Dairine Vanston facts for kids

Doreen or Dairine Vanston (1903–1988) was an important Irish artist. She was known for her unique landscape paintings. Her art often used a style called Cubism, which breaks objects into geometric shapes.

Early Life and Art School

Dairine Vanston was born in Dublin, Ireland, on October 19, 1903. Her father, John S. B. Vanston, was a lawyer. Her mother, Lilla Vanston, was a sculptor, which means she made art from carving or molding.

Dairine went to Alexandra College for her schooling. After that, she studied art at Goldsmiths College, London. One of her teachers there was Roger Bissière. Later, she traveled to Paris, France, to study at the Académie Ranson. She went there because the famous Irish painter Paul Henry suggested it.

While in Paris, Dairine met Guillermo Padilla, a law student from Costa Rica. They got married in 1926. Dairine then used the name Vanston de Padilla. The couple lived in Italy for a while, then moved to San José, Costa Rica. Their marriage ended in the early 1930s. Dairine returned to Paris with her son. There, she continued her art studies with André Lhote.

When World War II started, Dairine was living in France. She managed to escape to London in 1940. Later, she moved back to Dublin, Ireland.

Developing Her Artistic Style

Her time studying art in Paris had a big impact on Dairine's paintings. She started using bright, primary colors. Her work also showed a strong influence of Cubism. This art style uses geometric shapes to show objects from different angles at the same time.

Dairine Vanston was part of a group of Irish painters. Art critic Brian Fallon called them the "Franco-Irish generation." These artists, including Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone, were inspired by the art scene in Paris.

Living in Costa Rica in the late 1920s and early 1930s also changed her art. Her paintings from this time often featured tropical colors. In 1935, Dairine showed 17 of her paintings in Dublin. Most of these were landscapes from Costa Rica. This was almost like her own art show, though other artists also displayed their work there.

Joining The White Stag Group

During World War II, Dairine met English artist Basil Rakoczi in Dublin. This led her to join The White Stag group. This was a group of artists who explored new ideas in art. In November 1941, Dairine showed her work with 24 other artists. One of her paintings was Keel dance hall. This painting showed that she had spent time in the west of Ireland.

The White Stag group held an important show in January 1944. It was called the Exhibition of subjective art. Art critics noticed Dairine's painting Dying animal. They said it was one of the most effective experimental works. This painting was a Cubist piece. It used bold colors and shapes that were almost, but not quite, real. In 1945, Dairine's art was also shown in a White Stag exhibition in London.

Later Exhibitions and Recognition

In 1947, Dairine spent almost a year back in Costa Rica. During this time, she mostly painted using watercolors. Apart from this trip, she lived and worked in Dublin.

Dairine showed five of her artworks at the first Irish Exhibition of Living Art in 1943. She was also a founder of the first Exhibition of Independent Artists in 1960. At this show, she displayed three landscapes and a painting called War. She often exhibited her art with the Independent Artists, the Irish Exhibition of Living Art, and the Oireachtas (an Irish cultural festival). She did not often show her work at the Royal Hibernian Academy.

Later in her life, Dairine exhibited with the Figurative Image shows in Dublin. She was also one of the first artists chosen for Aosdána. This is a special group that honors Irish artists. In 1987, some of Dairine's works were part of a major exhibition. It was called Irish women artists, from the eighteenth century to the present. This show was put on by the National Gallery of Ireland and The Douglas Hyde Gallery.

Legacy and Impact

Dairine Vanston passed away on July 12, 1988, in a nursing home in Enniskerry, County Wicklow. Her art is highly respected. However, it has not always received a lot of critical attention. This might be because she painted slowly. Some of her artworks are also hard to find today.

Dairine was a very private person. In the 1980s, the Taylor galleries wanted to hold a special show of all her work. But Dairine did not want to cooperate. The National Self-Portrait Collection in Limerick has one of Dairine Vanston's paintings.