Brian Whelan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brian Whelan
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Brian Whelan, 2009
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| Born | 3 May 1957 Ealing, London
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Brian Whelan (born 3 May 1957) is an Irish painter, author, and playwright. He is known for his unique art style and for creating works that tell stories.
Contents
Early Life and Art Training
Brian Whelan was born in London, England, in 1957. His parents were from Ireland. He spent his childhood living in both London and different parts of Ireland.
Brian studied art at two famous schools. He went to Kingston Polytechnic College. Then he studied at the Royal Academy of Arts. After his training, he lived and worked in England for 30 years. During these years, he focused on painting. He also helped organize many art events and made films.
Becoming a Known Artist
Brian Whelan first became known in 2000. He had an art show called "The Church Pub." This show was part of the Aldeburgh Festival. His part of the exhibition then moved to the Irish Cultural Centre in London.
Over the next two years, his art was shown in many places. These included St Benedict's Abbey and other galleries in London. A religious group, the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel, asked Brian to paint a portrait. He painted their founder, Louis de Montfort. This painting is now in Poland.
Later, Brian showed his art all over England. His paintings were displayed in famous places. These included St Edmundsbury Cathedral and Norwich Cathedral. His art also traveled to other countries. He had exhibitions in Spain, China, and the United States. He also started writing books.
From 2013 to 2019, Brian lived in Virginia, USA. He and his wife, Wendy Roseberry, made an art studio there. Since 2020, they have lived in Connecticut, USA. Their new studio is in an old horse stable.
Important Art Projects and Shows
Brian Whelan has created many important art projects. He often paints series of pictures that tell a story.
The John Roberts Commission
In 2023, Brian completed a special project. He painted 13 pictures about John Roberts. These paintings were for the Episcopal Church of Wyoming. They were first shown at the John Roberts Festival. After that, the paintings began a tour around the world.
Recent Exhibitions
In 2021, Brian had shows in Connecticut. His art was seen at the Silvermine Art Center. He also exhibited at the Westport River Gallery. In Pennsylvania, his work was shown at the Paula Friedman Art Gallery.
In 2019, Brian joined other artists. They were part of the 'Legacy' exhibition. This show was held in Colchester, England. All the artists had studied at the Royal Academy of Art.
Plays and Collections
In 2018, a theater company staged Brian's play. It was called "A Tragic Carmody." The play was based on his experiences with another artist. Also in 2018, an art collector named John Kohan wrote about Brian. He shared the religious artworks he had bought from Brian.
Holy City at Washington National Cathedral
In 2016, the Washington National Cathedral invited Brian to show his art again. He displayed nine paintings about "Holy City." This series celebrated three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The art was placed in the cathedral. It marked 15 years since the 9/11 attacks.
The Passion of Edith Cavell
In 2014, Norwich Cathedral asked Brian to paint a series. He created 14 panels about Edith Cavell. She was a brave nurse during World War I. The paintings show her life and death.
These paintings were first shown in the US. They were displayed at Washington National Cathedral. This marked 100 years since World War I began. The next year, the paintings traveled to Brussels. They were shown at the Roman Catholic Cathedral. Finally, they went to Norwich Cathedral. They are now permanently installed there. This happened in October 2015. It marked 100 years since Edith Cavell's execution.
Permanent Artworks
Some of Brian's paintings are displayed permanently. His painting The Martyrdom of St. Edmund is in St. Edmundsbury Cathedral. It hangs in the Lady Chapel in England. His work "Holy City with Herald" is in Hostal dos Reis Catolicos in Santiago de Compostella, Spain.
Album Art
Brian's art has also been used for music albums. His images are on the covers of CDs by the band The Popes. These include their 2009 album Outlaw Heaven and their 2012 album New Church. His art has also been used by the musician Anto Morra since 2013.
The Quiet Men Tour
In 2009, Brian helped organize an art tour. It was called The Quiet Men – London Irish Painters. This was a big international show. It featured art by London Irish artists. The tour went to the UK, Spain, and the US.
At the PM Gallery in London, Brian showed a very large painting. It was called Transmetropolitan. This painting showed an immigrant's journey across London. It was also a reference to a song by Shane MacGowen.
The Quiet Men tour included Brian's art. It also featured paintings by four other artists. These were Bernard Canavan, John Duffin, Dermot Holland, and Daniel Carmody. A book with the same name was published in 2010.
