Painting : "Air, Baked" (2024), Oil On Canvas, 112 x 46cm (framed) Artist : Martin Maguire 'Air, Baked' came about due to my love for the subject matter. I was introduced to this bread when my local bakery/coffee shop (Coyles) Bakehouse ran a series of in-house exhibitions for local artists in Co Louth. At the end of the season, they invited all participants to create something new - based loosely around the themes of air, heat, time - baking terms that could extend into other realms of life. Initially I struggled to find a suitable subject matter, so I decided to mull it over with a cup of tea and a slice of Coyles Bakehouse's legendary focaccia. The scene when I made the initial cut into the fresh loaf on my oversized bread board caught the eye. Especially against the blue kitchen wall. I'd found my muse! Not so much a still life as a portrait of a dear friend! An an homage to another artist - baker Oisin Coyle. Martin Maguire is an artist based in Dunleer, Co Louth. He is an award-winning writer, producer and performer in radio, television and theatre and considers his visual art to be an extension of his story-telling. He was finalist in the National Gallery of Ireland AIB Portrait Prize 2024 and the inaugural Sir William Orpen Prize 2025