Nano Reid facts for kids

Nano Reid (born March 1, 1900 – died November 17, 1981) was a famous Irish painter. She was well-known for her beautiful landscape paintings. She also painted many pictures of people and portraits.

One of the finest Irish painters of the century, her rich but subtly expressionist use of pigment makes her work as relevant today as when she started painting

Early Life and School Days

Nano Reid was born Anne Margaret Reid in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland. Her birthday was March 1, 1900. She was the oldest of four children in her family. Her parents were Thomas and Anne Reid.

The family lived above their pub in Drogheda. They also owned other buildings in Drogheda and Dublin. Nano went to school at the Siena Convent. There, her talent for painting really started to grow.

After school, she first tried to become a nurse. She enrolled at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. But she left after only two months. Her parents were convinced by their local priest to let her study art.

Nano then went to the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin. While studying there, she became friends with Harry Clarke. In 1923, Nano Reid taught art at her old school. She also taught at a boys' school in Drogheda.

Her first art show was in 1925 at the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA). She showed three illustrations of poems. Nano Reid continued to show her art at the RHA until 1968. However, she never became a full academic member.

In 1927, Nano Reid traveled to Paris, France. Many Irish painters went to Paris at that time. She spent a few months at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. But this experience did not seem to change her painting style much.

She then went to London to study at the Chelsea Polytechnic. This was from 1929 to 1930. She did not enjoy her time there. After that, she decided to stay in Ireland.

Her Artistic Journey

After returning to Ireland, Nano Reid started to show her landscape paintings. She exhibited them at the RHA. Like other painters of her time, she traveled to the west of Ireland. She found a lot of inspiration for her art there.

Her early paintings showed the beautiful landscapes of the area. They also featured local people and fishermen. In 1934, she had her first solo art show. It was at the Society of Dublin Painters.

Her second solo show was in 1936 in Dublin. This show featured 53 watercolor paintings and 23 oil paintings. The Mayor of Drogheda asked for the collection to be shown in her hometown.

Nano Reid's sister took over the family pub. Nano visited it often, even though she mostly lived in Dublin. In Dublin, she shared a house with her friend Patricia Hutchins. After World War II, Nano Reid moved to Fitzwilliam Square. She shared this home with others, including Pearse Hutchinson.

In 1950, Nano Reid and Norah McGuinness were chosen for a special honor. They represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale of Art. This was the first time Irish artists took part in this big international exhibition. The Irish government has supported this event ever since.

In the summer of 1964, Nano Reid had a solo show in Belfast. It was at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's Chichester Street Gallery. This show featured forty of her artworks. She had also shown her art in Belfast before. She was a guest of the Ulster Society of Women Artists. She also exhibited with the Irish Exhibition of Living Art.

Sadly, her hometown of Drogheda has not named a street or gallery after her.

Where to See Her Art

Nano Reid's paintings are held in many important collections. You can see her work in these places:

• Crawford Art Gallery, Cork
• Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda
• Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin
• Trinity College Dublin
• The Arts Council of Ireland, including:
  • Cave of the Firbola
  • Wreckage No.1
• Santa Barbara Museum California
• Irish Institute, New York
• University of Limerick, IACI O'Malley Collection, which includes:
  • Donkeys on the Aran Shore
  • Valley Desmond, Gaugan Barra

What People Said About Her

Many people admired Nano Reid's art. Here are some quotes about her work:

• Thomas MacGreevy, a writer, said in 1942: "A born artist and a born stylist...This young artist from Drogheda has to be saluted as a genius."
• Patrick Swift, a painter, wrote in 1950: "One can say, without pretension, that she has her place in European painting." Nano Reid even painted his portrait that same year.
• Pearse Hutchinson, a poet, said in 1971: "For my money the best Irish painter, mo cheol thú, a Nano." This Irish phrase means "my music to you," showing great affection.