“Wax has materiality and dimension in its fleshy consistency, having both optical and physical depth. It has the formidable quality of diffusing light; the luminosity of some paintings comes from the light passing through layers of wax and then reflected back to the surface, almost illuminated from within.”
Marcel O'Connor |
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Marcel O’Connor held his solo exhibition “New encaustic paintings” at Fire Station Creative in October 2017.
“Wax has materiality and dimension in its fleshy consistency, having both optical and physical depth. It has the formidable quality of diffusing light; the luminosity of some paintings comes from the light passing through layers of wax and then reflected back to the surface, almost illuminated from within.”
Marcel describes his creative process:
‘To begin with I create a cold paste of beeswax, resin and oils. This mixture is then combined with oil paint and then applied using palette knives with each layer being fused together as I progress. The heat itself acts as a binding agent between each of the layers which creates an overall unified surface and structure.’
Marcel O’connor was born in 1958 in Lurgan, a small town roughly 18 miles South-West of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Beginning his studies in 1977 at Liverpool polytechnic Marcel studied there for a year followed by a further three years at Brighton polytechnic and a single year at Cyprus College of Art. After making the move to Scotland Marcel worked at the award-winning WASPS studios in Edinburgh for 14 years. This was then followed by some time spent as a member of the Fife Dunfermline print workshop. In 1989 during his time in Edinburgh Marcel received a major award from the prestigious Pollock/Krasner Foundation in New York an organisation founded by Lee Krasner, an abstract expressionist and widow to world-renowned artist Jackson Pollock. He is also the recipient of the Jacob Mendelson Travel Award of which he was awarded in 1983.
Marcel has put on 13 solo exhibitions to date and has also participated in multiple group exhibitions in countries across the globe such as Japan, Germany and Ukraine as well as many in the UK.
Currently Marcel is situated in Hillend, Fife.
Marcel has put on 13 solo exhibitions to date and has also participated in multiple group exhibitions in countries across the globe such as Japan, Germany and Ukraine as well as many in the UK.
Currently Marcel is situated in Hillend, Fife.