Ardrigh Books

roland spottiswoode

Paintings

Born in Belfast and raised in County Down, Roland has an MA from the Chelsea School of Art. As Roland Carter he worked in film animation in London during the 1980s and 1990s. He was production manager for the animated sequences in Pink Floyd’s film The Wall (1981) and for the animated film The Snowman (1982). He oversaw London production for the Hollywood based animation company Bill Melendez as well as running his own company Commanding Images with partner, animator Paul Donnellon of Voodoo Dog. In 1996 he returned to full-time painting as well as researching and writing about early modern Irish history.

His work is representational and employs classical oil technique. It includes landscape as well as portraiture. Recent portrait commissions, after creative discussion between the artist and client, have included personally themed elements of still life. This development provoked self-reflection upon the way that our spiritual choices in this life are displayed by the material culture we surround ourselves with. This theme has been developed with his most recent work, that features iconic arrangements of contemporary and historical materials including books, furniture, photographs and other memorabilia often drawing upon his extensive library of history, philosophy, the arts and religions. These works are a visual exploration of personal identity and material culture and how things act as spiritual anchors that root the individual in virtual space.

He has exhibited regularly since 2000 and his work is represented in art collections in Ireland, England, Australia and the USA. He lives and works in County Antrim.