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Derek Raymond Patrick Culley (Born 12th September 1952) is an Irish artist / curator, currently based in Royal Birkdale - Merseyside UK. Central to Culley's work are every day symbols, both religious and pedestrian which inform the mark making found in his works. More recently as addition to his practice Culley has begun using the iPad, producing Digital works.

=Early life and training= Born and raised in Dublin. His father, John (Jack) Culley (Dublin born) was an electrical engineer and Horologist. His mother, Doreen Culley (nee Blake -born in Huddersfield UK) was a full time mother of 5 children with an amazing sense of colour and design.Culley left Ireland in his early 20's. Culley attended St Mary's Primary School Tallaght. Tallaght (Tamh Lacht in Gaelic) more recently was the subject of Culley's Work; Tamh Lacht -The Wall 2011 Culley caught the bug for art from his art teacher, the late Seamus O'Colm��an, at the age of 15 when he attended Pearse College (Clogher Road), Dublin. Culley had his first studio at the age of 16. The studio was a garage in the alley at the back of his house, which he rented from the mother of Thomas Kinsella., the Irish Poet. Culley worked in a local bar cleaning and serving drinks to pay for the studio. Culley also supplemented his pocket money by being a pavement artist on the streets of Dublin after school (sometimes during school lessons) Culley started evening classes at Dublin's National College of Art and Design but only lasted three weeks because he didn't like his fellow artists, finding them and the art college environment pretentious. A major influence on Culley was an introduction to the works of Lee Krasner, Mark Tobey, Robert Motherwell, Jackson Pollock and American Abstract Expressionism; by the late American actor and Bahai pioneer OZ (Zebby) Whitehead ; in Dublin during Culley's late teens. A lifetime followed which included food on the table jobs while Culley immersed himself in art, continually exploring art processes. Culley completed an Open University degree in his late 20’s followed with the completion of a master's degree in his early 40s. The degree, from Buckinghamshire College (Newland Park Campus) – then a college of Brunel University; was in European marketing and business studies. Culley's Dissertation was titled “Marketing of the Visual Arts in Britain – are there lessons to be learned from Europe. A chance meeting in the early 8s at the Windsor Community Arts Centre with the late Denis Bowen led to the formation of Celtic Vision; with Bowen, Culley and the late John Bellany being founding members. Fortuitously for Culley, Bowen became Culley's mentor, introducing Culley to the London art world and the art of navigating its peculiarities and complexities. When it came to the contemporary and modern art world, Bowen was a Master Painter with an encyclopaedic knowledge of art and the art world. Bowen taught Culley a new way to look / question / approach and appreciate art; from being both a viewer and a practitioner.

=Professional career= Culley took part in many group shows including Windsor Fringe Festival Windsor UK 1985,Celtic Vision 1986-87 Europe, Celtic Vision 1988 Dublin Ireland.The London Group tour 1987; Erin Cara Tour Canada 1992,Modern Irish Painting, Dillon Gallery London,1995; Skopje Museum of Contemporary Art, Republic of Macedonia, 1996.Art Cosmopolis RDS Dublin 2001, LOOP Liverpool 2005, FIS 2008/9. Liverpool. Gallery Different –London 2012/13/14. Selected “Whats the Point!” 2014 London, Selected “MAC” Belfast 2014. The Gallery Print Centre – Gallery Opening London 2015 - Selected Finalist Brisbane Art Prize 2015. Selected Solo shows include Five Years of Culley - The Royal Hospital Kilmainham (now IMMA), Dublin Ireland,1989, Alternative Entertainments Tallaght – Dublin 2008, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral-2011, Tamh Lacht-The Wall" RUA/RED Gallery-Dublin 2011, Prayer Room IEC2012 50th International Eucharistic Congress RDS Dublin-2012 . -. Editions Limited Liverpool Independent Biennial 2014. – The ATKINSON Gallery – launch of The Landing Gallery-Southport 2016.

Full list of exhibitions can be found at https://www.derekculley.com/exhibition-cv/

Curator
Windsor Arts Centre (The Old Court Gallery): Selected shows: 1980s Curator of exhibitions featuring amateur and professional artists i.e. Charles Gimpel, John Bellany, Elizabeth Langton, Gill Scholar, Denis Bowen, A.Oscar, Max Blond, Martin Fuller, David Lach, John Copnal, Dirty Strangers, Susan D Brown (The Mirror & the Dynamo), Roy Kitchen, Alan Davie, Sidney Nolan, John Piper, Victor Pasmore, Jeremy Tishler, Gary Gilchrist, Damien Hirst / Holden Rowan, Damien Hirst, Paul Moriarty, Neil Ferguson, Mel Gordan, Randy Klein, Tony Coady, Mary “P” O’Connor, Fiona Gunn, Duncan Mountford, Eamon Colman and the Windsor Fringe Festival (Visual Arts). Celtic Vision: 1986-87: European tour. Curators: Denis Bowen / Derek Culley. 1988: Celtic Vision Invitation Exhibition. (1988 Dublin - Celebrating a Thousand Years)- Bank of Ireland - Exhibition Centre Dublin Ireland. Curators Eamon Colman (Aosdána), Denis Bowen, Derek Culley. FÍS 2008 / FÍS 2009; Contemporary Urban Centre (CUC) Novas Scarman – Liverpool FÍS 2008: Novas CUC Liverpool UK (Programme sponsored by Foras Na Gaeilge & Novas Scarman Group. The Cultural Event & Exhibition were staged during Liverpool's Capital Culture 2008. Founding members were Martin Campbell & Derek Culley. Curated by Eamon Colman (Aosdána) and Derek Culley. FÍS 2009: Novas CUC Liverpool UK. Programme sponsored by Foras Na Gaeilge & Novas Scarman Group. Catalogue: Funded by K2 Architects - Liverpool.Principal Curator: Eamon Colman (Aosdna), assisted by Derek Culley.

=Artist Statement=

Artist Statement: from Derek Culley

"'My approach to painting is my approach to painting. I seek spontaneity in my work that is reflective of my moods, my emotions, and my response to all that is beyond me and within me. My use of materials over the years seems to bear a pattern. For sad heavy works I have a preference for oils whilst for the more immediate works, I use Acrylic. I believe an essential aspect of my work is composition and my adherence to a commitment to structure. This is also a feature found in my recent Digital work which I complete on an iPad. Colour plays an essential feature in my work. For me colour is as inherent a feature in my work as is composition. I rarely have a title for a work prior to execution as 90% of the time my work is a subconscious reaction which finds a title on completion. My reaction to a completed work is the title.....the journey's end for that particular work (or the beginning of the journey!)'"

=Awards=

Art Colony Galicnick residency: Macedonia 1994. BIRD2005: International Art Award. (Special Award by Jury) Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (New York) Recipient 2006-2007 (Awarded $25,000 Referees: John Hoyland & Stella Santacatterina) The Cill Rialaig Project Ireland 2008

=Personal life=

Culley is married to Eilish Culley (nee Doherty – Portstewart Ireland) Mother to their 5 children. Culley is father to one daughter and four sons plus has two grand children.

=Charitable work=

Culley supports CMT - UK CMT - USA. - CMT (Charcot Marie Tooth) Culley supports Prostate Cancer UK.

=References=