Crossgar artist bids for major UK award

Crossgar artist bids for major UK award

9 October 2013

A CROSSGAR artist has been shortlisted for a major award. Connor Maguire is a finalist in the Artist of the Year competition being run by Artist and Illustrators Magazine.

His entry Morning Rush will be exhibited in London’s prestigious Mall Galleries in January and, in a separate show, will contribute to next month’s Ulster Watercolour Society exhibition in the Waterfront Hall.

A former student of De La Salle High School and the University of Ulster, Connor has been working steadily as a freelance artist in recent years, specialising in illustration, ceramics, website design and framing.

His paintings are inspired from anything ranging from everyday events and personal experiences, to friends or family.

After having his first solo exhibition in Down Arts Centre in May 2003 Connor has continued to exhibit, taking part in solo and several group shows alongside Ireland’s most respected artists such as Neil Shawcross and Basil Blackshaw.

He was also recently the subject of a Radio 4 programme on his work and how it is influenced by the local landscape.

Connor explained, however, that he was “still trying” to be as good as the grandfather who inspired him.

“I originally became interested in art at an early age, when I would watch my grandfather sketch and draw out ideas for projects as well as for the mere pleasure of drawing,” he said. “My grandfather, an accomplished draughtsman, carpenter, designer and watercolorist introduced me to pencil drawing and charcoal.

“Inspired and hooked, seeing what he could accomplish with a pencil and a paintbrush, I too attempted to paint as good as he did.”

Connor has recently began to concentrate more on portraiture and introducing more figures into his paintings, as well as working on a larger scale.

He said being shortlisted for the Artist and Illustrators Magazine was a particularly “big thing” as he would be in prestigious company.

His ‘The Morning Rush’ is an oil on canvas painting, with some personal inspiration on this occasion on the domestic front.

“It represents the chaos of the morning time, getting my daughter out to primary school, for instance,” he said.

“I just always seemed to be rushing out in the mornings.

“There is that sense of movement in work, such as the houses spinning around in the background.”

Ahead of his London exhibition, Connor’s Belfast inspired paintings for the Ulster Watercolour Society show can be viewed between November 12 and 30 at the Waterfront Hall.

For more information on Connor’s work visit http://www.connormaguire.com/