About Yvonne
Dublin based Irish artist
I’m an artist based in beautiful Howth. From portraits to landscapes, I now wish to visually document and perceive more of the abstract ethereal world we live in, the mystical beauty surrounding us, held together by a thread of realism.
Biography
How I Started
Hi! I’m Yvonne and I live near the beautiful fishing village of Howth Dublin. At the age of 14, when sketching a pencil portrait of my friend, I was surprised to see my whole class lined up at lunch time to get their pencil sketch done by me! I was realising my art talent then my art career was started… I then went into portraits from drawing to watercolours then oils which is now my favourite medium
The Journey
I painted a portrait of my parents, Frank and Teresa Kelly – for their wedding anniversary. They enjoyed that so much as did I. I painted one of my family on a boat in Pontoon Lake.
One of my first portraits was of Bono – a handsome Irish man and lots people knew who he was. I was delighted when it received a merit award at the National Portrait Gallery.
I studied Portraiture at N.C.A.D and exhibited in the Royal Hibernian academy.
My Inspirations
I enjoy reading art books and was inspired by great Artists like John Howard Sanson, Raymond Kinstler, Jaquin Sorello, Sean Keating Orpen, John Singer Sargent, Vladimir Volegov and many others.
Our Culture
Connecting With Irish culture
I painted my amazing Daughters and from this point received lots commissions to paint portraits. These include two for Mr. & Mrs Eivers Family, from Roriston Stud in Kildare.
I’ve also painted a portrait for Commander Joe Deasy upon his retirement from the Irish Navy and this I’m proud that the Navy have it placed in the Officers Mess in Haulbowlin in Co. Cork.
When my girl were teenagers, we all joined Variety the children’s charity – with Betty and Kevin Wall. We raised money for coaches and I put up paintings in for auction. One was of Frank Sinatra and it was bought by MCD.
I then painted the amazing dancer Michael Flatley at his variety Entertainmer of the decade Award, and it was Auctioned at the event to support the children in need.
I also did one of Bing Crosby for Joe Cuddy as he loved singing Bing’ s songs.
I then painted one of Pete St John who wrote the fields of Athenry and he loved it.
On one of our conferences in LA we went went to an event where we were delighted to meet Simon Cowell at his Variety Humantiarn Award Ball. When we met he playfully said ‘trouble trouble trouble’ to me upon meeting my three Daughters. He is very generous to many children’s charities including Variety Ireland.
I was delighted to meet a great actor Neil Tobín at the Variety event in the Mansion House.
I then started art classes and children’s art & puppet camps in Sutton in the summer time.
Such fun and the children loved the puppets, art games and songs we learned in the sun. I taught art at a local primary Sutton Park school and did collaborative paintings with the whole school for their Gala Ball.
I met amazing people at sky portrait awards where the obligatory self portrait (pic) was entered and there I met Colm Meany who was being painted with Andrea Corr among others. The statue of the Three Graces to represent my three amazing daughters and the fun brought into our lives.
I also met a wonderful Irish Actor Brendan Gleeson recently who was skilfully playing the fiddle at Sean Nos Irish dancing.
I now wish to visually document and percieve more of the abstract ethereal world we live in, the mystical beauty surrounding us, held together by a thread of realism….
an encrypted world, almost hidden to computers, yet somehow such beauty can only be perceived by us humans, you and me.
I feel part of my local landscape is emerging effortlessly into my latest abstract realism art.
This is where I intend to pursue the main body of my celtic art career.
