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Paul McCloskey was born in Carrickmacross, Monaghan Ireland. Paul attended the National College of Art and Design (N.C.A.D) Dublin from 1981 and graduated in 1986.(ANCAD) (PGdipEd). Paul also attended De Montfort University UK and was awarded a Masters Degree in Fine art (MFA) in 2010. He is a professional member of ‘visual artists Ireland’ and has exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally throughout the UK, London, Venice and New York, he has received many awards and his work can be found in numerous private and public collections.

See The Alpha (Awakening Spring 1) in the Collection

 

The Alpha (Awakening Spring 1)

The Alpha (Awakening Spring 1)

 

” ‘THE ALPHA’ is from the first of the Awakenings series (Alpha, Reloaded and The Omega) inspired by the landscape, what we perceive as everyday and perhaps ordinary, the places we merely glance at without allowing ourselves to get lost in the breathtaking creation and beauty that surrounds us. This visual influence is determined by the surrounding landscape of his environment. But its intention is primarily as a catalyst in expressing divinity and is therefore secondary to this expression, with the primary purpose being process, allowing and presence.

“The varied and stunning Irish landscape, coupled with our unsettled weather and therefore often fleeting and mottled light, inspires him greatly.  Often a view will change or an area will be illuminated by a simple break in the clouds, highlighting as if a shimmering treasure or jewel, a corner of a field, the side of some rocky cliff or the dynamic sweeping curves of a valley reminding us that we are an integral part of and connected to a whole. Effectively, this encourages us to see and, most importantly, feel its beauty and spirit and therefore reconnect to this vital part of us.

“In areas, sky and earth are as one, evoking the sense of personal growth, the sense of awakening to the beauty, divinity and perfection, to the divine order within all things.  This suggestion of heaven and earth in constant struggle, merging yet separable, solid yet amorphous all suggest the dichotomy of the spiritual, the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega, the struggle within, between the conditioned self  and the divine/spiritual self.” – Paul McCloskey, 2015

 

Website – www.paulmccloskeyart.com

Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/PaulMcCloskeyPaintingsGallery

 

Collections;

  • Monaghan County Council, art collection.
  • Wexford County Council, art collection.
  • Smurfit Collection
  • Irish Bank of Commerce
  • Monaghan VEC
  • Kavanagh Heritage Centre, Monaghan
  • RTE
  • Connemara design centre
  • Education centre, Dublin
  • “Comhairle Bhaile Cheanntair” (Public works) Civic Centre, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan
  • As well as numerous private collections throughout the country.

 

Selected Exhibitions:

 

  • 2014 – September, ‘Little Kingdoms’, Catalyst Arts Gallery, Belfast.
  • ‘Enniskillen Visual Arts Open’ international exhibition, The Higher Bridges Gallery, Clinton Centre,Co. Fremanagh. 11th September 2014 – 11th October 2014.
  • ‘Signal Open’ Exhibition, Signal Arts Centre, Bray, Co.Wicklow – 6th – 17th August 2014.
  • 2013 – November 9th – ‘3rd Splash Art Festival’ Back Loft, La Cathedral Studios, Dublin(Invited Artist)
  • 2013 – September 19th – 23rd October – ‘Ireland in our eyes’, London Irish Centre, Camden Sq, London.
  • 2013 – “Clouds” – August (2013) – Centro Storico /The Palazzo Ca’ Zanardi, Venice, Italy.
  • 2013 – July 25th – Sept’ 10th – 2013 – ‘The Story of the Creative’, (invited artist) See | Exhibition space, 26-19 Jackson Ave. Long Island City, NY 11101 New York.
  • 2013 – ‘Awakenings Reloaded’ – Market House Arts Centre, Monaghan Town. (Arts Council Ireland and Monaghan Co. Council) (Solo show)
  • 2011/12/13 – Mealy’s/SCOOP Contemporary art exhibition.
  • 2012 – ‘All sorts’ – Sweetshop Gallery of contemporary art, Rosslare, Wexford – Invited Artist.
  • 2011 – ‘Splash’ – Back Loft, La Cathedral Studios, Dublin – Open submission.
  • 2011 – ‘Harvest’ – Hive Gallery and Studios – Waterford – Open Submission.
  • 2011 – ‘Pink Pink Pink’ – Mad Art gallery and Studios-Dublin- Open submission.
  • 2011 – ‘Masters Exhibition’ – De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. (Solo show)
  • 2009 – Gallery Show – Henry Gilmore Gallery – Belfast.
  • 2007 – ’08 – Group Show – Art Upstairs – Rosslare.
  • 2006 – ‘07 – Salon Exhibition – Montserrat Gallery of Contemporary Art – New York.
  • 2006 – “Awakenings (The Alpha)” – Art upstairs Gallery – Wexford festival opera (Solo Show)
  • 2006 – ” Summer group show – Clifden art gallery Galway
  • 2005 – ” Christmas Show” – OS/B Gallery Enniskerry
  • 2005 – “Summer group show” – OS/B Gallery Enniskerry
  • 2005 – “Summer show” – Kennedy Gallery Dublin
  • 2004 – “Eigse – Carlow arts festival – open selection.
  • 2003 – “East meets West” Invited artist Carrickmacross Co. Monaghan.
  • 2002 – “Eigse – Carlow arts festival” – Open selection.
  • 2001 – “Wexford Opera Festival” – Wexford Arts Centre (Invited Artist) (2 person show).
  • 2001 – “Group Show” – Taylor Gallery Belfast.
  • 2001 – “Scenes before the eye” Agora Gallery (2 person show) Broadway, Manhattan, New York.
  • 2000 – “Comhairle Bhaile Cheanntair” (solo show)(Public works) Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.
  • 2000 – “CELTIC CONNECTIONS” – (The Arts Council Ireland.) (A Welsh/ Irish exchange exhibition of four short listed artists) Fishguard Wales.
  • 1999 – “Gorey Summer Fair” (Solo Exhibition)
  • 1998 – “Award winners exhibition” (Wexford arts centre, sponsored by Lions club and Arts Council Ireland.) (Solo Show)
  • 1997 – 2000 – “Lions Club exhibition “(Arts Centre Wexford)
  • 1997 – “Group show” (Watch house Gallery Enniscorthy)
  • 1996 – “Opera festival show” Wexford Arts Centre- Solo Exhibition-(Sponsored by Guinness Ireland and The Arts council Ireland)
  • 1995 – “Christmas show” (2 man show)(Woodland arts and crafts gallery Gorey)
  • 1995 – 2005 – “Wexford showcase” (Arts centre Wexford)
  • 1995 – “Art with a view” (Wexford Co. Council. A short listed exhibition of six artists)
  • 1994 – “Monaghan Artists” (Carrickmacross Co. Monaghan)
  • 1994 – “Lough Derg” (Kavanagh heritage centre Monaghan) Permanent collection.

 

Awards

  • ‘Abstracts’ – Light, Space and Time, International Art Competition, Special Merit Award (’14)
  • EXHIBEO art magazine, ‘Landscapes in motion’ (3rd) (’14)
  • ARTslant – 2014 – 4th international visual art (mixed media) Showcase winner. (Juried – Joanna Szupinska-Myers Curator of Exhibitions at the California Museum of Photography – Sebastian Campos Principal, THE MISSION, Chicago | Houston – Anca Rujoiu Curator, CCA – Centre for Contemporary Art, Singapore )
  • Creative Quarterly 35,  The Journal of Art & Design, New York – Fine Art Professional – winner (’14)
  • “15th Annual Abstraction Juried International Art Exhibition” Upstream Gallery, Omaha, (3 special recognition awards)  (’13)
  • Four Points Contemporary, International visual art award – 2nd Bi-annual- Award of Excellence (’14) Juried – Reginald Charles Adams, Co-founder Museum of Cultural Arts, Houston (MOCAH)
  • ARTslant –2013 – 8th international visual art Showcase winner. (Juried – Wendi Norris Gallery (Director), San Francisco – Charlie Hood – Co-Director – Beach Gallery, London)
  • Four Points Contemporary, International visual art award-1st Bi-annual  – juried – Mark Roden and Joana Esteves, founders of JOMAR VISIONS, Houston Tx, USA.(2nd place) (’13)
  • Light Space & Time (landscape) international visual art competition (special recognition award for outstanding painting) (’13)
  • The elements” AIR” World Arts international visual art award (1st place) (’13)
  • Shortlisted for the Igllloo international visual art award (’13)
  • Fawn Review –international visual art competition (1st place) (’13)
  • Monaghan County Council, percent for art scheme. (’13)
  • “Comhairle Bhaile Cheanntair” (Public works) Civic Centre, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan. (’00)
  • Wexford Arts Centre/Lions Club, award winner for painting. (’98)

 

Selected Publications

  1. LandEscape Interview – March 2014 (Special Issue)
  2. The State of Art – Landscape & Portrait – Edited by Andy Laffan, Chris Hodson and Robin Laffan.
  3. The State of Art – 3d and Installation – Edited by Andy Laffan, Chris Hodson and Robin Laffan.
  4. Exhibeo Visual Art Magazine – “ Let There Be Light” – The Transcendent Art of Paul McCloskey – J.E. Raddatz
  5. Unblugged – Interview by Michele Andree Lemieux
  6. Gallery and Studio Visual Art Magazine – (New York.Vol.10-No.2)Review by Maureen Flynn (Art Critic)
  7. GALACTIC LANDSCAPES – Fawn Review – Siobhan Fenton, editor.
  8. Musetouch Visual Arts Magazine issue 18 – Divine by Maia Sylba.
  9. Re<>Dux Visual Arts Magazine – Autumn -2014
  10. Creative Quarterly – The Journal of Art and Design no 34&35 – New York
  11. DONTPOSTME # 9 Visual Arts Magazine(Summer Issue)– Alima Kumukova
  12. Ireland of The Welcomes – vol 63 No 2 March/April 2014