Talking with Liam O’Herlihy (venue 24: RH Golf Club )
One of the regulars on the 2015 Rochford Art Trail
To see more of Liam’s work, go to his Facebook page:
Rochford Life: Liam, I am trying to pick up on one of two of the people who have been on the Trail before and who are clearly not beginners. You display in the Golf Club I believe.
Liam: That’s right, being a member there.
RL: May I ask what your background is?
Liam: It’s graphic design concentrating mainly on newspapers and colour magazines and logos.
Having introduced some of the newcomers to the Rochford Art Trail we felt it would also be good to pick up on one or two of the ‘regulars’ who have been with us previously.
RL: Which comes out in some of your work I think?
Liam: Yes, I think in vertical and horizontal lines
RL: Can I ask how long have you been painting?
Liam: I started a number of years ago but when I was sixty and retired I started again and I’ve been painting ever since. I started with what I describe as ‘chocolate box’ painting and then I started my own brain taking over and I’ve been influenced by such people as Mondrian and Ben Nicholson, who was Barbara Hepworth’s husband, and Victor Pasmore, rather famous English artists, and shapes and colours are very important to me and I struggle to keep away from a little bit of realism which still creeps into my work.
RL: So you are someone who works from a studio rather than getting out and about?
Liam: Yes, but I do get out and about occasionally. I belong to Southend Art Club and there are a few members there who think alike and we go out together.
RL: How long have you been displaying?
Liam: It’s hard to say, even before packing up work I used to display in London.
RL: I didn’t realise that. You have been around some time then!
Liam: Oh yes, I worked in London all my life, in the Fleet Street area and went to the London College of Printing which was then the London School of Printing.
RL: Your ‘chocolate box’ is a completely different style. Have you had training for that?
Liam: No, I think if you are an artist irrespective of what type, although I was a graphic artist, it is in your hands and in your brain, particularly in your hands, to be creative. So, for instance I do other things as well; I restore Victorian boxes, jewellery boxes, writing slopes and so on, and I try to find the top quality ones which is not always easy, top quality ones that have some damage so that I have something to do to them.
RL: So retirement sounds a busy business.
Liam: What with the painting, playing golf and restoring boxes, yes it is.
RL: Well, thank you Liam for sharing. We look forward to seeing more of your work in-
