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Biography

John Shinnors portrait

John Shinnors Artist

Born in Limerick in 1950, John Shinnors studied drawing and painting at Limerick School of Art & Design from 1970-72. He is best known for his large scale three-tone colour scheme paintings which combine the figurative and abstract at once.  Repetition of form and pattern is central to his work, particularly the use of stripes and coloured or black and white geometric shapes. This unique style and treatment of subject matter lends well to Shinnors’ favoured motifs which include compressed perspective aerial views of  the environment, harbours, fields, lighthouses. Working in series the artist has painted a variety of subjects including boats, scarecrows, clowns and indigenous wildlife such as cows, crows and rabbits. Everyday objects and religious themes, all of which he attempts to approach in a new way.  He quotes Rembrandt and Vermeer as the influence on his art in his use of light.

Now one of Ireland’s most sought after living artists Shinnors is a long time advocate for the democratisation of art in Ireland. His support of the visual arts in Ireland is done through the Shinnors Scholarship for an MA in Curatorial Studies created in partnership with Limerick Institute of Technology, Limerick School of Art & Design and Limerick City Gallery of Art as well as the Shinnors Drawing Award at LCGA.

He is a member of Aosdána and his work is now held in a large number of important private and public collections including

  • The Arts Council,
  • Ulster Folk and Transport Museum,
  • National Self- Portrait Collection and
  • The Contemporary Irish Society.

John Shinnors Artist