I find that Ireland is full of very spiritual experiences.

It seems to me that all of my spirits in my paintings are coming through not only the cliffs and the waves, but also the birds, the fish, the animals...  Everything seems so natural.

I do a painting series called Once Upon a Time, which is about digging inside yourself and finding hundreds of thousands of years of knowledge.  I think it’s a glimpse of how things were.  When I paint them, I get a feeling of “home.”

Although I like the hustle and bustle of big cities and I do love the tranquility of the Florida Keys, the spirituality of Ireland is very special.

The real presence of my spirits here not only delights me, but haunts me, helps me, instructs me, and chides me.  They not only give me a helping hand, they also give me a kick in the ass to keep moving!

Matt