If you ever find yourself in the mood for a good muralist, you should head straight to fellow blogger San Piano’s site. That’s where I found today’s amazing artist, Australian painter Fintan Magee. His art is thoughtful and mysterious, and painted on an heroic scale. The artist uses his work to raise awareness around societal issues like climate change and forced human migration.

Like most street artists, Magee started his art career painting, as he describes it, a LOT of graffiti.

“I went to art school when I was in my early 20s and it kind of ruined my graffiti. When I was 25–26, I started to move away from the graffiti aesthetic and apply what I was learning in art school to walls. From here I was able to transition into a more legitimate art career and I started making a full time living from my paintings.”

– Fintan Magee interview with IronLak.com

Magee describes himself as a realist painter and a storyteller who watches way too much news. I was intrigued by how much of his work seems to reference water, but when I read that his family house was seriously affected by a flood, it all made sense. Superstorm Sandy had the same effect on how I see things. I have often thought that if I were a painter, water would be a big theme in my work.

You can follow Fintan Magee on his website and on Instagram.

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My work with @upeart in Helsinki, Finland from 2017 caught some serious snow this winter. Thank to @strangefruit_streetart for the photo.

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Jan 23, 2019 at 12:12pm PST

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‘Waiting game, girl on water tank’ oil and acrylic on canvas. Massive thanks to @kendrickgemmar for modeling on this one. Swipe right for detail.

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Mar 11, 2018 at 11:23pm PDT

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'Drowning while standing' new mural in Acquapendente, Italy for @urbanvisionfestival In 2016 a report released at the UN climate change conference in Marrakech stated that Young people aged 18-25 say they are more concerned about climate change than the economy, terrorism, unemployment or any other issue. As rising sea levels, increased aridity and coral bleaching become a visible global reality it’s easy for young voters to feel ignored by politicians and policy makers who continually focus on the needs of baby boomers and older voters. As inaction on climate change continues many young people are being locked out of stable employment and housing while being forced to deal with rising education costs and rising sea levels. Many young people now feel unheard, disconnected from politics, and increasingly cynical about the future of the planet. This painting set in the context of the US pulling out of the Paris agreement depicts a young man drowning while standing. His face is incased in plastic as rising water levels engulf his face, suffocate his voice and render him mute and breathless.

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Jul 11, 2017 at 11:30am PDT

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'The life raft' acrylic and oil on canvas. Portraits of my good friends @jesymurdoch and @adamsterskwid

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Mar 4, 2017 at 9:02pm PST

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Memories from 2016. Mural I painted in Portugal with @mistakermaker Portugal is one of my favourite countries and it looks like I might be coming back this year! Fingers crossed.

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Feb 7, 2018 at 6:42pm PST

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New Experiments with glass, on route to @galerie_mathgoth

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Jun 22, 2020 at 10:10pm PDT

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Drone shot of my wall in patchewollock for the @siloarttrail Found via the good people at @juddyroller

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Jun 8, 2017 at 2:08am PDT

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Acrylic and oil on canvas. @chanelbronte

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Mar 5, 2017 at 6:33pm PST

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The second painting in this series is almost done. Massive thanks to @onejessa for modeling for this one.

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Dec 20, 2017 at 5:32pm PST

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@onoutahiti was one of my favorite experiences of 2017. Mural in Raiatea, French Polynesia.

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Jan 3, 2018 at 10:57pm PST

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Work in progress,

A post shared by Fintan Magee (@fintan_magee) on Feb 18, 2020 at 10:39pm PST