A professional creator for over 40 years I worked as an architectural, theatre and engineering draughtsman, a model maker, stage and set designer, graphic and interior designer before becoming a full time artist in 1989.
I have exhibited extensively and in some of the most prestigious galleries, the Solomon, the Apollo, the Oisin, the Blue Leaf and the Bridge in Dublin, the Green Lane in Dingle and the Osborne Studio Gallery in London. Included in the many one man exhibitions is ‘Behind the Scenes’ of Brian Friel’s play Wonderful Tennessee at the world famous Abbey Theatre, ‘Eclectic’ at the Apollo Gallery, ‘A Journey’ at The House of Art and ‘Behind the Scenes of The Four Courts’ at Distillery Buildings. Numerous group shows included an exhibition of Irish Artists at the Hon Lok Yuen Club Hong Kong.
In 1980, ’81 and ’82 I produced the graphics for the National Civic Award winning entries and in 2002 was joint winner of the coveted Omni International Art Award, USA. The previous year Picasso, Braque, Mondrian, Lichtenstein, Miro, Kandinsky and Warhol won the same aware as part of the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC collection.
Among the commissioned portraits are some of Ireland’s most famous figures including Tony Award winning author Brian Friel (whose portrait now hangs in the Writer’s Museum), author Billy Roche, Tony Award winning director Patrick Mason, Justice Maire Whelan, former Attorney General of Ireland and internationally acclaimed thespians Donal McCann and John Kavanagh.
My works hang in some of the most prestigious personal collections both nationally and internationally including Emperor Aikihito of Japan, The Vatican, world famous actors Pierce Brosnan and Terence Stamp, international sports stars Stephen Roche, Sean Boylan and Packie Bonner, freedom fighter and Nobel Peace recipient, Nelson Mandela, T V and radio presenters Pat Kenny and Eamonn Keane and An Taoiseach (Prime Minister of Ireland), also the National Collection, the Central Bank, the Bar Council of Ireland, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mayor of San Jose, Meath Co. Council, the Jewish Museum, Trinity College and The Meath Chronicle.
The Wisdom of Oracles is the first of two books I wrote. Concerning our values, attitudes and behaviours, it shows how to re-connect with the innate self. My second book Trick’r Truth is a reinterpretation of The Ten Commandments that describes the main stages of the creation process. Both books are connected to The Creation Collection, a touring exhibition of paintings, that illustrates how human intention and desire influences The Zero Point Field.
My move to Co. Meath in July 1994 was to set up home in a converted church. I now exhibit exclusively from The House of Art, Bective, Navan, Co.Meath.
John Ryan
