The surfing artist in exalted company

The surfing artist in exalted company

18 February 2015

A CROSSGAR artist’s love of surfing has seen him honoured by the prestigious Royal Society of Portrait Painters.

Connor Maguire’s ‘Surfer’ portrait will be showcased in the society’s April exhibition in the Mall Galleries in London, where there is a £15,000 top prize up for grabs.

One of the biggest galleries in the country, it displays work by the finest painters in the UK.

Last year Conor exhibited in the same venue after being shortlisted as Artist of the Year in conjunction with art magazine Artist and Illustrator.

“When I was accepted into that exhibition I thought this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and it wouldn’t happen again,’ said Conor. “To exhibit for a second time in a row after only one year, with another chance of exhibiting in the Mall Galleries, I was really taken back and very excited.

“As an artist I have always dreamed of being able to exhibit in the BP Portrait Awards as a lifetime achievement, but I never thought something like that would be accessible to me in regards of achieving that as a goal. However, getting the opportunity to exhibit in the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, that dream has got a little bit closer.

“It may take a lifetime but I’m setting my goals in that direction and honing my skills more so in the area of portraiture.

“I’m already a member of  The Ulster Watercolour Society based in Northern Ireland and would love to become a member of  The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, however you have to exhibit with them three times and then they consider your work for membership - so I still have a long way to go yet but I have my goals set high.”

Connor’s ‘Surfer’ self-portrait was inspired by his love of kite surfing and SUP Surfing.

“It’s my joint passion alongside painting, if not my first, and one I have been doing for many years now,” he said.

“I usually try and get in the water as much as I can all year round in all seasons at my local beach, Tyrella, and travel to the north coast beaches as much as I can. 

“Just like all my paintings I try to incorporate personal elements into them whether it be an observation, a thought or just a study of a family member. 

“Family members and close friends tend to be my main subject when doing a study, only because they are handy in regards of being models so I use their figure as a visual subject for an idea I have, which is why they tend to pop up in my paintings a lot.

“The medium I have used in this painting is oil on canvas and the frame is hand crafted from bare wood where I normally just buy the moulding pre-made. I wanted to make a frame specifically for this exhibition as its such an important event for me and its the first frame of this type I have ever made.”

Connor, a former pupil of De La Salle High School, studied at the University of Ulster in Belfast before spending a period of time working in New York.

Since returning home he has been working steadily as a freelance artist specialising in painting from watercolours to oils, printmaking in the form off woodcuts, linocuts and drawing in charcoal and graphite. 

After his first solo exhibition in Down Arts Centre in May 2003, Connor has continued to exhibit in solo and several group shows alongside Ireland’s most respected artists such as Neil Shawcross, Basil Blackshaw and Carol Graham. He is the youngest member to gain membership to the Ulster Watercolour Society and exhibits on an annual basis.

A professional framer he also mounts and crafts all his own work. He is also a digital fan.

“My website design is entirely constructed by myself also, so everything from the digital process, or hands on in a practical sense producing the work, means the beginnings of a new piece of art starts with me and ends with me,” he said. “Not a lot of other artists do or can do without the assistance of a third party so I take pride in that.

“I originally became interested in art at an early age where I would watch my grandfather sketch and draw out ideas for projects as well as for the mere pleasure of drawing. My grandfather an accomplished draughtsman, carpenter, designer and watercolour painter introduced me to pencil drawing and charcoal. Inspired and captivated seeing what he could accomplish with a pencil and a paintbrush I too attempted to paint as good as he did and believe I’m still trying”.

To find out more about Connor’s work visit www.connormaguire.com