Shane Crotty, born 1981, grew up in Galway towns of Woodford and Loughrea. He has studied at Galway Technical Institute, the National College of Art & Design, Dublin, and at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Cluain Mhuire where he specialised in printmaking. He likes to experiment in various forms of imagery from architecture, landscape photography, graphic design and abstract art. He tries to use as many mediums and methods as possible, especially in printmaking, but also painting, drawing, and currently, digital design, web design and photography.

His work was used as an illustration in a poetry book published by Baffle, an annual poetry festival in Loughrea in 2001 and again in 2003 when his work was chosen as the festival's poster and publication covers.

Shane has exhibitied in group shows throughout Ireland and also in Norway. His work was selected to take part in a showcase of west of Ireland artists in The Rory Mitchell Gallery , Oslo, Norway and for the 'Europes Edge'exhibition - one of the largest ever showing of Irish contemporary visual art in Norway. The exhibition in the University of Tromso contained the work of Brian Bourke HRHA, Mick O'Dea RHA, Eamonn O'Doherty, Rita Duffy RUA, amoung others.

He is influenced by the work of Gerhard Richter, Hughie O'Donoghue, Marcel Duchamp, Anselm Kiefer, Jean Dubuffet, Sean Hillen, Robert Ballagh, Andy Warhol, Banksy and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Artist's Statement

Some of the ideas I try to express in my abstract works come from a less traditional approach. Seeing the similarities between the scientific, artistic and religious aspects of human experience, I tried to adapt similar methods in my artwork. Using elements such as graphs, grids, geometry juxtaposed to natural and organic forms like splashes, stains, random marks representing our need to document and contain our perceptions and understanding of the world around us.

The process of printmaking is an exhaustive combination of preparation, technical knowledge and technique to reach a visual conclusion which could be seen as a link between visual and scientific enquiry, technology and the artistic.

"I am a big fan of entropy. I think it is a fantastic idea."

George Carlin

"God is in the details."

Mies van de Rohe