About the Artists

Rachel Arbuckle

 

Dublin born artist Rachel Arbuckle has always been fascinated by our Celtic heritage. Inspiration found in the intricate knotwork adorning the ancient manuscripts, stone and metalwork, coupled with Rachel’s love of a good story, have combined to produce some of the most popular images in contemporary Irish Celtic art. Mythological warriors rub shoulders with ancient historical figures and intertwine with animals, birds and fish rendered in the artist’s unique hand. Her colours, although modern, emulate the softness of the natural pigments used by the Celts and a discerning eye will recognise shades of both Tuscany, where Rachel currently lives, and the Beara Peninsula, where she thrives on the rugged West Coast of Ireland.

Many examples of Rachel's work using a Celtic theme can be seen on greeting cards, jig-saw puzzles, playing cards and a wide range of gift items, while others take the form of  paintings and fine art prints. Trinity College Dublin and the National Museum of Ireland both boast original paintings by Rachel Arbuckle.

In recent years the artist's interest in combining ornate Celtic decoration with contemporary realism has resulted in some unique images and a distinct style which has received worldwide recognition.

Rachel graduated from Dublin’s National College of Art and Design in 1990. In 1991 her first designs were launched onto the Irish market. Today her work is available worldwide, bringing a taste of Ireland to the four corners of the earth.

 

Website: https://www.rachelarbuckle.com/

Email: rachel@arbuckle.com

Facebook: The Art of Rachel Arbuckle

Instagram: rachel_arbuckle_art

https://www.instagram.com/rachel_arbuckle_art/

 

 

 Simeon Walker

 

 Simeon Walker’s paintings are best known for their focus on singular aspects of the landscape. His personal concerns for the unique environment of this country combine with his ongoing fascination with the landscape’s effects on the human psyche. The focus of his current work is on richly detailed tree studies, cloud formations and ocean scapes. In isolating aspects of the landscape from their traditional context, the artist elevates the subject and invites the viewer to be closer to its beauty. His work is concerned with the drama and narrative of microcosmic detail.

In 2005 the artist’s painting Profusion was a finalist and runner up in the high profile Metro Gallery Art Award, Australia’s richest art prize for young artists. In the same year the Macquarie Group Art Collection purchased work from the artist to be included in a series for their New York office, including works by prominent Australian artists Philip Wolfhagen and Tim Maguire. This exposure led to a series of privately commissioned paintings for senior executives at the Macquarie Bank, National Australia Bank, Oz Minerals and The Boston Consulting Group. The artist’s painting Between Heaven and Earth was selected as a finalist in the 2006 Metro Gallery Art Award. In May 2008 the Macquarie Group Art Collection purchased the painting Trespass for their Melbourne Offices, and another purchased work The Departed was used as the promotional image for the group’s first ever public exhibition, held at the Noosa Regional Gallery in 2010. In the same year The City of Whittlesea commissioned a large painting for their public collection. His work is held in private collections in England, Scotland, America, Hong Kong, New Zealand and throughout Australia. 

In 2007 his exhibition Light, Colour and Form was a sellout. Successful solo exhibitions have followed with The Beauty of the Ordinary in 2009 andVerticals in 2011.

In 2011 the artist was shorlisted for the Flanagan, Manning and Paddington Prizes.