Local artist praised as one of ‘Ireland’s finest’

The Art Exhibition which is showing at the Ranfurly Arts and Visitors Centre between February 2 to 26, is themed ‘Irish Modern Art West of the River Bann’.

Curated by Brian O’Neill, the exhibition also draws work by Dungannon artist, photographer and sculptor Marty Cullen, and Co Mayo artist Daire Lynch.

The artists have come together to put on what they feel is an important exhibition and the first big foray into cross border art for Dungannon. They are well known across Ireland and on the international stage, and are exhibiting ground breaking original new works of art.

The event to date has attracted viewers from as far as Dublin, Limerick, Leitrim, Belfast and Donegal and a major art review by the Irish TV.com team watched by over 40 million viewers from as far away as Canada, Russia and Australia, has helped put the local artist on the map.

Adrian, who has lived in Banbridge all his life, studied art and design at the Upper Bann Institute and has been painting for over 18 years. He is a highly acclaimed portrait artist who has produced many images of Irelands best known faces and has created many limited edition prints of local sporting legends such as the late Joey Dunlop, Philip McCallen, Eddie Irvine, Darren Clarke, George Best, David Healy and Peter Canavan - all of which have been individually signed by the subject.

Adrian also has an extensive eclectic portfiolio of modern, figurative and abstract work and was once referred to as the ‘New Degas’ in the New York Times, with reference to his collection of Ballerina paintings.

He is at the moment moving into the figurative genre and Dungannon will be the first showing of these works.

Daire Lynch is known as one of Irelands best contemporary artists, his highly visual and thought provoking works are mostly oils. The Mayo based fine artist was contacted by the exhibition curator Brian O’Neill and took up the offer straight away.

Marty Cullen from Dungannon is showing his cutting edge abstracts – Cullen is a multi- media artist and cuts from traditional through to the ultra modern.

Brian said: “these artists are three of Ireland’s finest and they are bringing strands of ideas and art to Dungannon that are more often restricted to the large cities.

“Their works are as similar as chalk and cheese -these guys routinely rip up the rule book to produce cutting edge art fit for the new century.”

You can visit the exhibition at the Ranfurly Arts and Visitors Centre, Dungannon, between February 2 -26.

To see more of Adrian’s work visit www.adrianwrightart.com or find him on facebook www.facebook.com/AdrianWrightArt.