James McCreary, born in Dublin in 1944, began his career at Harry Clarke's stained glass studio from 1960 to 1963. He later joined Graphic Studio Dublin in 1973, where he studied etching and lithography and eventually became the studio manager in 1980. During his time there, he established the Visiting Artists program, which introduced many of Ireland's prominent artists to printmaking. In collaboration with Mary Farl Powers and James O'Nolan, he played a key role in the establishment of Graphic Studio Gallery in Cope Street in 1988. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, James was invited to become a member of Aosdána in 2005. He represented Ireland at the Biennale of European Graphic Art in Heidelberg and the International Print Triennial in East Berlin (among others). His work can be found in the public collections of the Modern Art Museum in Cairo, the Chester Beatty Library, the National Gallery of Ireland, and the Crawford Municipal Gallery in Cork. Compositionally and thematically, this print is reminiscent of traditional Chinese ink and wash painting, which prioritises conveying the perceived ‘spirit’ of the subject over direct representation.
James McCreary - Dragonfly
