About
Fergal O' Dea is an Irish Artist/Architect who is a native of Co Cork, Ireland, who specialises in creating Irish art prints as well as original Irish paintings, capturing scenes from our incomparable cultural heritage, landscapes and wildlife. From a very early age he demonstrated a great ability to capture a moment in many of his drawings and paintings. He was an accomplished artist during his school years and experimented with different materials from paints to clay figurative sculpture. Fergal O’ Dea commenced his BA of Architecture at the University of Greenwich in 1995. Upon finishing his Architectural exams in 2001, he obtained a distinction with much of his work going on exhibition. He returned to Ireland in that same year and found that art and design are inextricably linked to the architectural process. This was a revelation for him as good drawing was often seen as an aside to a primarily technical profession. With his sketch book in hand, he was able to hone and document his drawing style so that it truly reflected its subject matter.
Like many of his colleagues he was busy working on many architectural projects throughout Co Cork such as Lavitt’s Quay along with numerous hotels and restaurants. His passion for drawing and painting was used within the context of his architectural career. However what was originally a job soon became a passion which would consume Fergal for hours on end. In the design studio his colleagues noticed that his pencil drawings were invigorated by his use of shade which flooded his sketch paper with numerous tones of natural light. His interests are twofold, first of all he is interested in architectural detail and how it sits comfortably alongside our built environment. Secondly Fergal is passionate about capturing the natural light that dapples many of the Irish landscapes from west Cork to Connemara.
His influences are wide ranging from Monet to Turner and like them he believes that: “Landscape does not exist in its own right, since its appearance changes at every moment; but the surrounding atmosphere brings it to life – the light and the air which vary continually. For me, it is only the surrounding atmosphere which gives subjects their true value” - Claude Monet.
He has attended many classes at the Crawford College of Art and Design such as life drawing, pottery, sculpture and Art therapy. Its Fergal’s firm belief that an artist’s should never be limited in his experiences or in the materials he uses. Consequently alongside his architecture and painting , he has been known to do stage design for the Cork Shakespearian Company.
Fergal Sells his work to the following prominent retailers :
1. Kilkenny Group.
2. Kilkenny Design centre Castle Yard Kilkenny.
3. Trinity College Dublin.
4. The General Post Office, Dublin 1916 commemoration.
5. Blarney Castle.
6. Blarney Woolen Mills.
7. The Adare Visitor Centre, Co Limerick.
8. Christies, Killarney Co Kerry.
9. Cork Craft and Design.
10.Many Galleries in The USA.
His influences are wide ranging from Monet to Turner and like them he believes that: “Landscape does not exist in its own right, since its appearance changes at every moment; but the surrounding atmosphere brings it to life – the light and the air which vary continually. For me, it is only the surrounding atmosphere which gives subjects their true value” - Claude Monet.
He has attended many classes at the Crawford College of Art and Design such as life drawing, pottery, sculpture and Art therapy. Its Fergal’s firm belief that an artist’s should never be limited in his experiences or in the materials he uses. Consequently alongside his architecture and painting , he has been known to do stage design for the Cork Shakespearian Company.
Fergal Sells his work to the following prominent retailers :
1. Kilkenny Group.
2. Kilkenny Design centre Castle Yard Kilkenny.
3. Trinity College Dublin.
4. The General Post Office, Dublin 1916 commemoration.
5. Blarney Castle.
6. Blarney Woolen Mills.
7. The Adare Visitor Centre, Co Limerick.
8. Christies, Killarney Co Kerry.
9. Cork Craft and Design.
10.Many Galleries in The USA.