Girl Mending 1901

Roderic O’Conor made this painting, Girl Mending, with oil on canvas. Look at how he fearlessly laid down paint. Each brushstroke is like a building block, constructing not just an image, but also a feeling. The texture is so present; you can almost feel the push and pull of the brush. The reds and greens, so bold and unapologetic, create a visual buzz. Notice the way O’Conor painted the hands – not with fussy detail, but with these broad strokes. Each dab and swirl seems to capture a fleeting moment of concentration. It’s like he’s less interested in perfection, and more in the raw energy of the gesture. I'm reminded of Van Gogh, who similarly embraced the materiality of paint. Both artists show us that painting is as much about the act of creation as it is about the final image, an ongoing conversation across time. For me, this piece embodies art's beautiful capacity to embrace ambiguity and multiple interpretations.