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Biography

 

Sean grew up in Slane, Co Meath and from an early stage showed an interest in drawing and in clay modelling.  This was encouraged by his father who provided him with clay from the local brickworks. He first took up painting under the guidance of Henry Healy RHA in the 1960s and found that he responded to Henry’s loose style of painting and his evocation of image through colour and tone.

In his paintings Sean is particularly involved in creating image through the use of broad brush strokes and thick paint to achieve a rich surface texture on the canvas.  Thus his paintings, while representational, are not constrained by the reality of the image but are expressive of a sense of atmosphere and place and are noted for their balanced use of colour.

While he paints urban scenes and seascape, from his background in Slane and the countryside around, he has a particular empathy with landscape and animals. His paintings of horses and horse-fairs are particularly expressive.  Sean is a keen ‘plein air’ painter and particularly enjoys the challenge of capturing the immediacy of the light and colour of the scene, using large free brush strokes.

He exhibits in leading galleries in Ireland and has frequently exhibited at the RHA Annual Summer Exhibition, in Oireachtas Exhibitions and with the New English Art Club at the Pall Mall Galleries in London.   His work is in private and commercial collections at home and abroad.  Corporate collections include; Swiss Embassy, Irish Management Institute and Aer Rianta.

Jury Select Exhibitions

RHA Annual Exhibitions 1976, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994
Oireachtas Exhibitions 1986, 1987 and 1988
New English Art Club at The Pall Mall Gallery 2007, 2008 and 2009