about nina

How I Became an Artist

“Creating has always been my centre. It captures me completely. Focusing my being entirely on a concept, moulding line and colour or shape and form into being with a pure melody of light and colour. Contemplating the story to be told. In essence, I love to paint.”

”I Create Original Pieces of Artwork that are Inspirations to Enjoy, Live & Dream.’’

About Nina

An Irish artist, born in Dublin, Nina now lives in County Kildare with her husband and three children.

Nina paints light-filled watercolours, full bodied liquid acrylics and heavy textured oils. Initially a watercolour painter, Nina, at the age of twenty was the youngest ever elected member of the WSI.

Following her passion for painting, Nina now works across a range of disciplines, grounds and sizes. Her style is easily discernible, through unique manipulation of paint & use of colour. “I have come to realise that I can’t live without painting”, says Nina, ‘’It fills me with calm happiness’’.

Inspiration for Nina’s work comes from the world around her, creating a work of art for Nina means much more than simply reproducing something she sees. ‘’It’s about capturing the essence of a moment in time,” she explains. While Nina is noted for her interior paintings, she is also a talented landscape, still life and figure painter. Nina creates original pieces of art that ignite the senses, stirring emotions, evoking feelings of calm happiness.

‘I hope to bring viewers on a journey, inviting them to escape for a moment,

Inspirations to Enjoy, Live & Dream.

Creating my Paintings

”Perhaps it’s a flicker of sunlight across a room or the intense sparkly blue of the ocean and I’m caught. Captivated in that moment, immersed, wrapped in its atmosphere.

It’s about the attraction, the beauty I see in the essence of a that moment, contemplating the story of that moment, the story to be told.

My work is a celebration of the spirit and warmth of life & the beauty of the natural world we share. I hope to reflect this spirit in my paintings. Infusing moments into being with a pure melody of light and colour.”

”I Create Original Pieces of Artwork that are Inspirations to Enjoy, Live & Dream.’’

Then

For as long as I can remember I loved to create & use colour. As a child, making mud pies, drawing patterns, colouring in and on, well anything. Creating has always been my centre it captures me completely. Focusing my being entirely on a concept, moulding line and colour or shape and form into being. Contemplating the story to be told. In essence, I love to paint.

I have been painting & teaching professionally for many years. Opening my own teaching art studio in 1998 & then starting a family in 2006 meant my painting time was restricted. 

In 2018 after being sick for some time it was time to change things up, taking time to do research, experimenting & training.

Now

I am always on the look out to catch a fleeting glimpse of that something special to paint. Stopping to look at interesting things I see, taking photos & making notes. Whether its studying the texture of an old weathered boat, thinking about its journey or the puffiness of clouds floating by, wondering where they have been, or, the beautiful colours I see and the dynamics of sunlight & shade. Then I can wait to paint that beautiful story.

Happy working in any medium that suits the subject best. With an emphasis on bright colours, strong shapes and bold tonal values, creating mood & energy.

Currently I exhibit in The Doorway Gallery Dublin, The Kenny Gallery Galway, The Kilkenny Art Gallery, Castlemartyr House Gallery Cork, The Kildare Gallery, Tuckmill Gallery Naas and elsewhere. I take part in juried, group and other gallery exhibitions as opportunities arise.

I am a member of the Visual Artists Association, Visual Artists of Ireland, Design & Craft Council of Ireland, The Watercolour Society of Ireland, Kildare Craft Cluster, Dublin Painting & Sketching Club, Original Kildare, Kildare Women in business and others.

I have had work accepted for the Royal Hibernian Academy & the Royal Ulster Academy exhibitions and won awards.

My work is to be found in the National Library & Limerick University permanent collections, as well as many corporate and private collections.

New

Nina has developed a method of working in poured acrylic paint.

‘Working in poured acrylic gives my work unique, interesting textures and runs that are not achievable with any other medium.’

Creating my own recipe for full bodied liquid acrylic paint. Where the boundaries of this medium are stretched to give the paint a unique consistency similar to honey. Paint is expertly poured & dribbled onto sections of the canvas. Keeping the deep canvas level or slightly tipped to control the flow of paint. Guiding & sculpting the paint into form using wooden sticks & skewers, as brushes wil not hold this paint. Each artwork’s colours & tones are freshly mixed & stored in glass jars to keep until the piece is completed. Blowing, spraying & splattering into the wet paint gives the work a free flowing calm softness. After a few days drying another layer can be poured. Working the process until the painting is complete. It’s a bit messy but great fun!! smile

Nina has designed a fine art print collection taken from original works in poured acrylic which will be available from her website in March.

She is planning Painting Holiday Courses in 2024.

Group & Solo Exhibitions

Artsource

The Doorway Gallery Dublin

The Kildare Gallery

The Kenny Gallery Galway

Kilkenny Art Gallery

Castlemartyr House Gallery Cork
Tuckmill Gallery Kildare
Lavit Gallery Cork
Riverbank Kildare
Kilcock Art Gallery Kildare
Solomon Gallery Dublin
Kilkenny design Centre Kilkenny
Garter Lane Waterford

Awards / Commissions / Private & Corporate Collections

Winner of the Universal Arts Suppliers Award
National Library of Ireland – Commission for Permanent Collection
University of Limerick – Permanent Collection
USA Embassy in Ireland – Kildare artist selected for Bill Clinton Designs on Peace Exhibition
Artist in residence programme – St. Wolstans Kildare
Rhone Poulens – Adjudicator of Children’s Art Competiton
Kelt Award – Studio Grant Award
Bank of Ireland – Corporate Commission
Team Aer Lingus – Corporate Commission
Art in Golf  – Corporate Commission
Irish Distillers – Corporate Commission
Dr Tony Ryan – Private Commission
Boarder line artists agent London – Commission

Selected Exhibitions

RHA Open Exhibition Dublin

The Kenny Gallery Galway

Iontas Small Works Sligo

Royal Ulster Academy Belfast

Oireachtas Dublin

Kildare Artists

Showcase at the R.D.S. Dublin

 

 

 

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