Geraldine O'Brien facts for kids

Geraldine O'Brien (born 27 February 1922, died 3 July 2014) was a talented Irish artist. She was especially known for her beautiful drawings of plants. This type of art is called botanical illustration.

Her Early Life and Family

Geraldine Mary O'Brien was born on 27 February 1922. Her parents were Donough Richard O'Brien and Cicely Maud Carus-Wilson. Her mother was also a well-known artist.

Art ran in Geraldine's family! She was cousins with several other famous artists. These included Dermod O'Brien PRHA, Brigid Ganly HRHA, and Kitty Wilmer O'Brien RHA. Kitty was also the President of the Watercolour Society.

Learning and Becoming an Artist

Geraldine studied art in Dublin, Ireland. She was very good at drawing and won awards in international art contests. These competitions were held by London's Royal Drawing Society.

When she was 17, Geraldine spent a year learning from artist Stanhope Alexander Forbes in West Cornwall. At 18, she had her first art show. It was at the famous Royal Hibernian Academy.

The Second World War made it hard to study art in other countries. So, Geraldine used her drawing skills to help with the war effort. She worked on mechanical drawings, which are detailed technical drawings.

Even though she helped with the war, Geraldine became most famous for her botanical illustrations. This means she drew plants and flowers with great detail and accuracy.

Her Studio and Work

Geraldine had a special art studio in Limerick. She playfully called it the piggery. This was where she would bring plants from her garden. She would arrange them carefully to draw them for her artwork.

She continued to show her art regularly. She had exhibitions with the Royal Hibernian Academy. She also had private shows all around Ireland. Sometimes, she would use her art to help raise money for charities. One example was for the Friends of St Luke's Hospital in Rathgar.

Her Family Life and Later Years

Geraldine O'Brien married David Coote Hely Hutchinson on 25 September 1948. They had one daughter together. In 2003, they lived in Parteen, a village near Limerick City.

Geraldine passed away on 3 July 2014. She died in St. Martha's Nursing Home in Charleville, County Cork.