“I’ve been increasingly concerned about nature and Climate Change in recent years and, in particular, I am examining the effects of wind and rain on old fence posts. Why fence posts? We humans have been building fences and partitioning the earth for centuries, creating borders and believing that we are in control of the earth – but this hubris belies our inherent vulnerability and our ultimate dependence on the natural world.

Some time ago, I decided to switch from oils to watercolour in order to have less of an impact on the environment. The switch was both challenging and rewarding – challenging to master the idiosyncrasies of the medium but very rewarding in discovering new possibilities and avenues of enquiry for my practice.

I have been painting this series of fence posts on raw birch panel. The natural grain of the birch becomes an added element in the paintings and the juxtaposition of old and new wood speaks about the past, the present and the future. The weather-beaten fence posts are also a reminder of the ancient Persian adage: This too will pass.”

– Eoin Mac Lochlainn