Biography

Pauline Bewick's art breathes freedom and movement. She herself is a free spirit and her open philosophy has its roots in an unconventional childhood which was spent traveling around England and Ireland, living in houseboats and caravans.

Following a prolific career from childhood upwards, her vivid paintings are featured in galleries and collections worldwide. Dr. James White, former Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, has described her as "one of Ireland's most enchanting contemporary artists, her best pictures combine a lyrical flow of line with a brilliant handling of light."

Pauline was brought up on a small farm in Co. Kerry, Ireland. Her mother Harry brought her two daughters to Ireland in the late 30's leaving Northumberland, England. Harry wrote an account of their life in Kerry called "A Wild Taste" (Methuen). After Kerry, they went to live in Wales and England and travelled from progressive school to school, living in a caravan, a houseboat, a railway carriage, a workman's hut, a gate lodge and, later in a Dublin city house.

Bewick has now been living back in Kerry for 28 years with her husband Patrick Melia. Their two daughters Poppy and Holly are also artists. Bewick works in many media in three large studios. She started to paint at the age of two and has continued throughout her life. "Two to Fifty" was a retrospective exhibition (1,500 works) at the Guinness Hop Store in 1985, which attracted record attendances. "The Yellow Man" exhibition in 1996 at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, also drew huge numbers of all ages.

The artist's biography was written by Dr. James White, art historian and former Director of the National Gallery of Ireland; "Pauline Bewick, Painting a Life". (Wolfhound Press 1985; new edition 2001). In 2007 Pauline Bewick was commissioned to visually translate the 18th Century poem 'The Midnight Court' by Brian Merriman.

 

Honours:-

1) RHA: Royal Hibernian Academy.

2) AOSDÁNA: Aosdana honours artist engaged in literature, music and the visual arts who has made an outstanding contribution to the Arts in Ireland.