Monica Boyle

In this series of work I have incorporated photographic images within the painted surface. The paintings record a "jorney to the interior". On a literal and physical level they depict the interior of Heir island - its paths, roads, inlets and most of all, its houses. They contain the icons or motifs that many of us associate with Heir island. Their imagery evokes an almost palpable sense of place and time.

On an emotional level the paintings convey something of my deepening relationship with the island and the people who live there. The painted image is my rendering of this relationship. Each recalls incidents or interactions that I associate with different parts of the island. They translate my experiences of Heir and bring into focus that which is becoming "familiar" to me. This is a personal and subjective journey. The photographs, on the other hand, lend veracity to the painted image. They locate and authenticate the experience. They invite the viewer to form their own sense of place, to be involved with the subject and to become part of the narrative.