Ellen McDermott's Fine Art Portraiture is portraiture with a difference. She started taking photographs to use as guides in her paintings but soon found that she was being asked by people if she would sell them her prints and take their photographs.

Ellen was picked as one of the Finalists in PhotoIreland Festival Open Call 2010. She is a Director of Kilmantin Art Gallery in Wicklow Town. Up until this year Ellen was on the Wicklow Arts Festival Committee but resigned from the board in order to concentrate more on her photography.

For further details on Ellen click here.

Conor Walton was born in Dublin in 1970, and studied in the National College of Art and Design, from which he graduated in 1993 with a Joint Honours Degree in the History of Art and Fine Art (Painting). He received a special commendation and prize for his thesis, 'Abstraction: A Discourse on Language and Painting'.

After reading for an MA in Art History and Theory at the University of Essex, which he was awarded with distinction in 1995 (dissertation subject: 'The Battle of the Ancients and the Moderns'), he spent some time in Florence studying painting and old master techniques with Charles Cecil. He returned to Dublin in 1996, and had his first solo exhibition there in 1999.

For further details on Conor click here.

Jimmy Burns studied Art in London, Leeds and Dublin, lives in Sandyford and teaches in Ballinteer.

He is the author of "Art History and Appreciation" (two editions), and "Practical Art", both published by S & C S. Jimmy has illustrated many books and periodicals over the years, including Magill, In Dublin, U Magazine ... etc.

For further details on Jimmy click here.

Francis Kennedy works from a small studio at his home in Athenry, in the west of Ireland. "I own paint brushes and I use them".

He has a great love of music, having played in a number of bands in a former life and much of his work revolves around musicians and recitals.

Francis' art hangs on the walls of some famous names, like Sharon Corr, Brendan Shine, and the soprano Deirdre Shannon-Gilsenan, as well as in the offices of Coffey Construction and Galway Bay FM.

For further details on Francis click here.

John Nolan's exuberant style combines bold outlines with bright exotic colours. His interpretation of various motifs transmits a positive upbeat feeling to his viewers. These motifs are:

Fish, Flowers, People, Birds, Still Life, Abstract, Collage, Landscapes.

The celebration of colour and form, has preoccupied him from an early age and was nurtured through the encouragement and instruction received from his father who was an artist himself.

For further details on John click here.