Painting

Derek Culley b.1952 –

Self-taught artist, born and educated in Dublin, with an Irish father and English mother.
Culley did his masters degree in marketing through Brunel University, 1992-94, his dissertation subject being “Marketing of Contemporary visual arts in Britain – are there lessons to be learned from Europe?”

Culley was a founder member and chairman of Celtic Vision with the painters John Bellany and Denis Bowen, and participated in the group’s exhibition tour in 1986-7. He took part in many other group shows including The London Group tour 1987; Knapp Gallery, 1988:
2000 Years Celebration, Customs House Dublin, 1991;
Modern Irish Painting, Dillon Gallery, 1995; and Skopje Museum of Contemporary Art, Republic of Macedonia, 1996.

Solo shows include “Five Years of Culley” The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin Ireland, 1989, and The Irish Club, London 1996.
Strong chiaroscuro, heavy impasto, vigorous brushwork and direct, expressive handling were characteristics of Culley’s work, in which Celtic imagery and associations were important.
Lived in Windsor, Berkshire.”

The Dictionary of Artists in Britain since 1945.
By David Buckman
Art Dictionaries Limited, Bristol 1998

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