The artwork of Valerie Hegarty almost seems to hover between two worlds: those of art and real life. Much of Hegarty’s work appears to begin with a classically styled piece of “fine art”: a still life painting, or presidential portrait for example. In some way, then, the real world begins to impose itself on the work. Some frames and stretchers begin growing branches and sprouting leaves. Other paintings are riddled with bullets or burnt by fire. The story inside the painting violently mingles with a story outside of it. The painted world and the lived world meet to tempestuous result.
