Fay Donnelly

Lives and works in Edinburgh, UK

Artist statement

Born and raised in the Midlands, Donnelly currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. Recent artistic influences include Kathy Kollowitz, Margaret Harrison, Judy Chicago, Ana Mendieta, Picasso, Marlene Dumas, Martha Rosler, Aiweiwei, Jeremy Deller and Francis Bacon. Early life influences stemmed from Renaissance and Baroque artists like Michelangelo, Da Vinci, A.Gentileschi and Caravaggio, Donnelly often develops work through various transformational processes including painting (oil, encaustic and digital), printmaking, installation, sculpture and performance, producing work in both 2D & 3D. Process is imbued in Donnelly’s work. Her oil paintings, sculpture and etchings use methods of ‘carving’ (using a hot iron with oil/encaustic and carving/etching tools) reflecting a ‘carving’ out or revealing of a subject’s more hidden or censored aspects. In a similar way her performative work seeks to ‘carve’ out some covered over nugget of history or political unrest. Until 2011, Donnelly was self-taught after becoming disillusioned with art education as a teenager. After a 30 year career in music, over 5 years from 2011 to 2017 Donnelly studied full time from Foundation (UWTSD) to MLitt degree in Fine Art Painting (Glasgow School of Art). Donnelly has worked with artist Connor McIntyre (Plymouth), interviewed Artist Mary Branson on her recent Vote100 commission in Westminster palace...

Artwork