The Story
'’It’s the west of Ireland landscapes in particular that I’m drawn to. To me they are what Ireland is all about, and there is an energy and a sense of timelessness in them that I try to get across in my paintings’’
Padraig McCaul is a full time artist originally from Dublin and now based on Achill Island, where he lives with his wife Anne and three children. His work is widely collected both internationally and at home.
He has held numerous sell out exhibitions in Ireland with the Doorway Gallery in Dublin and the Kidogo Arthouse in Fremantle, Australia and exhibits regularly at the Affordable Art Fair in London. His work has featured prominently in Eircode's national marketing campaign and website. He produces a range of limited edition prints and art cards that are stocked in over 20 select outlets along the Wild Atlantic Way, including Carraig Donn, Westport and Strand House, Dingle.
From Achill to Broadway, New York
In 2019 he completed a collection of 20 paintings that were used as the stage backdrops for the contemporary dance drama - Fáinne Óir - written by Mayo composer Kathy Fahy, with choreography by Ciara Sexton, former lead dancer with Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. The show premiered in the Theatre Royal, Castlebar on September 20th 2019 and travelled to New York on 26th September 2019 for it's American premiere in Symphony Space, Broadway.
McCaul's paintings are inspired by the untamed landscapes and coastline of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way. Achill Island, which is located off Ireland’s western seaboard has had a profound influence on his paintings, which are inspired by the natural beauty and colour of the surrounding landscape. Describing his symbiotic relationship with his adopted home place, Padraig says ‘’It has everything that a landscape artist would want, there is the sea, the mountains, the rolling bog, and the sky and the light that changes every hour of the day. There is no reason to go beyond it, there is so much here to inspire painting’’.
In his paintings Padraig uses primary colours; blues and reds and crimsons, in broad strokes, to depict houses, roads, farm buildings, country lanes in simple, uncluttered compositions. His paintings seek to elicit the emotion that allows room for the viewer to get lost in the subject. They are not just there, he says, to simply describe the landscape but to stir an emotional response to the feeling of the landscape, to convey the movement and the energy and the light around it.
His work has evolved to include more figurative work, primarily based on his own family members using very simple spherical but equally colourful figures to denote their characters. The figures have opened up new possibilities to explore colour and emotion, with a particular emphasis on the warmth of close relationships between family and friends.
solo exhibitions
Night & Day, The Doorway Gallery, Dublin - 2021
Fáinne Oir, American Premiere - Symphony Space, New York, USA - 2019
Stories of Home, Kidogo Arthouse, Fremantle, Australia - 2017
When all Roads Lead Home – The Doorway Gallery, Dublin - 2016
Along the Atlantic Way – The Doorway Gallery, Dublin - 2015
Island Life – The Western Light Art Gallery, Keel, Achill - 2014
Family Album – Dun Laoghaire Art Gallery, Dublin 2014
Homeland – The Doorway Gallery, Dublin 2013
Still Lives – Dalkey Heritage Centre, Dublin 2012
Still Lives – Old Market House Arts Centre, Dungarvan 2012
Sentinels – The Doorway Gallery, Dublin 2011
COAST – Dalkey Heritage Centre, Dublin, 2010
The Light Of Which I Speak, The Bad Art Gallery, Dublin 2009
Living Colours, Cork and Kerry, The Hungry Hill Gallery, Adrigole, Co.Cork 2007
From Clare to Here. Lahinch Art Gallery, Lahinch,Co.Clare 2007
The West of Ireland - Land, Sea and Sky, The Hungry Hill Gallery, Adrigole, Cork 2006
The Blue Loft Gallery, Dublin 2007 (2 person show with Axel Rothoux)
selected group shows
London Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, UK 2012, 2013.2015,2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
London Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, UK 2011/12/13/14
Wexford FRINGE, Whites Hotel 2009 - 2015
Art Source, RDS, Dublin, 2009 – 2019
Gallery Representation:
The Doorway Gallery, Dublin
Western Light Gallery, Keel, Achill, Co.Mayo
Kilbaha Craft Gallery, Loop Head, Co.Clare
Whitethorn Gallery, Clifden,Co.Galway
Kenny’s Art Gallery, Lahinch, Co.Clare
Ardmore Pottery, houseArdmore, Co.Waterford
Hungry Hill Gallery, Adrigole, Co.Cork
Collections
The Hottinger Art Collection, London
President's Office, Notre Dame University,USA
Oliveto Restaurant, Dun Laoghaire
Tannery Restaurant, Dungarvan
Embassy of Cyprus, Washington, USA
Embassy of France, Dublin, Ireland
artist residencies
Heinrich Boll Cottage, Achill – 2007
Cill Riallig artist residency, Kerry - 2021
selected media
Westmeath Examiner - Feature interview - 2021
RTE Nationwide - Feature interview 2021
The Mayo News - Feature interview 2020
The Connaught Telegraph - Feature article - 2017
The Western Australian, Perth - Preview, 2017
The Galway Advertiser – Feature interview, 2016
The Mayo News – Feature interview by Ciara Moynihan, 2014
Sunday Independent – Lucinda O’Sullivan review, 2014
Ohio Irish American News, 2011 – Front cover profile/Interview by Susan Magan
RTE Nationwide, 2010 – Interview and Profile
The Dubliner Magazine, 2011 – Review of solo exhibition “Sentinels”
RTE Radio 1, The Arts Show – interview with Vincent Woods, 2009
The Irish Times – interview with Joyce Hickey, March 2009
education:
Professional Development for Visual Artists, College of Art and Design, Dun Laoghaire 2006
Higher Diploma in Technology Management, 2002 – Smurfit Business School, UCD
Higher Diploma in Systems Analysis, 1996 - Senior College, Blackrock, Co Dublin
ACCA Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance, 1992
Bachelor of Arts, NUI, Maynooth, Co.Kildare. 1981 – 1985
