Counterpoint

Lighthouses and their remote locations have always fascinated Vivien Murray.

As someone who sails, she had experience of the pivotal role they play in the safe passage of vessels. She is acutely aware of their importance in maritime history and familiar with the local folklore that surrounds them. As a visual artist, she has a perceptive appreciation of the form and surface texture of these structures and outbuildings.

Our lighthouses are situated in isolated and solitary places many inaccessible by land. They are perched on the edge of the world. They remain constant while weather fronts close in, Atlantic swells rise up and mountainous waves build and threaten. And they signal their heartbeat to comfort and reassure all of us on land and sea.

A love of the sea and sailing informs Vivien's work. To travel by sea around our coasts is a potentially dangerous endeavour. It is imperative to be proficient in the science, in the codes and in the art of navigation. The language of seafaring is distinct from the language of the everyday and for the artist it is a fathomless well of metaphor. Vivien Murray mines it with a slight of hand that is sure yet unobtrusive.

Her still life paintings appear straightforward yet are deceptively complex. They are essays in counterpoint.

The simplicity, stillness and self-sufficiency of the interiors she creates contrast with the ephemeral activity viewed through her windows. She manages a subtle balance between two rhythms - the implied narrative taking place outside and the contemplative introspection inside.

The viewer is drawn in to the painting and the meditative space with vessel and fruit. This is a place one can linger, allowing the balm of repose to slow the chattering brain. In time, the eye can turn and focus on the world she affords us through her window.

Catherine MacConville, Sligo