I think there is no doubt about the fact that it has. I think formal training is absolutely correct for
some people and for other people I don't think it's correct. And I felt when I was very young I
mean, my mom would have gone out on a limb to send me to Art College, but I didn't want to
go. I think it might have been partly fear of something. I don't know what. Or I think it might
have been some touch of wisdom that was planted in me, that steered me away from that and
maybe manifested itself in some kind of a fearful manner. I don't know which of those it was or
what it was, but I did strongly feel that I didn't want that. My mom sent me to a drawing class off
Grafton Street in Dublin when I was about 11 or 12 years old and it was a still life. It had been
set up on the table. There was a group of people sitting around the table drawing it from their
angle. My style was still developing as a child and I think, technical ability I think is important
for an abstract artist because it's a toolbox you can then do with what you want. And I very much
had my own style. I delicately drew this in. I was very pleased with it. It was exactly right. I was
shading it and the teacher came along, took a big heavy pencil and re-drew it a very different
style and said that’s how it should be done. I think that was the time when I said I am never
going to let this happen to me again. I think that's when I decided I don't want anybody telling
me how to make my mark and I don't want that to be influenced. And I think by not being
formally taught, protected that and, for me, I wholly believe it was right.
I think it's very powerful for any artist. I think people's childhood is a huge mark on their lives.
They may realize it, they may not. But I just have this thing about shapes. I've always had this
thing about people's faces and I say when I draw a jog in a very awkward child-like way, I
almost see it as a person with a really awkward nose or something. You know it comes from
childhood but it's painted by a man. So I mean it's a mixture of all of these things. But some of
the early marks that have now, I think, basically turned into my vocabulary as a painter I think
come from childhood. But it's difficult to, I don't even try to analyze these things. I just try to
walk in faith, trust my instincts.