Breon O'CASEY
Born in London, the son of the Irish playwright Sean O'Casey, Breon became one of the most versatile and highly regarded artists in West Cornwall, and in the St Ives School. He served an apprenticeship to Barbara HEPWORTH as did a number of the sculptors and artists important after WWII, but a twist of the Celtic spirit of adventure entered a wide range of his skills which ncluded painting, printmaking, sculpture, weaving and jewellery, making him the doyen of artist craftsmen working in the area.
In 2008 in Falmouth, the Great Atlantic Arwenack St Gallery showed 14 of his abstract designs in collage, watercolour, gouache and oils, in their memorable show 'The Golden Age of Cornish Art'. He exhibited at Rainyday Gallery, Penzance, and his work was also regularly shown at the Stoneman Gallery, Chapel Street, Penzance.
media
Painter, printmaker, silversmith and metal worker, maker of collages and constructions, weaver
works and access
Works include: jewellery, prints, constructions
Access to work: Falmouth Art Gallery (permanent col); Arts Council; Kettle's Yard, Cambridge; Plymouth Museum & AG; Trinity College, Dublin; V & A
exhibitions
1982: Solo exhibition, NAG: One of six solos
2008: 'the golden age of cornish art', Great Atlantic Arwenack St Gallery, Falmouth
2010: Stoneman Gallery Mixed Christmas Show Dec-Jan 2011
2016: STISA Printmakers, Ceramics & Drawing Exhibition (28 May-27 June)
2024: Truro School Art Collection, Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro (30 Jan-18 May)
memberships
NSA 1995
Penwith Society of Artists
references
Personal bibliography: J O'Sullivan, S Bowness (2003) A Celtic Artist: Breon O'Casey
Brittain, Sarah and Cook, Simon (2001) Behind the Canvas, 40 Artists working in West Cornwall;
Buckman (2006) Artists in Britain since 1945
Cornishman 9 Dec 2010, Stoneman Gallery Christmas Show (mixed), Penzance
Falmouth Art Gallery (On-line) 3 works in permanent col
Great Atlantic Publications & Clark Art Ltd (2008) the golden age of cornish art
Hardie (1995) 100 Years/Diary
Hoyle, H (May 2012 Women Artists in Cornwall www.cornishmuse.blogspot.com) 'From blogging to printmaking - a journey of discovery'
Whybrow (2013) St Ives: The Story of Porthmeor Studios;