Ces McCully is an artist who refuses to be defined by theme. Aesthetically, her work is recognisable by its bold, hard edged forms and punchy, graphic colour palette. Thematically, McCully will often bounce between three different styles at any given time, tackling each depending on her mood. While she is not afraid of presenting several styles in the one exhibition, she is afraid of being pigeon-holed. “I’m not a brand; I’m a person. I need to switch between styles based on how I’m feeling, just like I switch the style of the music I listen to, how I decide to dress or interact with people on any given day.”
In ‘Mongrel’, McCully presents works from three different ongoing series that she has been creating over the past 6 months. They all share an autobiographical thread, as well as her signature bold, hard-edged forms and colour.
TEXTS: McCully’s current text series satisfies two urges in the artist: relinquishing her desire for creative control through chance-based processes and allowing her to explore her “inner asshole”. “I wanted to create work that brings our shadow selves into the light and show the similarities between us that aren’t often spoken about”
ABSTRACTS: McCully’s abstract paintings are a form of therapy for her and her collectors. Finding peacefully balanced compositions that soothe the eye is her main objective. Unlike her text work, every element is controlled and considered.
PATCHWORKS: Her mother being a quilter, McCully grew up with a deep respect for craft and was herself a textile artist for a number of years. A bugbear of hers is the lack of recognition and value placed on work associated with ‘domestic craft’. These paintings are her way of bringing ‘craft’ into the gallery space, allowing ‘domestic crafts’ to be viewed in a fine art context.
