2 PRIYA MCNEILL

My practice focuses on sensory and emotional memory, exploring the intimate relationship between myself and the sea through the use of gouache paint, phone photography and the written word. I was born in water, and have lived by the sea my whole life, and now I return to it, considering themes of memory, connection and love. I prefer to work on a small scale, as I see my paintings as microcosmic windows, frozen in time yet still moving through different interpretations of the water.As I paint, I allow my emotional response to indicate an invisible human presence, built through the layering of colour and light. The writing usually comes after; a space in which I identify my internal dialogue with the sea, as well as important moments experienced during weekly walks with my mother. My submission “30.03.21” considers the patterns found emerging on the water’s surface, from a quiet, sunny day.