THE WATER COLOUR SOCIETY OF IRELAND
Aine
Aine
Divine
I am a portrait artist and art teacher. Originally from Co. Cork, I graduated in 1991 from the Crawford College of Art and Design and in 1995 gained a Higher Diploma in art teaching. Now living in Roslin, Midlothian I teach, paint, and I'm a mum to three wonderful girls.
I was shortlisted for the Irish National Portrait Award three years in a row and was an award winner in 1993. In 2005 I painted Mo Mowlam for BBC 1's 'Star Portraits' and was delighted when she chose my portrait to keep. In 2007 I painted Olympic triple jumper, Jonathan Edwards and my commissioned portraits include footballers for the Hibernian Historical Society and winners of the British Open Golf Championship. I was a finalist in the Sky Arts portrait artist of the year award 2014, painting singer Neil Hannon in the first round, then a double portrait of Richard Dawkins and Sally Hitchner in the semi-final, RSC voice coach Cicely Berry, and Sir Ian McKellen in the final.
One of my self portraits was selected for exhibition in the Royal Watercolour Society's annual contemporary art show at the Bankside Gallery in London in 2014 and won the Heatherleys Studio Award. I won Winsor and Newton awards for my portrait of Matthew in the same show in 2013, and for 'Carolina in Gold' in 2015. I also exhibit widely in Scotland and won the watermark award at the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour summer show last year for one of my many portraits of singer Lake Montgomery. My work is currently featured in The Artist and Artist and Illustrators magazine.