Mick O'Dea facts for kids

Mick O'Dea (born in 1958) is a famous Irish artist. He is well-known for painting portraits of people and pictures about history. He is also a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA), a special group for artists in Ireland. PPRHA

Mick O'Dea grew up in Ennis, a town in County Clare, Ireland. He was one of five children. From a young age, he loved to draw and was very good at it, especially drawing faces. He even said, "I drew all the time!"

Becoming an Artist

Mick O'Dea studied art at several places to become the artist he is today.

Art School Days

From 1976 to 1981, he went to the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland. He also studied at the University of Massachusetts in the United States. Later, he continued his art studies in Barcelona, Spain, and at the Winchester School of Art in England. In 1997, he earned a special degree called an M.A. in European Fine Art.

Awards and Recognition

Mick O'Dea has won many awards for his art. His paintings have been shown in art galleries all over the world. You can find his artworks in important collections, like:

• The National Gallery of Ireland
• The Arts Council of Ireland
• The Royal Hibernian Academy
• The Bank of Ireland
• Trinity College Dublin
• The University of Limerick
• The National Self-Portrait Collection
• The National Drawing Collection
• The Limerick City Gallery of Art

He has also taught art at many places, including the National College of Art and Design and the National Gallery. He was the first school principal of the RHA from 2008 to 2011. In 2014, he became the president of the Royal Hibernian Academy. He is also a member of Aosdána, a special group that honors Irish artists.

Famous Works

Mick O'Dea's art often tells stories, especially about Irish history.

Portraits

In 2009, the National Gallery of Ireland asked Mick O'Dea to paint a portrait of a famous Irish writer named Brian Friel. This shows how respected he is as a portrait painter.

Historical Paintings

Mick O'Dea has also created many paintings about important moments in Irish history. Some of his recent works have shown scenes from the time of the Black and Tans and the Irish War of Independence. These paintings help people remember and understand important events from the past.

More About Mick O'Dea

If you want to learn more about Mick O'Dea and his art, you can check out these resources:

• Mick O'Dea, RHA, Clare County Library
• Portrait of a contented man, Independent.ie, 22 July 2012
• Making history, Irish examiner, 22 July 2012
• biography, RHA
• Optical measure, The Irish Times, 23 June 2012
• clip from The Beholder, a documentary about three prominent Irish portrait artists
• Painting donated to University College Cork
• Trouble, The Irish Times, 27 April 2012
• Ministry of Culture unveils portrait of Brian Friel at National Gallery, National Gallery of Ireland
• Portrait of Brian Friel unveiled, Inishowen News, 22 July, 2012