:Conor Walton

File:Conor Walton in his studio.jpg

Conor Walton (born 1970) is an Irish figurative painter. Walton lives and works in Wicklow, Ireland.{{cite web|last1=Egan|first1=Barry|title='I'd rather be up a mountain than in the museums'|url=https://www.independent.ie/incoming/id-rather-be-up-a-mountain-than-in-the-museums-26519284.html|website=Irish Independent|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en}}

Biography

Walton was born in Ireland and trained at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin and Charles Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy.{{cite web|title=Conor Walton, Irish Painter: Biography, Paintings|url=http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/contemporary-artists/conor-walton.htm|website=Visual-arts-cork.com|access-date=27 March 2018}} Walton has been featured in multiple Irish and international solo exhibitions.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dunamaise.ie/exhibitions/previous-exhibitions/176-conor-walton-exhibition.html|title=Conor Walton-Allegories of Painting|last=McEvoy|first=Lorraine|website=Dunamaise Arts |language=en-gb|access-date=2017-09-26}}{{cite web|title=NUMU: Still Life Painting Workshop with Conor Walton - Nov. 14th and 15th|url=https://patch.com/california/losgatos/still-life-painting-workshop-conor-walton-nov-14th-15th|website=Patch.com|access-date=27 March 2018|date=29 September 2015}}

His commissioned portraits can be found in many public and private collections, including The National Self Portrait Collection of Ireland,{{Cite web|url=http://ulsites.ul.ie/visualarts/national-self-portrait-collection-ireland|title=National Self Portrait Collection of Ireland {{!}} University of Limerick|website=ulsites.ul.ie|access-date=2017-05-26}} The Irish Armed Forces{{Cite book|title=Chiefs of Staff The Portrait Collection of the Irish Defence Forces|isbn=978-1-84588-755-1 |last1=Hodson |first1=Tom |year=2012 }} and those of Trinity College and University College, both in Dublin.

His work has also featured on book covers{{Cite news|url=https://www.peterlang.com/view/product/19053|title=Kinder, Kinder!|access-date=2017-05-26|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.peterlang.com/view/product/63926|title=Was für ein Glück?|access-date=2017-05-26|publisher=Peter Lang|language=en}} and postage stamps in Ireland and abroad.{{Cite web|url=http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/News+and+Information/Ireland+Spain+Stamp+Issue.htm|title=Ireland Spain Stamp Issue|website=An Post|access-date=2017-05-26}}

Work

Walton paints principally from life, eschewing photorealism for more painterly values. While retaining an uncanny realism from a distance, on close examination his mark-making is often gestural and the surface densely worked.{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-seed/conor-walton-contemplatin_b_5743966.html|title=Conor Walton: Contemplating Higher Things|last=Seed|first=John|date=2014-09-01|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-26}}{{cite news|last1=Tipton|first1=Gemma|title=Ideas for 2016: A year to paint a portrait|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art-and-design/ideas-for-2016-a-year-to-paint-a-portrait-1.2468577|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=27 March 2018}}{{cite news|last1=MacMonagle|first1=Niall|title=Black Hole by Conor Walton - Independent.ie|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/black-hole-by-conor-walton-29777422.html|access-date=27 March 2018|work=Irish Independent|language=en}}{{cite web|last1=Hess|first1=F. Scott|title=Art That Hurts|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/f-scott-hess/art-that-hurts_b_8495768.html|website=Huffington Post|access-date=27 March 2018|date=9 November 2015}}

Awards

Keating McLoughlin and Don Niccolo D'Ardia Caracciolo medal from the Royal Hibernian Academy
1993 RDS Taylor Art Award{{cite web|title=RDS TAYLOR ART COMPETITION WINNERS 1878 – 2015|url=https://www.rds.ie/Ireland-s-Philanthropic-Society/Our-Work/Projects/RDS-Visual-Art-Awards-(1)/RDS-Taylor-Art-Award/Previous-TAYLOR-ART-WINNERS.aspx|website=Royal Dublin Society|access-date=27 March 2018}}
2005 BP Portrait award shortlisted{{Cite web|url=http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2005/bp-portrait-award-2005.php|title=BP Portrait Award 2005|website=National Portrait Gallery|language=en|access-date=2017-05-26}}{{cite web|last1=Kennedy|first1=Maev|title=Painstaking artist wins £25,000 BP Portrait Award|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jun/14/arts.artsnews1|website=the Guardian|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en|date=14 June 2005}}
2013 Art Renewal Center Still Life winner{{cite web|title=2013-2014 Salon: StillLife results|url=https://www.artrenewal.org/Salon2013/Category/StillLife|website=Art Renewal Center|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en}}
2014 Art Renewal Center Still Life winner{{cite web|title=2014-2015 Salon: StillLife results|url=https://www.artrenewal.org/Salon2014/Category/StillLife|website=Art Renewal Center|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en}}
ModPortrait 2017{{Cite web|url=https://www.eldigitaldeasturias.com/noticias/lo-mejor-de-la-pintura-realista-vuelve-al-iaacc-pablo-serrano/|title=Lo mejor de la pintura realista vuelve al IAACC Pablo Serrano {{!}} El Digital de Asturias|website=www.eldigitaldeasturias.com|date=30 May 2018 |language=es-ES|access-date=2018-06-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/ocio-cultura/2018/06/04/el-arte-figurativo-retrato-pisan-con-fuerza-pablo-serrano-1247362-1361024.html|title=El arte figurativo y el retrato pisan con fuerza en el Pablo Serrano|last=Toquero|first=Alejandro|website=heraldo.es|access-date=2018-06-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.modportrait.net/cuadros-seleccionados-2017/|title=1º Premio - 1st Prize|website=Concurso de retrato Modportrait|language=es-ES|access-date=2018-06-05}}