Retrospective

Catalogue Notes by Maeve McCormick (Wife of the Artist)

"Would you baby-sit for myself and Anne?" - The question doesn't sound lifechanging, but that was how I first met Hugh. My brother and his wife brought some people back to their home after a night out, hence the babysitting, and among them was a quiet, handsome and well dressed young man who was a schoolteacher. He had also created the set for a play they were working on in the CBPPU (Christian Brothers Past Pupils Union) in Belfast. It was some time before I realised that Hugh was, in fact, a serious painter.

Hugh's father was a banker and for this reason the family had moved quite a number of times and he had not spent much time in any one place. Galway, then, became home and it was here that he spent the rest of his years, becoming entwined with the life, landscape and people of the West of Ireland and with the students from all parts who came to study here. Maybe old habits die hard though, for we moved house many times. As the family expanded and there was less room, we would move again so that somewhere could be converted into a studio. Many things are missing now from our home, like the smell of oil paint and white spirit mixed with tobacco issuing from the studio, paintings stacked three deep in the hall as they await transport to an exhibition and the sight of newly stretched canvasses in odd places as they dried.

Our children, now young adults, were a source of tremendous pride and joy to Hugh. He was an indulgent father and, though one part of him craved the ability to paint full time, he worked tirelessly to try to create a good life for them and, as some of his students particularly those on ACCS courses would agree, was known to wax lyrical and at length on their achievements.

The urge to use colour and form in his own way was paramount to Hugh and it is wonderful that this tremendous talent will live on through his painting. We are so proud and grateful that Tom and the Kenny Gallery have given this opportunity to show his work and to allow you and future generations to enjoy some of the many images he created both of Ireland and of New Zealand where he had a fulfilling six months experience of a new and challenging environment. Sadly, he suffered a lot physically during the latter part of his life and his biggest dread was that he might eventually be unable to paint though, I'm glad to say, he was still working until the day he went into hospital. Some precious small unfinished canvasses remain at home on a shelf in his studio.

We all loved him dearly and we miss him badly. We have many personal memories, both joyous and painful, to share among the family and we remember a kind, humorous and tireless man for whom life was an adventure, every person was worth helping and every stray dog and cat in the neighbourhood was welcome to a home!

Enjoy the fruits of his unbounded energy and creativity.

Maeve, Kevin, Sheila and Grainne.

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