Patrick Pye

Patrick Pye was born in Winchester in 1929 and brought up in Dublin which has continued to be his home. In 1943 he started painting at school under the sculptor Oisin Kelly where he made illustrated versions of T.S. Eliot's poems.

In 1957 he was awarded Mainnie Jellet Scholarship for painting in Ireland and began his studies in stained glass under Albert Troost in Maastricht. During these years he becomes friendly with Elizabeth Rivers, the English painter/engraver who worked on Aran for many years and ended her days in Dublin, 1968.

During the 1960s he worked on several commissions for stained glass in churches throughout Ireland. In 1963 he was baptised in the Roman rite. Ten years later he commenced etching at the Graphic Studio Dublin where he continues working at this medium. Painting is still the main body of his work. He has regular one-man shows at David Hendriks'Gallery.

In 1981 he was elected to Aosdana and in 1991 he was elected to the Royal Hibernian Academy. In 1994 he exhibited at Polish Art Historian's Gallery, Cracow and had his first show at the Rubicon Gallery, Dublin.

Patrick Pye has done many important commissions for churches and individuals throughout Ireland. Four major ones are as follows:

1965	Two 16' high stained glass lights, Convent of Mercy, Cookstown, NI
1977	5 panel mural cycle, Church of the Resurrection, Fossa, Killarney
1981	'Woman & Serpent', Triptych, 6.5' x 8', Bank of Ireland Headquarters
1993	Stations of the Cross, Ballycasheen Church, Killarney