Andrew Ireland was born and educated in Manchester, UK, undertook a Foundation Diploma in Fine Art at Salford Technical College and achieved a BA Honours Fine Art (1st Class) in Painting and Printmaking at Brighton Polytechnic. After extensive travel through Europe Andrew migrated to Australia in 1985.
In 1986-1997 Ireland worked as an illustrator for the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, The Times on Sunday and The Australian. He was awarded The Bulletin's Black & White Artists’ ‘Best Humorous Illustrator Award’ in 1990 and in 1991 he successfully exhibited a solo show of his paintings at the Rex Irwin Gallery in Sydney.
During 1991-92 Ireland travelled to live and work in Italy, where he exhibited solo at Gallerie E5, Verona and Southern Gallery, Rome. He returned to Australia and continued to work as a painter/freelance illustrator. Ireland has been regularly involved and employed in art education: at Sydney College of the Arts, the University of Newcastle, Sydney Graphics College, Billy Blue Design School, the University of Technology, Sydney, the University of Western Sydney and Blue Mountains Grammar School. His work has been purchased by many private collectors and Art Bank Australia.
Ireland lives and paints in Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains and is a much-loved and highly-respected teacher of art at Korowal School in Leura.
Andrew Ireland’s diverse imagery focuses on the figurative in order to support his whimsical visual narratives; be they absurdist, ironic or quotidian observation. His paintings seek to weave a tale ... a tale layered in encrusted oil, wax and varnish. These essential elements have grown out of his early training and experimentation as a painter/printmaker. Alchemical reverse processes attract Ireland both in fable and in method. The paintings contain gently opposing forces; dream-like conundrums merge with observed realities, melancholia entwines with comedy and time drifts between the contemporary and the nostalgic.
Excerpt from exhibition catalogue, ‘Memories, Dreams and Reflections’,
