Micheal Friel is an emerging artist who recently relocated to Donegal, his parents home-place, after working in Glasgow for 30 years as a psychiatric nurse. He is now embarking on a journey of reconnecting with people, place and portraiture.
He attended Glasgow School of Art from an early age specialising in life drawing, then Glasgow College of Building and Printing where he studied photography.
Michael says “The human face fascinates me. In my 30 years working with people as a nurse I saw the diverse range of emotions expressed in a moment’s glance. In this body of work I have sought out photographic portraits of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic; Thomas J. Clarke, Seán Mac Diarmada, Thomas MacDonagh, P. H. Pearse, Éamonn Ceannt, James Connolly and Joseph Plunkett which I have drawn in pastel monochrome.
My work is representational. I love drawing and use mainly dry mediums; graphite and pastels, which allow me to work fast and produce finished portraits.”
- October 02, 2022
