How We Made The Universe

Acrylic on Canvas - 2010

In 2014, this painting was selected by the Irish education authorities as an illustration for one of their curriculum study guides for secondary students. 'How We Made the Universe' was inspired by two books which I had read in 2009/10 concerning the development of human art, language and spirituality: Supernatural by Graham Hancock and  The Mind in the Cave by David Lewis-Williams. An earlier version of  this painting from 2008 is also featured on the Newgrange website. 

Video Story

So, in a sense. the painting evolved during the years I was researching this topic in much the same way as the underlying theme of human creativity had also distillated during prehistoric times. Like most of my paintings, I try to develop an almost alchemical approach to their creation until I have progressed the archetypal narratives to an arbitrary sense of completion. Until a painting is hanging on a wall, or published, I consider it a work in progress. 'How We Made the Universe' is now a finished work.

'How We Made the Universe' Detail