Michael Gemmell was born in Coleraine in 1950. Soon after the family moved to live in Bray, Co.Wicklow, and at the age of four they moved to Killiney, Co. Dublin.
His father Alex was a talented man, drawing and photography were his gifts. Mary his mother did dress design, so Michael learned a lot from them over the years.
When he was fourteen Michael left school and found a job as a studio assistant in a Dublin graphic studio, Nicholas Ardiff Printers in Johnstons Court, where his boss, Peter Coyle took an interest in his artistic talent.
He sent Michael to night classes at Kildare Street's National College of Art. During this time he also joined the Dublin Camera Club, and attended a Window Display course in the afternoons. This was to gain him valuable experience.
After some years the family moved to Shannon, Co. Clare, where Michael concentrated on his painting career and attended the College of Art in Limerick. He spent most of his time outdoors painting the landscape.
Later he moved back to Dublin and developed his business into the world of interior design, signwriting, gilding, glass etching and stained glass. He worked extensively in the United States, Ireland, Germany and Spain.
Much of his work, however, was concentrated in Ireland, working on Victorian and modern pubs, traditional Irish shop fronts, restaurants and hotels. Part of his plan was to design the projects around and to include his paintings - which turned out to be very successful.
For the past 25 years Michael has expanded his career as a professional artist.
“My paintings are from above and below, which connects with the canvas and paint using mind and memory. I have explored the Bogs, the Burren, and the Islands in most of my work which intrigues me as the changes only take place at the moment of one thought at one time, bringing an almost ancient feeling of time and beauty.
One can only give an impression and an inner glimpse of the absolute hidden beauty in this kind of landscape.
Colour and texture in these paintings are connected to the canvas using paint and simple materials, which I feel is enough to capture the scene, and so achieves a delicate balance of abstract and representational imagery through hues of colour, tone and form.
Similarly, thickly applied areas of colour become richer as the eye begins to appreciate the tense differences in tones and hues.
I hope to express a spiritual peace through the landscape setting that is common to most of my work and that the paintings convey a calm beauty revealing the power of nature in all its glory.”
MG
His father Alex was a talented man, drawing and photography were his gifts. Mary his mother did dress design, so Michael learned a lot from them over the years.
When he was fourteen Michael left school and found a job as a studio assistant in a Dublin graphic studio, Nicholas Ardiff Printers in Johnstons Court, where his boss, Peter Coyle took an interest in his artistic talent.
He sent Michael to night classes at Kildare Street's National College of Art. During this time he also joined the Dublin Camera Club, and attended a Window Display course in the afternoons. This was to gain him valuable experience.
After some years the family moved to Shannon, Co. Clare, where Michael concentrated on his painting career and attended the College of Art in Limerick. He spent most of his time outdoors painting the landscape.
Later he moved back to Dublin and developed his business into the world of interior design, signwriting, gilding, glass etching and stained glass. He worked extensively in the United States, Ireland, Germany and Spain.
Much of his work, however, was concentrated in Ireland, working on Victorian and modern pubs, traditional Irish shop fronts, restaurants and hotels. Part of his plan was to design the projects around and to include his paintings - which turned out to be very successful.
For the past 25 years Michael has expanded his career as a professional artist.
“My paintings are from above and below, which connects with the canvas and paint using mind and memory. I have explored the Bogs, the Burren, and the Islands in most of my work which intrigues me as the changes only take place at the moment of one thought at one time, bringing an almost ancient feeling of time and beauty.
One can only give an impression and an inner glimpse of the absolute hidden beauty in this kind of landscape.
Colour and texture in these paintings are connected to the canvas using paint and simple materials, which I feel is enough to capture the scene, and so achieves a delicate balance of abstract and representational imagery through hues of colour, tone and form.
Similarly, thickly applied areas of colour become richer as the eye begins to appreciate the tense differences in tones and hues.
I hope to express a spiritual peace through the landscape setting that is common to most of my work and that the paintings convey a calm beauty revealing the power of nature in all its glory.”
MG
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SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2007 Galerie Art Present, Paris 2006 Kilcock Art Gallery, Co Kildare 2005 Summer Art Fair, London 2004 The Taylor Gallery, Belfast 2003 Waldock Gallery, Blackrock. Co Dublin 2002 Metatron Gallery, Enniskerry. Co Wicklow 2002 75 Gallery, Limerick 2001 Lavit Gallery, Cork 2001 Davis Gallery, Dublin |
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Office Of Public Works (OPW) Neanagh V.E.C. Matheson Ormsby & Prentice, Dublin Moran's Hotel, Dublin Irish Times Collection, Dublin Brandon House Hotel, New Ross City Bank, Dublin A.I.B., Dublin Bank of Ireland, Dublin The Byrne Group, Greystones K. Sport, Waterford Fitzgerald Insurance, Waterford First Trust Bank, Belfast Lissadel House, Private Collection Rathdowney School, Co. Dublin Private Collections Worldwide |