Observatory House, Carlton Hill, Edinburgh by Paul in London

Paul Costelloe is an Irish born based painter. He works from an art studio in Wimbledon, where he produces his vibrant oil paintings. Paul’s works are the visual reality of a present and imaginary world. Travelling around the globe, from home-based Wimbledon windmills, to the terraced houses of Amsterdam, he brings his canvases to life. His early works are a labour of love for the coastal landscapes of his birthplace, and a current passion for the coast of Great Britain. These landscapes are rich in colour and form. Using a palette knife, he portrays the coastal cliffs and sandbars, and highlights the land mass so effectively, the oils sing from the canvas. With his love of the water, he has brought various harbour views and a series of London’s bridges to life, all in his semi-abstract style. His use of colour is joyful and unrestrained, and in its pure naivety, very compelling. The European trend for houses of various hues has inspired Paul to create sun-drenched, blue skied fantasies, which lift the spirits and imbue a sense of timelessness into any display. Using lead pencil, Paul sketches his image onto canvas, and moves the paint in a wave-like motion which adds depth and texture to the finished piece. His most recent paintings have shown a lighter, softer hand, using a chalk-like effect which brings a well-balanced and thoughtful response. Presently experimenting on gesso panels, Paul begins a new phase working on different surfaces, also to include stained-glass and ceramics. He will continue to travel.