Ross Stewart is a Kilkenny based artist currently working from the Castlecomer Estate Yard studios. His artwork is semi abstract; based on landscape studies but organically developed, focussing on the atmosphere and mood of the place, rather than the representational form. His highly textured mixed media paintings suggest wide expanses of bog or moor, solitary trees or boulders with vivid, intricate details submerged under glazes of earthy colours. Ross Stewart has exhibited across Ireland and the UK over the last 10 years and his work is held in public and private collections internationally. He has also worked as Art Director on the feature film 'The secret of Kells' due to be released this year by Cartoon Saloon/Buena Vista.

Current Gallery exhibitions
Studio 2, Castlecomer Estate Yard
Battletown Gallery, Newtownards
Russell Gallery, Burren, Co. Clare
The Blackbird Gallery, Kieran St., Kilkenny
Art Exposure, Parnie St., Glasgow
Joan Clancy Gallery, Dungarvan. Co Waterford

Previous solo exhibitions
'...Pause, Compose...'
The Design Centre, Kilkenny. August, 2007
'Line, Colour and Earth'
Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow. Feb, 2006
'These are for people!',
Kilkenny County hall. Sept 2005
Stormont Gallery, Belfast. June 2005
'Return to Archaic Form',
Bank of Ireland Arts Centre. April 2005
'Constuction Continued'
Excel Gallery, Tipperary. October 2004
'Construction on the Horizon'
Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny. August 2004
'Footsteps'
Rothe House, Kilkenny. August 2002
New Paintings
Frameworks Gallery, Kilkenny. August 2000

Previous Group Exhibitions
2007
Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray
Hazel Williams Gallery, Kilkenny
The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards
Castlecomer Estate Yard, Co. Kilkenny
Art Dublin 2007, BT2, Dublin
2006
The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards
The Blackbird Gallery, Kilkenny
Schull Gallery, Co. Cork
2005
Lavit Gallery, Cork
Kilkenny Art Gallery, Kilkenny
'Seomra 5', Castle Yard, Kilkenny
Art Exposure, Glasgow
'Eigse', Carlow
2004
Wicklow County Buildings, Wicklow
2003
'Living Arts Festival', Kilkenny
'Unseen Voices' Tig Fili, Cork
'Seomra4' Upstairs Gallery, 93, High st., Kilkenny
2002
'Five Years On' County Hall, Kilkenny
'Seomra4' Vicar st., Kilkenny
1999
Upstairs Gallery, 93, High st., Kilkenny
Public Collections
Bank of Ireland National Collection
Clare House, Belfast
The Kilkenny Design Centre

Residencies
Cill Ríalaig, Ballinskelligs. Oct '07

Artist's Statement
"I like to think of my painting as being of an Irish style while possibly being blended with a more global design sense. I have always been inspired by the beauty of the Irish landscape and tried to capture the subtle atmosphere, light and moods of the land. I use limited palettes, natural hues, high contrast focal points against subtle gradients, anything I can to help convey the emotion of the place. Using this as the starting point of the piece, I allow it to develop into something more than a landscape painting. The painting can become a mix of abstract shapes and symbols, perhaps interspersed with small sketches or printed shapes, developing organically toward an amalgam of real and flat space. My art is always about hidden items and layers covering layers. It is always about balance of opposites; calm versus chaos, light against dark, line and shape, colour amid greys. It is always about the composition - how the shapes within the frame can play with emphasis, tension, symmetry and balance. I am constantly exploring the varieties of textures available through the mixing of oils, acrylics, charcoal, thread and other media and using these to enhance the energy and mood of the work.. I would like to think of the finished piece conveying that energy - the energy of exploration, of the creative process, of hiding and revealing precious elements and layers, of working to achieve that ultimate balance or tension."