Artist Spotlight: Aine Divine

My name is Aine Divine. I am a painter and art teacher. I’ve lived in Scotland for nearly 30 years and come from Cork in Southern Ireland.

I’ve always been intrigued by all things creative. From an early age, I drew and painted a lot. My mum, the head of the local school, encouraged all of us children to be creative. She would read stories, and then we would illustrate them.  One of my earliest memories is drawing Toad of Toad Hall in prison, after she read us that chapter from The Wind in the Willows.

I am especially interested in drawing and painting people. The third eldest of seven, I always had models around to draw. My youngest sister Rita, particularly, who was born when I was 13, modelled- awake and asleep- for my early paintings. I’m very inspired by the human face, and love that quiet space of attention between artist and model. I also love the connection possible through teaching and passing on things I’ve learned.

I believe the work of the teacher is mostly to encourage and support, so that people get curious about their own inspiration and curious about themselves, really.

Slowing down and being attentive matters to me, I try to let myself be and best I can to go at my own pace. Too often, I feel the pull to speed up and somehow be more.

Whereas I know I benefit from dropping more deeply into the moment and settling there. This, I think, is why I love the act of observational painting. It’s just you, the object, and the next thing you notice, the next mark.

I love colour and light, and so I paint flowers as well. Especially using a variety of media: collage, ink, pastels, acrylic paint and stencils. It feels like play and is a glorious thing to become immersed in. At the moment, flowers are blooming in my garden, so there’s lots of inspiration. I love how sunlight illuminates their natural radiance. I’ve painted many vases of flowers lit by morning sun. Sometimes it seems they are bubbling and frothing with life. I try to show this in my painting.

In my portrait work, I love to deepen my attention so that I can focus on the important shadows and colours. The shapes that make up a face. Half closing my eyes helps me select the shadows and light areas that reveal the form of the particular face being painted.

I often paint myself and have painted many models over and over. An experienced model can sit settled in themselves for hours while I get on with the job of keenly looking.

I see painting as an active thing. My whole body is involved. I paint barefoot, letting myself feel everything. I want to be open to receiving whatever is there to be noticed. Feeling is more important to me than thinking. Being physical helps me connect with that feeling place. So I often do some tai chi or other movement before painting, and if there’s no time for that, I simply shake out my limbs before I start and rub my palms together vigorously. I want to be loose of limb. To feel emboldened, full of courage. At the same time, to hold myself lightly. It’s all a bit of a dance really, one that involves a surrender in the end and acceptance that whatever happens it will be good enough.

I love to give demonstrations and articulate what goes on inside me as I paint. The feeling of vulnerability, of needing to let go of the outcome, of wanting success. Being my own cheerleader is a big part of my process. I respond well to praise and encouragement. I want to be ok even when the outcome of my efforts isn’t what I had hoped for.

This is the atmosphere in my workshops. The invitation is to fully give yourself to the work, then allow whatever happens to happen.

Here are some of the faithful models I’ve painted over and over. Helena, Lake Komachi, Alisdair.

My children have posed for me over the years, too and are a great constant.

1. Hope mixed media.

2. Erin in oil filmed for my online course in portraiture.

3. And Lily, modelling for a workshop.

I regularly record videos of my process and have lots on my YouTube channel. 

I teach landscape courses along with flowers and portraits. A favourite subject is Boats at the harbour in Port Seton.

This year I’m teaching two in-person summer school weeks, one in Edinburgh and one in the schoolhouse for art in Co Wicklow. I’ll teach a weekend in Mulranny, Mayo in September. Flowers and portraiture. I have a few online courses coming up too.

I am in love with Rosemary and Co brushes, especially the set I use for my watercolour portraits.

Wielding the two-inch brush, I feel I can conquer the world! I love the variety of marks that can be achieved with the three flat brushes in my set. To feel the energy of the move in the air and gauge where to plant the next sweeping stroke.

These brushes are beautifully firm and come to a fine edge, so I can easily sculpt a mark. They also hold a lot of water, so in the next breath, I can fling a splash in the direction of the hair or the shoulder and bring a feeling of freedom and life. 

Expressive marks sit alongside more considered areas. 

I believe there is something in the medium of watercolour that is especially good at capturing us human beings. Translucent layers built up create the feeling of skin. We are made up of mostly water, and so it feels fitting that water transports the pigment in a portrait.

I’ll never tire of this subject or this medium, and I’ll always be grateful to Rosemary and Co for creating the brushes that gave me full freedom.

You can visit Aine’s website and find out more here. 

Find Aine’s brush set with us here.