About Connor
Connor Maguire was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1977 and studied at the University of Ulster in Belfast.
Connor has now been working steadily as a freelance artist specialising in painting from watercolours to oils, printmaking in the form of woodcuts, linocuts, drawings in charcoal and graphite exhibiting on a local and national level.
Connors paintings are inspired from anything ranging from everyday events, personal experiences, friends or family or just an idea of what something is.
After having his first solo exhibition in the Down Arts Centre in May 2003 he has continued to exhibit taking part in solo and group shows alongside Ireland’s most respected artists such as Neil Shawcross, Basil Blackshaw, Carol Graham and many other acclaimed painters recognised throughout Ireland.
In August 2017 Connor participated in a book launch entitled “The Artists Cookbook” which consisted of 100 Irish artists contributing a piece of art in the form of their favorite recipe. Other Irish artists who were involved were Gordon Harris and PJ Lynch who was Ireland’s Laureate na nÓg in the past.
Connor has received many commissions. One of which was Australian progressive rock band “Caligulas Horse” designing and painting their album cover which was released worldwide in September 2017. You can read more about this by checking out his Art Blog which shows a record of drawings and approaches to the commission.
Connors work has also been published many times. One by Californian fine art Company featuring in a book entitled “Creative minds”. Other magazines such as the Artist and Illustrator has printed on many occasions.
Winning the Chairman’s award in 2003, Connor has gone on to win the “Stephens Award”, “Anna Cheyne Award”, “Carnathan Galleries Award”, “West Dean College Award” amongst many others. He is the youngest member to gain membership to the Ulster Watercolour Society and exhibits on an annual basis with his paintings selling in each show.
After exhibiting in Hillsborough Castle he has received a personal letter from Prince Charles of Clarence house congratulating him on his participation and contribution to “The Prince’s trust” after representing his charity in the event.
He has produced a limited edition range of work making his images more accessible to the public in the form of greeting cards and limited edition Giclee Print range which are available throughout several retailers in Northern Ireland.
In his own words: “I originally became interested in art at an early age where I would watch my Grandfather sketch and draw out ideas for projects who I greatly admired.’
My Grandfather, an accomplished draughtsman, carpenter, designer and painter, he could do anything that he applied himself too and was the one person who introduced me to pencil drawing and charcoal. Inspired and captivated seeing what he could accomplish with a pencil and a paintbrush I too attempted to paint as good as he did and believe I am still trying.
Over the next year I am hoping to concentrate a lot more on portraiture and introducing more figures into the paintings with a more realistic finish. Perhaps working on a larger scale. Who knows? At the moment I am still experimenting with a lot of different things and searching for what works best. I guess I will just wait and see what happens”.
Connor has been interviewed and taken part in BBC Radio 4 programm
es talking about his work with broadcasting Journalists Perminder Khatkar and Helen Marks.
He was shortlisted as Artist of the year in 2013 in association with Artists & Illustrators Magazine exhibiting in London’s prestigious Mall Galleries alongside some of Britain’s greatest Artists.
He was shortlisted once more for a second time as Artist of the year 2017 with the same magazine winning the West Dean College Award exhibiting again in the Mall Galleries in London.
He exhibited with the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin in 2016 alongside Ireland’s finest painters like Blaise Smith, Conor Walton, Fergus Ryan and many others. In the same year he was accepted into the Royal Ulster Academy exhibition which took place in the Ulster Museum, Belfast in October 2016 which continued until Jan 2017. He continues to exhibit with such prestigious exhibitions nationwide and internationally.
He was commissioned in 2023 to illustrate a book in the form of Woodcuts with an Oregon Book publishing company and one of his latest paintings entitled “Boy and his Dog” will be featured on the Northern Ireland hit TV series Blue Lights in season 2 produced by Amanda Black.
He was interviewed on “The Arts Show” on BBC 2 alongside Irish actor Cíaran Hynds who has featured in many Hollywood films where he talked about his work.
Connor welcomes commissions of any kind and continues to progress and develop his work exhibiting in galleries locally and on a national level.
EXHIBITIONS/UPCOMING EVENTS
•Down arts centre ,solo exhibition, Downpatrick- 28th May 2003•Mullans bar ,solo exhibition ,Downpatrick – 14th August 2003
•Hillsborough castle – 12th October 2003 •The Wickerman ,Belfast- 5th November 2003
•Armagh city Hotel – 4th December 2003 •Wellington park hotel ,Belfast – 18th February 2004
•Holy trinity centre ,Belfast -20th until 21st February 2004
•The Tile Refinery gallery , Belfast – 23rd until 28th February 2004
•Belfast Harlequins Art Exhibition, Deramore park, Belfast – 21st until 23rd April 2004.
•The Tile Refinery gallery – NIVAF exhibition 26th April until 8th May 2004
•The John Hewitt ,Donegal street, Belfast-solo exhibition,5th July 2004
•Meath & Adelaide hospital, DUBLIN-Group Exhibition,5th October 2004
•Ulster Watercolour Society ,Old Belmont school, church road, Belfast ,19th August 2005
•Anna Cheyne award ,Civic Arts Centre ,Lisburn ,1st September 2005
•Ulster Watercolour society exhibition,Holywood,18th August 2006
•Ulster Watercolour society exhibition, Newry arts centre,18th August 2006 •UWS -The Gordon gallery -Derry sep 2007
•Solo exhibition “A Collection so far”-The Down Arts centre -Downpatrick 8th May 2008 •Ulster Watercolour society group show”-The Old Northern Bank building Cathedral quarter -Belfast 29th May 2008
•Down Arts Centre Exhibition, Downpatrick, Co.Down, N.Ireland – Nov 2008
•Ulster Watercolour Society Exhibition -Letterkenny, Co.Donegal, Republic of Ireland – Nov 2008
•Exhibition of Paintings by Northern Ireland Artists – Harlequins, Deramore Park, Belfast, Co. Down , N.Ireland ,7pm 31st March
•Ulster Watercolour Society Exhibition -Northern bank building, Donegal street , Belfast ,May 2009
• UWS -Ulster Watercolour society exhibition-Down Arts Centre , October – 2009
• Christmas Group Exhibition – Down Arts Centre , Downpatrick, November – 2009 •Group Exhibition – Red Rag Gallery , Stow in the Wold, Cheltenham , England – 2009
•Charity Auction Autumn Ball Exhibition-Ufford Park Hotel, Woodbridge ,England , 25th September -2009
• UWS -Ulster Watercolour society exhibition-Northern bank building,Waring street Belfast- 7.30pm 22nd May 2010
•Tuesdays Child Christmas Art Exhibition- in the Northern Bank building,2 Waring St, Belfast 14th December 2010
•Tuesdays Child Christmas Gala Ball Art Auction-Opened by Lord Mayor Cllr Pat Convery,Paul Clark from UTV is MC and music is by Siobhan Pettit and her 9 piece swing band in the Belfast City Hall-18th December 2010
•Yard Gallery Christmas Exhibition, Holywood, Co.Down, N.Ireland- Tuesday 23rd December 2010
•RUA -Royal Ulster Academy exhibition of Irish artists – Ulster Museum ,Belfast, 21st October 2011
•One foot square exhibition – Higher Bridges Gallery, Enniskillen- 1st December until 21st December 2011
•Group show arranged by Katie Larmour BBC presenter- Marine Court Hotel ,Bangor, Co.Down, N.Ireland -October 2012
•Group shown Exhibition Commencing on the 12th MAR to 15th MAR 2013 in the BELFAST HARLEQUINS CLUB
•UWS -ULSTER WATERCOLOUR SOCIETY-Waterfront Hall ,Gallery 2,Belfast .Open to public 13th NOV 2013
•ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATORS ARTIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS EXHIBITION,-THE MALL GALLERIES, London, JAN 2014
•NSPCC Group show of Ireland Artists taking place in THE MAC THEATRE Belfast.Open for viewing only on the 24th,25th,26th March 2014 between 10am until 7pm
•Belfast Harlequins Exhibition of Northern Irish Artists-Deramore Park, Belfast 22nd April 2015.
•Shortlisted for the Royal Institute of Portrait Painters – Mall Galleries, London ,June, 2015.
•DRAWINGS & WOODCUTS Exhibition – Down arts Centre, Downpatrick, 14th May. Click HERE to check out my blog
•Charity Exhibition for Children with Cancer with Ross Wilson and Irish Arists – Spa primary School, Ballynahinch, 10 th Feb 2016.
•ROYAL HIBERNIAN ACADEMY – Ely Place, Dublin, Ireland. Opening night 21st March and finishes on the 11th June 2016.For more details click HERE
•ROYAL VICTORIA HOSPITAL Therapeutic Art Gallery – Falls Road, Belfast. Opening Early April 2016
•ROYAL ULSTER ACADEMY-Ulster museum, Belfast – 8th October and continues until 7th Jan 2017
•EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY PORTRAITURE-IGS building ,Dublin – Jan 28th 2017
•ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2017-Mall Galleries, London – Jan 2017
•DRAWINGS,PAINTINGS & WOODCUTS SOLO SHOW-Framewerk gallery,Newtonards road, Belfast – April 13th 2017
•HARLEQUINS NORTHERN IRISH ARTISTS-Harlequins Rugby club, Belfast – 25th April until 30th April 2017
•ROYAL ULSTER ACADEMY – 136th Annual Exhibition – Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast – 6th October 2017 – 7th January 2018
•RDS Art Source fair – Dublin, Ireland – 9th November 2017
•Black Canvas gallery – Holywood – Mary Peters Irish Art Group Exhibition 22nd Nov 2017
•Tiny Life Art exhibition – East Side Visitors Centre, Newtownards Road, Belfast – 6th Oct 2018 – 9th Nov 2018
•ROYAL HIBERNIAN ACADEMY – Ely Place, Dublin, Ireland. 2019 Ely Place, Dublin, Ireland. 2019
•Canvas Galleries, Belfast – Stranmillis Road 2019 Christmas show & exhibiting
•ArtisAnn Gallery – Newtownards Road, Belfast 2019 – Christmas Show & exhibiting
•ROYAL ULSTER ACADEMY – Ulster museum, Belfast – 14th October 2022 and continues until 4th Jan 2023
•Joint NICS/OPW Art Exhibition – Person Presence Perception – Sep 2022. My painting SAIL AWAY has been chosen as part of this exhibition which which will tour throughout Ireland and finishes in the F.E McWilliams gallery, Banbridge 2023
GALLERIES EXHIBITING
•Bushmills Gallery – Bushmills, Coleraine, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland
•White Image – lisburn road , Hillsborough, Co. Down, N.Ireland
•The Yard gallery – Holywood ,Belfast , N.Ireland
•The Norman gallery – Wexford, Republic of Ireland
•The Old Schoolhouse gallery – Dundrum, N.ireland
•The Kenny gallery- Galway, Republic of Ireland
•The Red Rag gallery – Stow in the Wold, Cheltenham , England
•Lavelle Art Gallery -Clifden , Connemara , Galway, Ireland
•Ireland art- Newtonabbey , Belfast
•The Wickerman – Belfast , N.Ireland
•Painted Earth – Newcastle , N.Ireland
•Canvas Galleries – Stranmillis Road, Belfast
•Black canvas gallery – Holywood, Belfast
•Chimera Gallery – Mullingar, Ireland
•ArtisAnn Gallerygallery – Newtownards Road, Belfast
ACHIEVEMENTS
•Received letter of congratulations from Prince Charles as well as having it published in the Hillsborough Castle exhibition catalogue
•Work published by American Art publisher to be featured in book “Creative Minds” December 2004
•Awarded membership to the Ulster Watercolour Society August 2004
•Work in collection of Island Civic Arts Centre, Lisburn
•Work sold to famous Irish artist and collector Jim Fitzpatrick
•Northern Ireland Pure Home Magazine feature July 2008 issue
•Irish News Full featured interview by Jenny Lee 10/05/08
•Interview by Culture Northern Ireland 15/05/08
•Interview by Marie Louise Muir BBC Radio Ulster 07/06/08
•Tiger Aspect Productions using paintings as back set for BBC programme “MEGANANNY-Undercover Dads” to be featured on Sunday morning television beginning in July 2009
•SHORTLISTED for ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATORS ARTIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS EXHIBITION,-THE MALL GALLERIES, London, JAN 2014
•INTERVIEW with PERMINDER KHATKAR BBC RADIO 4 ABOUT MY ART AND DOCUMENTARY ON THE EAST COAST OFF N.IRELAND OCT 2013
•Work to be published in Art cookbook alongside Ireland’s finest Artists in Dublin 2017
•SHORTLISTED for ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATORS ARTIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS EXHIBITION-THE MALL GALLERIES, London, Jan 2017
•Album cover commission for Australian Progressive rock band “Caligulas Horse” which is released worldwide
•LONGLISTED for Jacksons Art Open Painting Prize April 2017
AWARDS
•Awarded Down Chairman’s Award March 2003
•Awarded F.B Steven award August 2005
•Awarded Anna Cheyne award September 2005
•Awarded Carnathan Galleries award ,UWS August 2006
•Shortlisted Artist of the Year Award with Artist & Illustrator Magazine 2013
•Shortlisted Artist of the Year Award with Artist & Illustrator Magazine 2017
•Arts Council NI award 2017
•Received West Dean College award at Artists of the year Exhibition-The Mall Galleries, London, Jan 2017
ARTWORK LINKS
•Culture N.Ireland review with Lee Henry, Nerve Centre, Derry
•Head Stuff featured Artist Connor MaguireEpilogue
•Yard Gallery, Holywood, Belfast
•Art People Gallery – Conor Maguire