Interview With Artist Laurence O’Toole
Congratulations to Laurence O’Toole for earning his place as the Winner of the Monthly Art Award May 2025 Edition!
Who are you?
My name is Laurence O’Toole and I am a realist painter from the Island of Ireland. I had always drawn as a child, it always held more sway over me than sports or other outdoor activities, so most of my time was spent finding paper or cardboard boxes, saving pocket money to buy coloured pencils - and then - drawing. I can not say that I ever thought that I wanted to become an artist, as I never understood what that life might be. We were a working class family growing up in Ireland’s bleak recession of the 1980s, but that meant nothing to me either, not when I was discovering dark shading and white pencil highlights, on yellow cardboard.
I left school early, as I had been making a living at a young age, painting murals, shop front signs, portraits and landscapes for local exhibitions. I had that thirst for life and college was not an option, so at eighteen I decided I needed to see the world, rolled up my brushes and off I went - in a great big cloud of belief and naivety.I was away for ten years and although some were rough, unwelcome and arduous, they helped shape my thinking, sharpen my gaze, at life, at this world. And so now, I paint in narratives, I paint lifes narratives, as I see them, as I experience them, with honesty, my honesty.
“Candy”
Acrylic on Linen
By Laurence O’Toole
What inspired you to utilize painting as a medium?
Before I hit my teens, two different friends had given me some small tubes of oil paints that their parents no longer used nor wanted. I had never tried oils but knew they were the holy grail, from books that I had from the library and from any shows I could catch on daytime TV. That endless colourful goo that spread for miles and without due diligence, would taint and stain the whole house - I was hooked. It took another twenty years for me to break free of its spell, before I started working in chalk pastels and it was thirty years before I started with acrylics. But no matter what the medium, I was able to tell a story with brush, paint, chalk and thought, I needed nothing else.
“All Is Collateral When Feeding The Soul”
Oil on Canvas
By Laurence O’Toole
How would you describe your work?
I am a realist/surrealist narrative painter, My work is going to try and question you as to why you have not questioned yourself. It can be environmental, social, gender or politically based and I always try to deliver something that will not turn the viewer away, but invite them to question, query and contemplate. I respond to what is happening around me, I find it hard not to.
“Love Is Bad”
Oil on Canvas
By Laurence O’Toole
Can you discuss the inspiration and thought process behind your winning work?
This piece is a commentary on all that is changing in our lives.This is the passing of all our childhoods, it’s the softening of our memories, the march of time. it’s an acknowledgement of the construction and the inevitable deconstruction of everyone’s time here. Yet, there is a beauty and subtlety here, as it is a small price to pay for the lives we get to live,
I was watching butterflies dance across flowering wild bushes, along a craggy walk, in an ancient spiritual place, I often visit, here in Ireland. I was thinking about my years past, about the ones ahead and about the little pieces of me that seem to ebb away and I was thinking, how I am fine with all of this, for I have lived ten lives and I am still here, watching butterflies dance along this ancient place that feeds my soul.
“Memory”
Oil on Canvas
By Laurence O’Toole
Can you walk us through the technical steps of creating your winning painting?
I start with scribbling out thoughts, similar to automatic drawing, and I wait til something arises from this, it is then that the concept has germinated. I will fine tune it into a drawing and then go about building it up on the canvas. I work in red chalk when drawing on the canvas as the oil eats into the chalk and inevitably warms up every colour it touches. I do a first pass of colour over the whole piece and then allow it to dry and then will come back and start the finishing process, changes and tweaks, shadows and depth and I will keep working on it until…….. I hover over it with paint on brush, but I have nowhere left that needs this paint. Then - it is finished.
“The Great Denial”
Oil on Canvas
By Laurence O’Toole
What do you hope to communicate to an audience with your work?
I hope I can move them, I hope to draw them into an internal dialogue with the piece, for if that can be achieved, then all my work was very much worthwhile.
Can you talk about your biggest learning experience during the process of creating your work?
There are so many lessons learnt along the way, as a self taught artist, every new piece is a lesson, sometimes a revelation. Mine has been a slow development, but I would not change that, for I inherited noones ideas or manner but rather developed, unbeknown to myself, my own style, manner and swagger. Visiting other artists has been an enlightening experience, all through the years, their process and approach. My favourite technique these days is Imprimatura, which is essentially a first paint layer that serves as a tonal background.
“The Hereditary Beast Within”
Oil on Canvas
By Laurence O’Toole
Can you discuss your biggest success since starting your artistic journey?
My biggest success has been to exhibit with artists I really admire, Artists whose work intimidates me. Over the recent years I have found my work accepted into more international shows, prestigious shows,and although I sometimes feel imposter syndrome, I always answer that with the fact that I have worked very hard to get here, and to get here took persistence and determination, which are both - omnipotent.
Can you give us the best piece of advice you have ever heard/received?
When I was a young man I was on a flight to Africa, and seated beside me was an old established artist from South Africa. We got talking and out of that nine hour flight I always remember him telling me “ Forget about the money - focus on the canvas, always repaint what is not right and remember - sometimes you just gotta eat cheap noodles”
“We As Women - We Shall Lift…Indeed”
Oil on Canvas
By Laurence O’Toole
As a winner, do you have any advice for artists who want to apply for awards, competitions, residencies, etc.?
There is an old adage that says “If you are not in - you cant win” There are so many open submissions and residencies and options available, these days. There are also so many Arts Funding options, in every country, if you look at the competitions you will find one that is a good fit for your best work, follow up on it. Residencies are all over the world, try and avail of a few, for the artists you meet will challenge your thinking and can really help your practice.
“Men”
Oil on Canvas
By Laurence O’Toole
What projects are you working on currently? Can you discuss them?
I am working on some Triptychs, I am fully engaged in the making process and I love their ability to allow me tell my story, layer the narrative, as the viewer is invited to open and close the works, and thus, giving them a real experience with the piece.
What is your dream project or piece that you hope to accomplish?
I am toying with the idea of a very large, carved triptych, that will be dealing with the environmental issue of climate change and a diminishing natural world, this needs some serious construction and planning, hopefully I could start it by the end of the year, for one of the big Biennale shows in the coming year or two.
“The Death Of Truth”
Oil on Canvas
By Laurence O’Toole