These photographs do not serve as references. They function as a map of how she views her physical spaces while in different mental spaces. They also help to create paintings that guide the viewer through her way of seeing.

Alone Again was a major turning point in the artist’s continued examination of space. It was born out of the realisation that our mental space greatly alters our perceptions of our physical space. This piece takes the bed, often synonymous with peace and intimacy, and looks at how it can also be the site of loneliness and malaise. The abstracted application of paint reflects how depression can distort our perceptions of our surroundings. The texture of the blanket mirrors the vulnerability of the human ribcage. This work is an example of how Kathy uses a contrast of flat plains of colour beside heavily textured impasto areas to create a sense of distortion in the depicted spaces.

Title: Alone Again Dimensions: 45 x 50 cm Medium: Acrylic on panel Artist: Kathy Cronin

Alone Again (Acrylic on Panel) by Kathy Cronin

Artist Statement

Kathy Cronin’s work explores the human connection to the space which we inhabit. Using the plastic-like properties of acrylic paint in an almost sculptural manner, she depicts spaces through the lenses of spirituality, sexuality, and mental illness. Through painting, Kathy examines the contrasts between intimate and alien spaces. She reflects these conceptual contrasts within the physical application of paint within her work, by contrasting thick, textured brushstrokes and intense colours with the smoothness and cleanliness of thinner coats of paint.

Kathy uses photographs that she took during walks around Limerick before daylight, as well as photographs taken in her domestic spaces to inform her work. These photographs do not serve as references. They function as a map of how she views her physical spaces while in
different mental spaces. They also help to create paintings that guide the viewer through her way of seeing.

About “Alone Again”

“Alone Again” was a major turning point in the artist’s continued examination of space. It was born out of the realisation that our mental space greatly alters our perceptions of our physical space. This piece takes the bed, often synonymous with peace and intimacy, and looks at how it can also be the site of loneliness and malaise. The abstracted application of paint reflects how depression can distort our perceptions of our surroundings. The texture of the blanket mirrors the vulnerability of the human ribcage. This work is an example of how Kathy uses a contrast of flat plains of colour beside heavily textured impasto areas to create a sense of distortion in the depicted spaces.