Irish Charm meets Maleny spirit in art exhibition

The latest collection features landscapes including his famous Black and White Cows, pictured, stemming from Bernard’s Friday milking ritual.

The latest collection features landscapes including his famous Black and White Cows, pictured, stemming from Bernard’s Friday milking ritual.

Nostalgic, spontaneous, humorous, re-inventing and inspiring - just some of the words set to capture Maleny Art Direct’s upcoming exhibition of local artist - Bernard O’Scanaill.

Originally from Connemara in the west of Ireland, Bernard O’Scanaill has been living on the Sunshine Coast since 1990.

After three years Bernard returns to Maleny Art Direct with his “Oh- apostrophe” exhibition, with a title nodding to a common feature of so many Irish surnames.

“The O in my name means ‘from/descended of’,“ Bernard explained.

Connemara, a remote and windswept district on the Atlantic coast, where cows were sold on the street on the first Tuesday of every month and a drunk town crier walked backwards along the same road using a sheep horn to promote church and civic events.

This latest collection features landscapes including his famous Black and White Cows, stemming from Bernard’s Friday milking ritual, and an assortment of works capturing the sentiment of his spiritual attachment to Ireland.

In a strong echo of his homeland’s traditions Bernard still milks three cows every Friday morning to join his partner in making cheese and yoghurt.

“I love cows for their strong personalities and gentle calm nature. I love horses too but they don’t pour so good!” Bernard said.

The self-taught artist, took up a career in teaching while pursuing his many artistic talents – including music, design, painting and construction.

“I’m a spontaneous artist who simply sets himself in front of a blank canvas, blanks his mind and even closes his eyes before trusting those initial strokes to lead the way.  The results can be anything and vary in style from the abstract to seemingly detailed and intricate works”.

When time has permitted over the years, he has been increasingly drawn to his easel, turning his talent with brush, palette- knife, and sometimes his finger, to the creation of a bold style brimming with positivity, and reassuring lack of self-consciousness. His work has been known to confront, unnerve, challenge and amuse.

Bernard has exhibited in Ireland, France and various Australian galleries and his eclectic work can be found in many corporate, public, and private collections in the U.S, France, Ireland and Australia.

Bernard’s art hangs all over the place. His “Pond Life” is in a New Mexico desert home and an early self-portrait to the Middle east now living in Malta.

Joanne Howard, Owner and art curator of Maleny Art Direct, states, “You might even be lucky to experience the musical ability of a truly gifted and original artist always ready to turn a gallery gig into an Irish session!”

• “Oh – apostrophe” opens Saturday, March 23rd at 4pm, at Maleny Art Direct, Maleny.