Latest News…..

“The Anglo Irish Bank Shareholder” (mixed media, 2010) - SOLD

“The Anglo Irish Bank Shareholder” (mixed media 2010) has generated a lot of interest since the Irish Independent Newspaper has covered the story (see articles below). All proceeds from the sale of this painting will be going to St Vincent de Paul Charity. So at least something useful can come out of those worthless pieces of paper that I’ve accumulated! A big thank you to those who were quick off the mark to bring me in the Anglo Irish Bank Share Certs. This painting is now sold - however, I am selling 35 limited edition signed high quality giclee prints at only eur19.71 (to mark the year that Anglo Irish Bank came on the Stock Exchange). Again, there has been great interest in these limited edition prints and I have 9 remaining prints left for sale.

“DOING HIS SHARE FOR THE PURSUIT OF ART” Irish Independent Newspaper article by Fergus Black
Friday August 20 2010
WHEN artist Frank O’Dea announced he was interested in “buying” Anglo Irish Bank shares, he wasn’t expecting so many people to turn up at his art gallery offering their worthless pieces of paper.
At their peak more than three years ago, the shares were worth at least €17, but that was before the banking collapse and bailout.
The artist, who comes from Clontarf, Dublin, was surprised at the response to his unusual request after he asked the public if they had a few Anglo Irish shares “lying around” that he could incorporate into his latest piece of art.
“I didn’t want to transfer the share ownership into my name; I just wanted the physical paper to use as a prop for my latest work,” he said yesterday.
An elderly couple clutching their now worthless shares were the first to arrive when his gallery in the Westbury Mall, Dublin, opened last Tuesday morning.
“Another guy had 40,000 shares. I didn’t expect so many people to turn up, I thought maybe one or two might be interested.”
He received more than enough shares to illustrate his latest work. For their trouble, he will give those who offered their shares a limited-edition print when the painting is completed, along with €100.
Frank said that, in his latest work, he wanted to perhaps show a forlorn investor slumped at the bar with his worthless pieces of paper spread before him.
“I got the inspiration from reading the papers about the vast amounts of money going into this banking black hole,” he said. He hopes to complete his work within two weeks and intends raffling his ’shares’ painting for charity.
- Fergus Black
Irish Independent

Anglo picture paints a thousand words - Irish Independent Newspaper article by Ken Sweeney,
Saturday August 28, 2010
An artist who incorporated shares in Anglo Irish Bank into a painting has put it on display in a Dublin gallery.
The picture shows a forlorn Anglo Irish Bank investor slumped at the bar, with his shares spread before him.
Artist Frank O’Dea recently made an appeal through the Irish Independent for Anglo shares, which he wanted to incorporate into a work of art. Worth €17 at their peak more than three years ago, the shares plummeted in value after the banking collapse and bailout. O’Dea said he was shocked at the huge reaction to his appeal. “People were only too happy to offload shares to me. So many in fact, I actually got more than I needed for my painting,” He told this newspaper. The resulting work, ‘The Anglo Irish Bank Shareholder’ (pictured), seen here for the first time, shows a disillusioned shareholder slumped at a bar ripping up his worthless shares. In an added touch, the interior of the pub in which the distraught investor is drinking is the same colour scheme used by Anglo Irish Bank. Proceeds from the sale of the paintings, for which the Balla Ban Gallery in the Westbury Mall, Dublin, has already had a number of offers, will be donated to the St Vincent de Paul. Investors who donated shares will receive €100 and a limited edition print. The gallery will also be selling 35 limited edition, signed prints of the painting for €19.71, symbolising the year the bank was listed on the stock exchange.
- Ken Sweeney,
Irish Independent

Current Exhibitions:

On 4th September, Frank O’Dea’s 3 week solo summer show will finish at Balla Bán Art Gallery, Westbury Mall, Dublin.

14 th September 2010.
Scoop Foundation Art Auction and Exhibition, Ormond Bar, Ormond Quay. (opportunity to purchase one of my abstract oil paintings at a low price at the auction. All procceds go towards building a brand new, three floored, concrete built school in Cambodia that will not only create a place to educate up to 250 local Cambodian children, it will also become the centre for a community in an impoverished area outside Phnom Pehn. For further details see www.thescoopfoundation.com

21-25 September 2010:
“Arthur’s Day - Guinness on Canvas” is an open submission exhibition on the theme of Guinness and ‘Arthur’s Day’. Exhibition runs from Tuesday 21st September to Saturday 25th September (inclusive). Reception takes place on ‘Arthur’s Day, Thursday 23rd September from 5pm at the ‘pint sized’ Balla Bán Art Gallery, Westbury Mall. Artists exhibiting at the exhibition include:
David Hennessy, Thomas J Byrne, Ann Marie Hayes, Rod Coyne, Mario Sughi, Sandra Corrigan, Pauline Murphy, Pervaneh Matthews, Frank O’Dea, Kelly Hood, Pauline Murphy, Andrew Manson, Jim Donnelly, Dearbhla, Catherine Mann, FINK, Ray Sherlock, Roy Wallace and others.

24-26th September, 2010
“People’s Art” - Stephens Green Railings, Dublin City

28th September - 5th October 2010 (closed Sunday & Monday)
“Dublin Festival of Fashion” exhibition takes place at Balla Bán Art Gallery, Westbury Mall, from Tuesday 28th to Tuesday 5th October (close Sundays & Mondays) to mark ‘Dublin Festival of Fashion’ which takes in Dublin City Centre (from 1st to 3rd October, 2010) featuring art works by Frank O’Dea, Debbie Chapman, Jonathan Knuttel, Barbara Boland, Pauline Murphy, Tom Byrne and others.

8-10th October
Clontarf Golf & Bowling Club Annual Art Exhibition (Malahide Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3) takes place from Friday, 8th to Sunday, 10th October

26th October - 4th November, 2010
“All things spooky - The Halloween Show” - Paintings to be afraid of! Details to follow. Watch this space.

5-7th November, 2010
Internation Art Fair at RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin.

“D Four Urban Cafe”, Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 2
“D Four Urban Cafe” has commissioned artist, Frank O’Dea to theme design its new restaurant in Upper Baggot Street. With a number of Frank’s oil paintings on display in the Cafe, the theme spills out on to Upper Baggot Street with large colourful banners and street signs welcoming passerbys to this chill out cafe.

Balla Bán (which is the Irish for ‘white wall’) is a Fine Art Gallery located in the Westbury Mall, off Grafton Street in the heart of Dublin City. The Gallery has been set up by Irish artist, Frank O’Dea, to provide quality, diverse and affordable works of art from both emerging and established contemporary Irish artists.

The gallery is open from Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 6pm (and to 7pm on Thursdays). Please feel free to drop in anytime to have a look and ask questions about any of the artists on display. Artists on display for the Summer Show include Graham Knuttel, John Skelton, Norman Teeling, Roy Wallace, Annie Robinson, Peter Dee, John Patton, William Hulhall, Tom Byrne, Frank O’Dea, Piet Slieus and others. Prices start from as little as eur50. Drop in for a coffee or cappacino and a browse. The new website for the Balla Bán Gallery is www.ballaban.net is up and running however, its also currently under construction.

The Corkscrew Wine Shop, Chatham Street, Dublin 2, are now stocking a selected number of Frank’s greeting cards

“While my guitar gently weeps (2009)
Limited Edition giclee print on stretched canvas €125 (small) €250 (large)

“Best Friends” (2009)
Signed limited edition giclee print 25cm x 50cm - €65 (mounted & unframed). € 110 (mounted & framed)

“Twelve Bar Blues” (2007).
Signed limited edition giclee print 35cm x 25cm - €55 (mounted & unframed) €110 (mounted & framed)

“The Pianist” (2007)
Signed limited edition giclee print 25cm x 25cm - €55 (mounted & unframed) €110 (mounted & framed)

“Bubbles” (2009)
Signed limited edition giclee print €60 (mounted & unframed) €130 (mounted & framed)

“Guitar Blues” (2009)
Signed limited edition giclee print €55 (mounted & unframed) €110 (mounted & framed)

“A cut above the rest” (2009)
Signed limited edition giclee print 25cm x 38cm - €55 (mounted & unframed) €110 (mounted & framed)

Greeting card (& envelope) €3

“Artist painting model”
Greeting card (& envelope) €3

“Dancer”
Greeting card (& envelope) €3

“Red red wine makes me feel so fine”
Greeting card (& envelope) - €3

“The last waltz”
Greeting card (& envelope) - €3

What is a giclee print?
The term “giclee” (pronounced “zhee-klay”) refers to a high quality printing method. Image are printed using archival quality inks onto various (normally acid free) substrates including canvas, fine art photo rag, watercolour and photo-base paper. The giclee printing process provides much better color accuracy than other means of reproduction.

The quality of the giclee print rivals traditional silver-halide and gelatin printing processes and is commonly found in museums, art galleries, and photographic galleries.

For queries regarding any of Frank’s paintings or high quality prints please email me at frank@allireland.com or phone Dublin, Ireland on mobile number (Ireland) 087 6622234.

Check out these other Irish Art Websites …. Well worth a look:

www.ballaban.net (currently under construction)

www.Irish-Art.com,

www.IrishArtBlog.com.

www.SculptureIreland.com

www.thestreetgallery.com

www.newirishart.com

www.artinaction.ie

Artist’s statement:

I was born in Dublin in 1966 and from an early age had an interest in
caricatures and cartoon drawing.
In recent years I have moved away from the caricature drawing and started
to have a deep appreciation and love for painting in oils. My painting
subject matter is based on my interest with music/musicians and
social interactions. Regular themes include musicians, cafe/bar scenes,
fashion models and lovers - all of which I got to observe in abundance
when I used to play piano bars and restaurants in Dublin. I also have the
travel bug and love observing every day life in foreign cultures - in
particular South America and continental European cities.
I use vibrant colours in my work to depict the modern world and have
always been fascinated by human predicaments and enjoy adding a quirky
choice of themes and subjects. Extremely intense bright oranges draw the
viewer towards the work and instantly remind one of summer and a warmth by
radiating a happy glow.