Sallyann Beirne – Contemporary Painter

Sallyann Beirne is a contemporary painter, living and working from her studio at home in Co Galway.

A professional member of Visual Artist Ireland (VAI), her work has been widely exhibited throughout Ireland and is held in many private collections nationally and worldwide. She is represented by a number of galleries and has been accepted to show in the Royal Ulster Academy annual show in 2020 and 2021. Her ‘On Gold’ Series has struck a chord with many collectors, nationally and internationally; clever balanced compositions and thoughtful use of colour and gold leaf, deliver rich elegant paintings that are anchored in Realism but often veer into the Abstract.

After studying Fine Art in Limerick, Dublin, and Cork she eventually settled in Galway and paints from her studio nestled in the idyllic countryside of East Galway, near Loughrea.

Sallyann’s work is informed by and pays tribute to her rural environment reflecting a deep love and understanding of her beautiful surroundings. We can see this in her paintings of animals, stonewalls, and the landscape. ‘My work tends to reflect whatever I am surrounded by at a particular time; the ever changing nature of the landscape here is a constant source of inspiration. I love our stone walls, existing for hundreds of years as homes and refuge for communities of living things. They provides shelter and protection, are a landmark, a perch for our birds, and create boundaries and order. I love the simple functionality of this. I see time etched on the rocks and imagine the stories they could tell. I look at the gaps between the stones and wonder how the wall stays up? Is it the gap or the stone?”

Sallyann works primarily with oil paint, enjoying the luminosity oil paint brings to her subjects. She enjoys the process of building the painting over time and layering to allow colour and texture to peep through. “Oil paint demands patience, there is a process, a gentle comfort in the mixing, oiling, blending, waiting for it to dry so you can start building your painting all over again. I like that and it’s probably the only time in my life where I am patient!”

Sallyann is a qualified teacher and runs workshops and teaches painting from her Studio throughout the year. She is happy to accept commissions but early booking is advisable. Sallyann’s work is available to purchase via exhibiting galleries or via her website sallyannbeirne.ie She welcomes discussions about her work and also offers studio visits (by appointment only).