It was a great honour to have received The Irish Arts Review / Ireland U. S. Council Award for portraiture on Saturday, at the RHA gallery. Thanks to Marie-Claire de Sachy, Dr Róusín Kennedy, Brigid Mulcahy, The Ireland U.S. Council, the RHA Selection Committee and my wife Evelyn.

The magic of portraiture is not just simply capturing likeness but also the spirit and other human qualities of the subject.

I hope that this painting shows how portraiture isn’t only about looking…it’s also about seeing; it asks us to pause, notice details, and wonder about the story behind the face. That’s what makes portraiture so powerful: it connects us to other people, across time, paint, and canvas.