Belfast Landscape Art Show

‘Contemporary Irish Landscapes’ is a 3 person show sponsored by IrishArt.com celebrating the uniqueness of the Irish landscape, particularly in the North West corner of Donegal and Ulster. Ian Gordon, Pat Irwin and Hugh McIlfatrick interpret the landscape in their own unique ways through vibrant colour and light. Ian Gordon studied at Wimbledon School of Art, before moving to an abandoned farm in Donegal where he worked on conceptual art burying embroidery in beautiful places. Eventually he returned to more traditional painting through which he felt he could achieve the same aims and exhibits widely in Ireland and Europe. McIlfatrick is self taught and left his teaching career to become a full time painter drawing inspiration from the Donegal area. He has been involved in many exhibitions and was runner up in the Bass Irish Arts Award. Pat Irwin is also self taught and works in Limavady, a short distance from the northwest coast and its local scenery is a principal subject for nearly all of his paintings. Irish Landscapes | Gordon | Irwin | McIlfatrick | Square Space Gallery - Belfast - Oct 30th - Nov 28th 2008 34 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast Tel ; +44 (0) 2890 200850 http://www.sqspace.com

Middleton Fetches $71 K

An original oil painting by the renowned Irish artist Colin Middleton (1910-1983), titled Teresa and executed in 1947, sold for $71,500 at a multi-estate sale by Richard D. Hatch & Associates. Middleton was probably the most eclectic Irish painter of the 20th century, moving easily between Cubist, Surrealist and Expressionistic styles. He was self-taught and prolific, producing hundreds of works in the 1930s alone. At a Hatch auction held last year, two of Middleton’s works sold for $70,000 each. Teresa was expected to fetch about $50,000, but bidding was lively and competitive. ‘Considering the current state of the economy, compounded by a local gas shortage, this sale was nothing short of amazing,’ said Richard D. Hatch. ‘The turnout was wonderful. A pencil drawing by Louis Le Brocquy (Irish, b. 1916), titled Tinker Man (1946), soared to $38,500; and an original oil painting by Irish artist Neville Johnson titled Family that seemed a good buy for $5,500. At a sale of Irish art held recently by Sotheby’s, three watercolors by Le Brocquy finished in the top ten. (For full source and full article click the Headline).
Irish Art