Fred McElwee
Born in Dublin in 1947, Fred McElwee trained as an architect. His main preoccupation since childhood, however, has been drawing and painting. Subsequent art training took place in N.C.A.D and D.L.C.A.D. Now matured and readily identifiable, his work is found in important public and private collections throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and elsewhere.Fred works mainly in oils and on a diversity of subjects - still life, nudes, portraiture, flowers and particularly landscape. This fulfils a special interest in trees and foliage. These light filled paintings, often expressionistic in handling, explore the inherent nature of the tree in context through the elemental interchange of light, shade, colour, texture, massing, wind direction, branch structure etc.
While Fred concedes an obvious indebtedness to Cezanne, many will discern an underlying admiration for the palette of the later Roderic O'Conor.
Long associated with Dublin's Oriel Gallery, Fred's work has also been selected many times for the prestigious R.H.A. Summer Shows as well as by invitation to their Banquet Show. He has also participated in other national jury selected exhibitions such as Iontas and an tOireachtas. Other group shows include B.B.C. Belfast, Frank Lewis Gallery, Cork Arts Society, Wyvern Gallery, Dillon Gallery, London, Malton Gallery, Courtyard Gallery, Monkstown, The Kenny Gallery, Galway and the Carroll Gallery Longford.
Previous one man shows include Coopers, Greystones, Brock Gallery, Blackrock, Dolmen Gallery in Limerick, and Dreyhouse Gallery in Waterford.
It is significant that several leading Irish painters have recently acquired examples - surely an indicator of collectibility and investment potential.
Collections include: |
Office of Public Works (State Collection) Albert Reynolds, T.D. Tom O'Donnell, M.E.P. Mairead Dunlevy, Director Hunt Museum in Limerick Hugh Murray, chairman and founder of Ev+A John Coyle R.H.A. Turgen Holler,Architect/Painter,Germany. |
Education: |
B.Arch UCD 1970 National College of Art and Design 1972 - 1978 Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design 1980 - 1996. |
Group Exhibitions: |
RHA,.(10 acceptances since 1988) Oireachtas Iontas Small Works Also group shows in many commercial galleries throughout Ireland, North and South. Oriel Gallery Courtyard GalleryDillon Gallery, London Windmill Gallery, Co. Kerry Carroll Gallery, Longford Barbara Stanley Fine Art, London Dillon Gallery, London |
One Person Shows: |
Coopers, Greystones 1995 Brock, Blackrock 1995 Dolmen Gallery, Limerick 1995 Dyehouse Gallery, Waterford 1996, 1997 Kenny Gallery, Galway 1996,1998 Stable Gallery, Killiney 1996 Lavitt Gallery, Cork 1997 Bridge Gallery, Dublin 1998. Glebe Gallery, Baltimore 1999, 2001. Molesworth Gallery, Dublin 2000 |
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Office Of Public Works IBEC University of Limerick Radio Telefis Eireann Great Southern Hotel, Galway Store Street Garda Headquarters Irish Embassy Residency, Brussels Legation to PFP, Brussels Customs House, Dublin Houses of the Oireachtas Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny Institute of Technology, Tallaght Tower Hotel, Waterford. McInerny Holdings Plc. Quinlan Asset Management Albert Reynolds, T.D. Tom O'Donnell, M.E.P. Mairead Dunlevy, Director Hunt Museum in Limerick Hugh Murray, chairman and founder of Ev+A John Coyle R.H.A. Turgen Holler,Architect/Painter,Germany. Private collections worldwide |