Artist statement
“The repetitive occurrence of an incident does not guarantee that the same thing will happen again”
Francis Bacon (Philosopher)
My current body of work is titled: Wallpaper. The initial idea was to use a wallpaper design from the entrance hall to my childhood house as a compositional device for a series of large-scale drawings in paint.
The reason for choosing this particular wallpaper was clear. It represented to me a world within a world, it was an escape from the mundane nature of living and provided a fairytale landscape in which one’s mind could wander and where the limits were only set by the extent of one’s imagination.
There is a book by Charlotte Perkins Gilman titled: Yellow Wallpaper. In it the heroine is confined to her bedroom and grows increasingly infatuated with the old and dirty paper that surrounded her day and night.
I began to wonder whether constant subjection to an image or pattern may influence the viewer.
I started to draw out compositions based on this wallpaper. Changes to and the eventual obliteration of the design have meant that I have been able to use it as a peg upon which to hang ideas, to create stories throughout the pattern, and, most importantly, to present the idea that nothing is guaranteed not to change.
Qualifications and training
- 2007 PhD Drawing, Swansea Metropolitan University, Swansea
- 2004 Fine Art: Combined Media, SIHE, Swansea
Employment
- 2011 Fine Art Tutor, Swansea Metropolitan University, Swansea
Solo exhibitions
- 2009 Wallpaper, Oriel Davies, Newtown
- 2009 The Little Men, Chapter, Cardiff
- 2006 Richard Monahan - solo show of drawings and paintings, Ruthin Craft Centre, Ruthin
- 2005 'Drawn' - an exhibition of paintings, mono-prints and drawings focusing on the self-portrait, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Alexandra Rd, Swansea
Group exhibitions
- 2012 BEEP: International Painting Prize, Volcano in association with Elysium Gallery, Swansea
- 2011 Sublinear: 5 Perspectives in drawing, Elysium Gallery, Swansea
- 2011 Jerwood Drawing Prize, Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen
- 2010 Eisteddfod, Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent
- 2010 After the end..., Elysium Gallery, Swansea
- 2010 Citizen, Tactile Bosch, Cardiff
- 2009 Overview, Elysium Artspace, Swansea
- 2008 RE:drawing, Oriel Davies, Newtown
- 2008 A Collection of Drawings, Mission Gallery, Swansea
- 2006 'House of Fogg' - group show with fellow members of HoF, Bath Fringe Festival, Unit 14, Shires Yard, Bath
- 2004 Interactive Drawing - art exhibition/event where the public are invited to engage physically with the work, Exposure Gallery, Swansea
- 2004 'Mr. Strieca' - a short film about art, The Watershed, Bristol
Degree shows
Artist talks
- 2011 Drawing Conclusions, Swansea Metropolitan University, Swansea
- 2011 Drawing Conclusions, Swansea Metropolitan University, Swansea
- 2006 "In conversation with Sue Williams", Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea
Competitions, prizes and awards
- 2010 Shortlisted for Eisteddfod Gold Medal, Eisteddfod 2010 Blaenau Gwent, Ebbw Vale
- 2010 Welsh Artist of the Year -Drawing, St David's Hall, Cardiff
- 2009 University of Glamorgan Purchase Prize, Millenium Centre, Cardiff
- 2008 RE:drawing Prize, Oriel Davies, Newtown
- 2005 Sir Leslie Joseph Young Artist Award, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea
Educational experience - tertiary
- 2011 Fine Art Tutor, Swansea Metropolitan University, Swansea
Publications
- 2012 Drawing Conclusions, Journal of Visual Arts
- 2008 RE:drawing
