Neil Carrigan was born in Derry and is based in Derry and Moville, Ireland. He has grown up with artistic influences from his mothers’ family. Neil’s mother Rosina is an artist, now retired from painting professionally, his aunt Sr. Aloysious Mc Veigh , MFA. (Yale). 1923- 2009. was an iconographer, his aunts Sr. Perpetua and Ita Sheehan specialise in watercolour, and Phil (Maggie) Rosenfeld specialises in Chinese watercolour painting.
Neil takes pride in being self taught, although readily acknowledges the influences and encouragement he has received from his teachers Phil Grant, who, as he was not permitted to pursue art as a curricular subject, permitted him use of his schools art department ‘sub rosa’ as it were. Eventually having been ‘caught’ he continued his art studies at night class under Barney Mc Cormac, who introduced him to life study. Models were not permitted at the boys only college which he attended! Neil has attended an annual Master class with the Irish School of Landscape Painting, for the past few years receiving expert tutelage from Kenneth Webb and his daughter Susan. He describes these five days of painting as ‘heaven on earth’ and enjoys the company of many recognised Irish artists, each of whom have had a positive influence on Neils’ art.
Working predominantly in oil paint Neil focuses on realistic impressionism in an academic style, although he frequently experiments with abstracting images and brings a strong element of design to all his work. His works show the simple beauty of the world through the use of strong colour harmonies and relationships.
In March 2009 he participated in a group exhibition of local artists in The Peoples Gallery, William St., Derry. This is a recently opened gallery in the City and is run by the Internationally acclaimed Bogside Artists. He is currently exhibiting a work with the Art Society of Ulster in their Spring Show in the Island Art Centre, Lisburn.
He has paintings on Exhibition in the Christeph and Ace of Arts Galleries in Letterkenny, and the Edward Gallery in Derry. He has also exhibited twice at the ASU Annual Exhibitions in Belfast, and the Bad Art Gallery in Dublin. Although his paintings could be of any temperate climate, as he rarely paints the traditional panoramic landscape, they reflect the spiritual beauty of Ireland through colour and unique quality of light. Neil is an Associate Member of the Arts Society of Ulster.
About Neils’ Art.
I am a painter who enjoys the use of colour and tries to illustrate and communicate a sense of joy and wonder in the world. I enjoy capturing the light in its many moods, and usually paint outdoors during the summer months.
Design and Composition, the relationship between positive and negative space in the painting are also of great importance to me. This I hope is more evident in work which I do in the studio, as realistic renditions of landscapes have design limitations.
I really enjoy the challenges each painting brings. I don’t find painting ‘relaxing’ though many people believe it is. For me, the creative process of painting becomes a total focus on one thing. The act of painting is one of absorption, that of becoming aware of a greater whole. It can sometimes be frustrating but creating a painting is satisfyingly good and joyful!
With each new painting I remember the words of the French Artist, Bernard Cathelin b. 1919.
“Each day one paints for the canvas one will paint thirty years hence.”
And so I begin.