Irish Fishermen 1988

Mary Fedden painted these Irish Fishermen in 1988, and the simplified shapes and bright colours give the whole scene a cheerful, optimistic vibe. Fedden’s approach feels intuitive, with each shape and colour laid down with confidence. You can almost feel the brushstrokes, as if the painting was made quickly and with joy. I love the way Fedden uses colour to create depth and atmosphere. The blue of the sea and sky is echoed in the shadows of the figures and the reflections in the fish. The surface of the painting is fairly flat, but the layers of colour create a sense of texture and movement. Look at the stones in the wall behind the figures, each daubed with a slightly different shade. It's this kind of detail that makes the painting so engaging. Fedden's work reminds me a little of Milton Avery, in the way she simplifies forms and uses colour to create mood. But she has her own unique voice, a lightness and playfulness that is all her own. The beauty of art is in the way it invites us to see the world differently, to find joy in the everyday, and to appreciate the multiple ways of seeing and interpreting the world around us.