About The Artist

Welcome to Gorse Gallery.

Mary Rose was born and raised in the coastal town of Ballycastle and has lived her whole life on the North Coast of Ireland. Growing up surrounded by sea, sky, and mountain, she developed an early and lasting connection to the natural world. Long walks along the shoreline, changing weather rolling in from the Atlantic, and the steady presence of Knocklayde Mountain quietly shaped the way she sees and feels the landscape.

She remains inspired and fascinated by the ever-changing environment of the North Coast, particularly the shifting relationship between sky and sea. These elements, so familiar from childhood, continue to inform her work today.

Self-taught, her practice is meditative in nature, focusing on atmosphere and emotion rather than fine detail. Her love of the Ballycastle coastline and Knocklayde Mountain — her anchor in life — are central themes throughout her paintings, offering a sense of place that is both personal and universal.

In her 60th year, Gorse Gallery is the realisation of a lifelong passion and a celebration of a deep-rooted connection to home, landscape, and memory.