Alice Maher is an acclaimed award-winning artist from Ireland whose bold and distinctive style of painting evokes the vibrancy and vitality of today’s global, contemporary art scene. Born in Glengowla in County Kerry, Ms. Maher pursued an academic career at University College, University of Technology, and the Australian National Academy of Professional Painting and Design, where she earned a bachelor of arts in painting, then a master of arts in painting and a PhD in the same discipline. Following a move to Paris, she became known as one of the many British expats pouring all their talents into the French capital’s thriving art scene. After several years living and working in the French capital, she returned to her home country to live and work in Dublin, where she has honed her painting and drawing skills and continued to paint in both original and impressionist styles throughout her lifetime.
Ms. Maher is an articulate and witty artist, whose work draws on a wide range of inspirations, ranging from native art forms to historic depictions of Ireland’s heritage and culture to popular media portrayals of the country. Her painting style reflects this approach, frequently employing large-scale shapes and unusual color combinations to produce striking results. She is interested in the ways that nationality is represented in architecture, nature, and other natural phenomena, particularly the relationships between the human population and its natural environment. Her work often depicts the unique qualities of various nationalities through contrasting color palettes, typography, textures, and patterns.
Ms. Maher has exhibited her work across Europe, Australia, and the United States, most notably at the Saatchi Gallery in London. This gallery experience helped to launch her career, and she received numerous awards for her pieces, including the coveted Turner Prize for lifetime, the Moet et Chandon Prize for exceptional contributions to the field of contemporary art, as well as the Prix d’Arles fellowship. Her works have been shown and sold in many countries throughout the world. As a result, Ms. Maher has achieved financial success and international recognition. However, much of her success is the product of her personal approach to the practice of art, which has allowed her to develop an appreciation of the many different cultures and lifestyles shared throughout the world.