Created in the teeth of a storm or on the shores of a placid mountain lake, Rod Coyne’s paintings convey a narrative that allow the viewer to witness nature and landscape first-hand. The combination of his contemporary painting styles depict the elemental atmosphere of a living landscape. His passion and direct approach communicate this power and energy as he opens a window to the Irish landscape in your living room.
South County Dublin native Rod Coyne, graduated from Dun Laoire and Crawford Colleges of Art, before moving to Düsseldorf in 1990. After a decade working in his German studio he returned to paint the Irish landscape. Shortly afterwards critic Aidan Dunne described his work as “…boldly designed decisive studies of the sea…” in 2003. The same year the artist founded the Avoca Studio Gallery. And in 2010 Rod founded the Avoca Painting School, which thrives today due to his singular, hands-on approach to sharing his 25 years on experience.
Rod exhibits extensively in Ireland including the RHA, RUA, and in London, Europe and the USA. His paintings grace private, public and corporate collections alike, including government departments, Irish Central Bank, the HSE, OPW, Gerling Global Insurances (Germany). Private collections include F1 boss Eddie Jordan, actor Daniel Day-Lewis.
“For 14 years I have been painting en plein air celebrating the beauty of Irish landscape. Water is a re-occurring theme. I have gone from depicting exactly what I see, to dissolving it down until only an essence remains, and back again.
I am walking a line between abstract and figurative, each image is derived directly from life regardless of how reduced or fanciful the results.
For me the theme is a means to an End. That End is painting, and the beauty of oil on canvas.“
