Cashel O'Toole: An Artist Capturing the Vibrancy of Life | Falyn Morningstar | 2-2025
Cashel O’Toole is an Irish Intuitive Artist, based in Carlow, Ireland. She specializes in creating vibrant, high vibrational pieces of artwork full of movement, texture and detail. Cashel experiments with various mediums to craft artwork that nourishes the soul and uplifts the spirit. Her work encompasses wearable art, original paintings, & digital creations, each piece designed to evoke a sense of inner peace & joy.
Inspired by the beauty of the natural world, along with her own personal journey of self- discovery, Cashel’s latest collection of works uses a paint brush technique that focuses on emphasizing each individual brush stroke, creating semi-abstract expressionist pieces that exude energy and emotion. As a self-taught artist, her creative journey has always been about self-expression and creating intuitively from the heart. To Cashel, it has been like her first ‘language’ for as far back as she can recall.
Intuitively Inspired Art was founded in October 2017, following a profound period of personal growth and healing while living with a Latin American Shaman. This transformative experience, during which she received her Reiki Masters, reawakened her passion for art and infused her work with new levels of energy and intention. Cashel’s work has been exhibited in group exhibitions across Ireland, including Outhouse Art Auction, Art Riddler, Gallery Eleven, Five Lamps Arts Festival, and Hambly & Hambly at Dunbar House. Her artwork is included in private collections in Ireland & the USA.
The Interview
Your art is characterized by vibrant colors and bold abstract forms. What role does your Irish heritage play in shaping your aesthetic and creative expression?
My Irish heritage undoubtedly influences my aesthetic and creative expression. This influence is particularly visible in my 'Tree of Life' paintings, where I draw inspiration from Irish Celtic traditions, incorporating elements like Ogham stones, trickles, and the ancient symbolism of the Tree of Life. The beauty of the Irish landscape, particularly the vibrant sunsets on the west coast, has influenced my color palette, while light filtering through trees in the forests has inspired a lot of my digital artwork. Also, Irish new age and Celtic inspired music, informs the flow and movement within many of my abstract paintings. This connection to Celtic art, with its emphasis on spirituality, nature, and the interconnectedness of all things, deeply resonates with my own artistic philosophy.
Celtic Tree of Life - acrylic on canvas
As a new mother, have you ever experienced a moment where your artwork took an unexpected direction or was influenced by your baby in a surprising way?
As a new mother, I experienced a significant shift in my artistic practice during pregnancy. I found myself even more deeply connected to the emotions that energized my artwork, leading to the creation of 'Savannah Dance,' now one of my favorite paintings. Interestingly, it's also a favorite of my daughters’, who often gazes at it and coos with joy.
Possibly the most profound experience I had was in creating 'Ancestral Hearth.' This painting unfolded with a strong sense of purpose, guided by a powerful emotional current, spiritually connecting me to my ancestors. It was an unexpected and deeply moving experience. Interestingly, I created this painting days before discovering I was pregnant, a realization that now makes the timing of this profound connection even more significant.
Ancestral Heart - acrylic and ink on canvas
As an artist who works in both painting and fashion design, how do you approach the challenge of translating your artistic vision fromcanvas to wearable art?
In 2020, a new direction unfolded and I began creating digital designs from my original paintings. It was then that I started to envision my creations as textile pieces, something I have always been passionate about. Once I was intuitively inspired to create my Tree of Life digital designs in a variety of colors in 2021, I knew this would be my first wearable art collection.
Ethereal Nature - digital artwork
In your Look Book, there's a consistent exploration of movement and energy in your strokes. Why have you felt called to capture this type of element specifically in your acrylic paintings?
The movement and energy you see in my strokes are a direct reflection of my intuitive painting process. I often paint while listening to world music, film scores, and new age. The energy and atmosphere created by the music deeply influences the flow and energy of my paintings, much like the healing energy I infuse into each piece. This energy finds expression in the vibrant colors and dynamic movement within my artwork.
Can you share your process for selecting color palettes? Is there a specific emotional or thematic significance to the colors you choose?
My color palette selection is largely intuitive. I often find myself drawn to unexpected combinations – colors that, logically, might not seem to work together. But when I put them on the canvas, they somehow feel perfect, creating a unique harmony.
Thematic and emotional significance play an essential role in my color choices. For example, my paintings “Savannah Dance" and "Paradise Isle" were heavily influenced by the vibrant hues of those environments, evoking a sense of warmth, energy, and the lushness of nature.
"Ancestral Hearth" & "Joy" are deeply rooted in emotion. The colors in these pieces were guided by the strong feelings I was experiencing during their creation. Each color choice contributes to the overall emotional impact of the artwork.
Savannah Dance - acrylic and ink on canvas
Having lived in several countries, how have the diverse cultural environments you've experienced influenced your artistic journey and creative development?
My artistic journey has been significantly influenced by the diverse cultures I've experienced throughout my life. Growing up in different countries nurtured a sense of openness and curiosity that continues to shape my creative process. I've been inspired by a diverse range of experiences, from my partner's Brazilian heritage, which inspired 'Rainforest Song,' to the vibrant landscapes of David Attenborough's documentaries, reflected in 'Savannah Dance.' Travel has played a vital role, with my first trip to Brazil igniting a passion for tropical nature and its vibrant colors, inspiring my painting 'Paradise Isle.' My time spent living with a Latin American Shaman, gaining my Reiki Masters, and listening to a wide variety of world music have all influenced my work, enriching my perspective and expanding my creative expression.
Rainforest Song - acrylic and ink on canvas
