Ellen McDermott's Fine Art Portraiture is portraiture with a difference. She started taking photographs to use as guides in her paintings but soon found that she was being asked by people if she would sell them her prints and take their photographs.

Ellen was picked as one of the Finalists in PhotoIreland Festival Open Call 2010. She is a Director of Kilmantin Art Gallery in Wicklow Town. Up until this year Ellen was on the Wicklow Arts Festival Committee but resigned from the board in order to concentrate more on her photography.

For further details on Ellen click here.

Chara Nagle started painting at a young age and decided very early on that art was her life and passion. She was fascinated by observing people and portraying their everyday activities in her art.

Chara's paintings are big, bold, dramatic observations of everyday life. However there is also an element of intrigue and humour to Chara's paintings. She invites the viewer to come to their own conclusions as to what is happening in the painting. Chara engages the viewer further through her use of vibrant colours and realistic portrail of her subject matter.

For further details on Chara click here.

At the age of 31 Jay Walker returned to college studying Art and Design. It was here that abstract expressionism was to have a major influence; Jackson Pollock being the main inspirational figure. Upon leaving college he moved to Dublin, found a studio in the Docklands area and carried on painting, developing his work and absorbing the surroundings.

Jay now works from a studio in Co Carlow, at the foot of Mount Leinster. His more recent work has moved further from abstraction toward a style of impressionism; recording the change and development which is sweeping the cities throughout Ireland and in contrast the subdued tranquility of coastal and country life.

For further details on Jay click here.

Therese Mc Allister is an Irish artist who studied at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin from 1972-74. After NCAD, Therese worked as a fashion illustrator, and display artist in Dublin before deciding to move to Italy in the mid 1970's.

On her arrival in Florence, she met Pietro Annigoni (renowned for his portraits of the British Royal Family) who encouraged her to enroll at the Studio Simi. Here, under the tutelage of Nerina Simi, she studied the techniques of drawing and painting in the classical tradition.

For further details on Therese click here.

RUA Conor Prize winner in 2002, Gary Devon was elected an associate member of RUA in 2006.

Born in Bangor in 1958, Gary has been painting professionally for twenty-five years, following his degree in Fine Art at Goldsmiths, London. As well as his personal work he has taken on various commissions including a painting of Kensington Palace for HRH The Prince of Wales and others for Dianna Rigg and Peter Alliss.

For further details on Gary click here.