Padraic Reaney

Pádriac Reaney was born in Carraroe, County Galway in 195 and studied Art at Galway RTC. Hehas been a full - time artist since leaving college. In addition to his paintings, he has worked extensively in graphics and has done sculpture in bronze and stone and ceramic with a rich use of silver and gold leaf. His work is in great demand for book covers, illustrations, and CD covers. One of his exhibitions based on the Táin was the subject of a film made by R.T.E. chosen as one of the three top films in the Pan Celtic International Film Festival for 1988. 

This film and an interview with the artist were shown on R.T.E., where short features on his work and interviews with him have often appeared. He represented Ireland in the XVI Grand Prix International d'Art Contemporian de Monte Carlo 1982 and was awarded the Pádriac Mac Con Midhe Prize at the Oireachtas in 1979 to do a series of etchings recording the disappearing thatched houses in Ros an Mhíl, Connemara. 

A founder member of Western Artists and Island Connection, he was invited to Scotland by the North Ayrshire Council in 1996 to do a series of exhibitions on the Isles and the West Coast of Scotland. Pádriac was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Galway Arts Centre in 1996 and served on the Board until 1999. His work is in public and private collections in this country as well as in Europe, Canada, the United States, Brazil, Japan, South Africa and Australia.