KRG – Keith Rowan Geoghegan was born in Co. Dublin in 1971. He has been interested in drawing and painting from a young age. He now specialises in urban landscape scenes. Generally oil paint onto canvas. Images are drawn up in charcoal and then completed using spatula and/or brush techniques.
His palette uses bright vibrant colors in a realist fashion. Use of linear and aerial perspective give depth to the images. Through the use of rain water, reflections are added, helping to add an abstract dimension to his work.
ITALY
After completing his Leaving cert in 1988, Keith worked for a while in printing as a compositor. But later gave it up to spend time in Italy. Through chance he found work as a barman in an Irish Pub called the Quiet Man in Seregno, outside Milan allowing him to learn Italian. He began to paint and draw in his free time. Often doing portraits of people who frequented a local park.
He also started to do small paintings of local scenes and images from Ireland which he sold through friends and relatives.
Encouraged from this, Keith attempted to attend the illustrious Brera Art Academy in Milan. However without first finishing a liceo artistico it was impossible to attend the Brera Art Academy full time. Keith settled for part time lessons at the academy in life drawing and perspective. Both of which later helped in his decision to later focus on urban landscape. In tandem to this Keith studied for, and received, a first class honors degree in Art History with the Open University, London. This allowed him to study and understand art and its context and continue to paint.
URBAN LANDSCAPES
One painting in particular helped Keith focus on this type of imagery. Inspired by a photo taken by Elisabetta Fedrigo of Lissone FS on an early cold morning. The atmospheric contrast between the polluted sky and the cold frozen ground gives a nice timeless quality to this image. The play of horizontals and verticals create a play of images within images which allows the eye to move about the canvas. Mainly executed with palette knife. However the rough brush strokes further add to the loose texture. The slightly curved linear trackway with the use of aerial perspective give depth to the image of a cold early morning wait full of anticipation that the train will be on time!
As well as studying art history and experimenting with affresco painting Keith also continued to paint with oil onto canvas.
Now looking for a direction he was particularly influenced by the post industrial spaces in and around Milan in northern Italy…
DUBLIN
Keith Rowan Geoghegan returned to his native Dublin in 2005. He continues to paint and develop himself as an artist. Prior to painting a picture Keith will visit a particular space and try to get the feel for it and how to translate this into a dynamic image. Whether it be an industrial area, or a busy road junction the idea is to try to capture a space which reflects life in the city. The use of the often overlooked Dublin Bus helps also place the painting in our shared memories of such places.
COMMISSIONS
Keith Rowan Geoghegan regularly accepts commissions from private or corporate patrons. Get in touch and talk about what you have in mind?
SIGNATURE
Keith Rowan Geoghegan signs his paintings with a pictogram ”KRG” – his initials and of course the year of execution.