Artists have always been very close to our hearts
- Our head of dispute resolution is married to an ex-criminal barrister; now an author, photographer and artist, Aruna Khanzada, many of whose works can be seen around the office to this day;
- Steven Barker, the head of our criminal defence team’s daughter, Rosie, is an artist (see more below); and
- Penny Dewar, our marketing assistant’s husband Aengus, is a traditional oil painter and commission artist.
Therefore, we are all well aware of how hard it can be for artists to become ‘known’ and make a ‘name’ for themselves.
It was with this in mind that our ‘Artists in Residence’ project began. Giving up-and-coming artists a chance to have their work displayed at our offices for sale, for colour or simply for appreciation. The works will be rotated between artists giving as many artists a chance as possible to showcase their talents, so quite literally, watch this space! And so to business…
The artists
Aengus Dewar
Aengus decided to become a figurative artist when he saw Caravaggio’s ‘Taking of Christ’ in the Irish National Gallery. Shortly after he left for Florence to study the principles and methods of classical painting. After his training, he worked with the Associazione Bastioni, restoring and preserving Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces. Returning to Ireland to exhibit with the Cherry Lane Gallery, where he was commissioned by the then Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) to paint the Irish mythological hero Cuchulainn for the National Art Collection. Other prestigious commissions soon followed: a large-scale contemplative piece for the 6th Century island retreat of Lough Derg; and two large commemorative works for the then European rugby champions, Munster.
Between 2006 and 2012 he painted three large-scale allegories. Each of these paintings were finalists in New York’s annual ARC Salon competition, the world’s largest and most competitive art contest. In 2012 Aengus moved to the UK and began to concentrate on smaller works in pencil and charcoal, keen to take a break from monumental work and reacquaint himself with draughtsmanship.
More recently he has concentrated his efforts on Wildlife, inspired by a wish to draw and paint both the animals of the UK and his youth in Zambia. His animals are not presented to the viewer with sentimentality; they are portraits of power, aggression, beauty, strength and grace.
Aengus has exhibited regularly with the Hannington Gallery at Burgh House and the Fox Club, No.10 Castle Street, the Animal Art Fair and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. He has featured in Country Life, The Field, Tuscan Magazine, and the online version of Kiwi Collection’s magazine, WOW.
Bev Jones (UA)
Bev’s paintings are colourful, detailed, busy celebrations of her local community and city life.
“For me people make the city, it is in the actions and interactions between people that we generate meaning in our lives but many people are too busy and too distracted to notice the beauty of simple moments. Through my painting I hope to encourage people to take more time within their own lives to notice the beauty of each moment wherever they are.”
Bev’s work divides into two ranges: street Scenes, which focus on connection and community; and pavements and Leaves, which show up close views of leaves on pavements, which are more concerned with internal processes of holding on and letting go.
Emily Krainc
Emily Krainc is an abstract expressionist painter, creating art work in a variety of sizes and media including acrylic, ink and gold powder.
Her work is about unconscious and sometimes blind folded mark making and its implications. She is fascinated by visual memory and the application of paint creating mental spaces for thoughts and emotions, both conscious and unconscious. These two sides of her being are constantly in conflict with one another and the canvas allows for a resolution.
Her work speaks of pre-ontological and primitive ways of making mark, of the moment of spontaneity and wants to express gestural moments unhindered.
She is interested by the notion of taking something non-physical such as dreams, thoughts, emotions, and memory and creating something physical.
Krainc’s marks are heavily influenced by forms of writing such as calligraphy, graffiti and automatic writing and she is also interested in Psychoanalysis and philosophy. Readings, particularly by the likes of Freud, Descatres and Derrida inspire works as well as poetry and literature by Sylvia Plath.
She has compiled an extensive collection of English poetry by the likes of Walter-de-la-Mare, Francis William Bourdillon, W.B. Yeats, Stevie Smith, to name a few of her most recent inspirations
Leanne Hughes
Has a yearning to be constantly surrounded by nature. She grew up in a small town spending every summer outdoors from dawn until dusk. When indoors she was always drawing and making things, and this need to be creative from when she was old enough to hold a pencil has never left her.
Her favourite place to be in the world is out walking in the woods, just before sunset there is a fiery orange glow shining through the trees, and it is then that she feels most inspired to paint.
Spending time in nature is good for the soul, Leanne believes that when we are surrounded by four walls for much of our time, it is important to bring the outside in, with plants and flowers and of course, nature-inspired art.
Leanne graduated in 2015 with a BA Fine Art Degree and to date has sold around 700 paintings which have found new homes around the UK and abroad.
Rosie Elizabeth Barker
After having received traditional training from artist James Gillick, Rosie is dedicated to maintaining long established techniques involved in oil painting.
She specialises in still life and portraits, and likes to consider her work as a natural progression of traditional techniques and skills with a modern aesthetic.
Rosie’s work tends towards uncluttered compositions, with a focus instead on an appreciation of the form and interplay of the individual elements.
The works
If you have any queries, about any of the works displayed at our offices, please do not hesitate to contact Penny Dewar, who will put you in touch with the artist directly.
Note: Images not to scale.
