Meet Gavin Doyle

I'm Gavin Doyle, a self-taught artist, based in Bray, Co.Wicklow, with a passion for painting with oils.
 
I sketched and painted non-stop as a child and in to my teens and 20's, inspired by seeing a print by the amazing artist Escher when I was a child in the dentist waiting room. Begging my mum for art lessons as I wanted to be able to learn to draw like that! I stopped around the time when life became busier. Bills to pay necessitated full-time jobs, adding in a young family meant I fell very out of practice. 
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In no small part, thanks to Covid, I found myself with dare I say it, a little more free time and began once again to pick up a paint brush. I joined Instagram, mainly for inspiration, then began showcasing my own paintings under the name ArtistGMD. People began asking to buy them and my confidence grew. 
 
I'm often asked ‘what is your style’? A question which throws me somewhat, as  I'm not sure I have an answer. Perhaps 'moody expressions of still life' is as close a description as I've found. I paint whatever and wherever the mood takes me. At the moment it's experimenting and being braver each time I put brush to canvas. My work is often said to have a vintage, old world feel, a description, I rather like, as a lover and collector of antiques.
 
Time spent in the natural world, observing the unusual, colourful and obscure is never wasted and will often inspire. I’m forever collecting ideas and being a day-dreamer (my super-power) really helps.
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Plagiarism is the greatest form of flattery, so I will  often beg and borrow from my painting heroes: Frida Kahlo, Picasso, Gaudi, Matisse, Dali and Caravaggio to name a few...
 
I used to paint using acrylics as I thought oils were reserved for those who could actually paint, but now I know better. The ability to re-work those buttery, wet, oils suits the procrastinator in me. I was once asked how I manage to get so much texture in my paintings. Simple, that will happen when you paint over something you don’t like and start again, and again... 

As a climate-conscious artist, I'm always exploring ways to be more sustainable with my art. I often reuse and recycle old canvases, boards and frames, the latter of which I truly believe enhances the vintage appeal to my work.

I recently debuted my work at Art Source Art Fair in RDS Dublin and am preparing a series of small paintings for the Doorway Gallery Christmas collection. If you are interested in any of my work, would like to arrange to view a painting, or discuss a commission, please do get in touch.
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