Connor gets recognition from Academy over painting

24 August 2016

CROSSGAR artist Connor Maguire is celebrating new recognition by the Royal Ulster Academy (RUA).

His eye-catching painting ‘Office Worker’ — which dwells on what we’re really like outside the work place — will go on display at the academy’s prestigious annual exhibition in the Ulster Museum in October.

Connor submitted three works in total for consideration and it was this, his biggest piece, which caught the attention of the judges.

“I exhibited with the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin in March this year which is the biggest show in Ireland so it’s a real privilege to be accepted into the Royal Ulster Academy — exhibiting both shows in the same year is something that has never happened to me before,” said Connor.

“Office Worker is a side profile painting of a person I know called Jason McGrugan.

Originally from the Shankill road in Belfast, I got to know him through one of the sports we both take part in, kitesurfing, when I had the idea for this painting. I thought he would be perfect for it and thankfully he agreed to pose for it.

“I always find it awkward when starting a painting of someone whether I know them or not but that feeling soon diminishes after having a laugh about the whole thing. The painting itself is completed in oil on linen stretching 75cm by 120cm, which is the biggest painting I have ever done.”

While not personally based on Jason, he said he felt his friend made the perfect subject matter.

“The idea behind Office Worker is supposed to be about anyone behind the uniform in any work role,” he said. “You would never know that Jason had a full sleeved tattoo, did outdoors sports and other interesting things if you were talking to him in a work environment. I thought it was ironic how any person regardless of role might be doing a regular job on a daily basis and outside these hours be doing something really interesting.

“It’s a simple observation, and something everyone has thought about I’m sure, but I thought it would work well as a painting as well as being visually appealing.”

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.

This year’s RUA show is another major development for the Crossgar artist, and aside from this he has asked to participate in a November exhibition at the Assembly House Gallery off Grafton street in Dublin, the oldest gallery in Ireland. Only 16 portrait painters from Ireland have been asked to exhibit who specialise in contemporary portraiture.

“I was delighted to be asked by contemporary painter and tutor at NCAD, Kenneth Donfield who is curating the show and am so excited to be exhibiting with Ireland’s finest like Neil Shawcross RUA, RHA and Thomas Ryan PPRHA and others,” said Connor.

“I have also been approached by Andrew Sweeney, who is the director of the SCOOP foundation charity, asking if I was able to produce something for an art cookbook where the artist would produce a piece of art and provide a recipe to coincide with the finished piece.

“Being from Northern Ireland and a terrible cook I went with the safe option of ‘The Ulster fry’. Not exactly a recipe as such but a safe bet in regards of my cookery skills, so I was able to produce a woodcut print in a limited edition of 100 and provide my special version of how to cook the infamous Ulster fry. The print is much better than the recipe.

“It’s a great opportunity to be published alongside other Irish artists such as Gordon Harris who I admire greatly as he is a fabulous painter. This was a fun project to take part in and an exhibition featuring all the artists who take part in the book will be on show at a major opening event next year in Dublin.”

In what is a busy year a ahead, Connor is also getting ready for a solo show in the Framewerk gallery in Belfast, and hopes to have a collection of paintings, drawings and woodcuts ready for June 2017.

The 135th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Ulster Academy opens at the Ulster Museum on October 14 and runs to January 8. For further information on Connor’s work visit out www.connormaguire.com

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