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 Clare
People, Tue 23.09.08, by Andrew Hamilton
Easel lover Michael banking on his art
An Ennistymon banker has packed in his ledgers and
calculator in favour of the artist's easel and is now
starting to make waves in the world of painting.
After giving
up a senior role with the AIB just over a year ago,
Michael Hanrahan has quickly forged a reputation for
himself as a budding artistic talent.
Michael, who
is about to take up a studio at the Courthouse Gallery
Studios in Ennistymon, will this month form a central
part of the latest Dolan Art Auction which takes place
in the Marriott Hotel in Galway on September 30.
"I was
always interested in painting and drawing, even from
when I was a young man at the Ennistymon CBS, art was my
favourite subject," said Mr. Hanrahan.
"So after 37
years with the bank, I took early retirement back in
2006. Banking is a very high pressure business and I
really wanted to give the painting a try. I felt I had
some talent at it and I thought it was a wonderful
opportunity to get out there and put plenty of time at
it."
Michael has
just completed a summer residence at the Burren College
of Art in Ballyvaughan and has painted extensively
around the Clare countryside.
"I'm a
landscape painter really and I'm a realist - I paint
what I see. I love colours, I love the changing moods of
Ireland - the sunlight and the shade," he said.
"I love
painting around Clare. I've painted in Ballyvaughan,
Lahinch, Liscannor and Ennistymon. I've done a number of
paintings in Ennistymon actually, I love the shop fronts
up there."
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