Ian Darragh Head of Boy

Year 1987
Mixed Media
Unframed size - 20cm x 17cm
Catalogue number - 74

This piece is in the Ian Darragh archive and unfortunately is no longer for sale.

Ian Darragh’s Biography 1959 - 2008

Ian was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland in 1959. Notable early achievements included winning the Texaco Children's Art Competition in 1974 and coming runner-up in 1975 and 1976. He completed a foundation course at Jordantown College of Art in Northern Ireland before setting off for London. From 1978 to 1981, he attended Hornsey College of Art, part of Middlesex Polytechnic, where he obtained his Bachelor's Degree (with honors) in Fine Art with two special commendations for Art History and Critical Studies.

In 1981, Ian entered the Royal College of Art in the three-year printmaking degree program where he obtained his Master's Degree in 1984 for Fine Art in Printmaking and Painting. While exhibiting some of his work in the Royal College of Art Degree Show in 1984, Ian's paintings gained attention and were received very favorably by a critic who was reviewing the show for The London Times. Almost immediately, this gained him some recognition with his work being picked up by several galleries. From then on painting became his major focus.

After graduation from the Royal College of Art, Ian worked as an independent painter in London until 1988. Highlights during this period were a cover and feature article about his work in "Art Line International Art News" magazine in 1986 plus numerous exhibitions throughout England and Europe. In late 1988, Ian decided to immigrate to the United States where he married and made New York City his permanent home. He continued working as an independent painter and supplanted his income with freelance work illustrating for the New York Times Book Review between 1989 and 1994

In 1998, the early signs of Multiple Sclerosis were noticed by a doctor. He continued painting for the next couple of years with the symptoms of his MS progressing and eventually needing a cane. He had some successes exhibiting his work in Northern Ireland. By 2003, he was unable to walk steadily anymore and switched from using a cane to a wheelchair. In 2005, he had an accident in his wheelchair and became bedridden plus lost the use of his right hand entirely making him unable to produce any more artwork. He remained at his home in New York City until early January 2008 and subsequently died in a New York City hospital in late January 2008.

Fortunately, his artwork lives on in his wonderful paintings, drawings and prints and is now available for everyone to enjoy via a non-profit memorial website www.ian-darragh.com that also includes an archive of his complete works (as known).