Joe Dunne was born in Dublin in 1957 and studied at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin from 1975 to 1978. His first solo exhibitions took place in Dublin and Freiburg, Germany in 1980. Subsequent solo exhibitions took place in Dublin in the 1980s and 1990 and his work has also been selected for numerous group shows including the Oireachtas, RHA Annual and Gala Exhibitions, Iontas small works , Sligo, Arnotts National Portrait Awards, BP Portrait Awards, London, Claremorris Open Exhibition and Eigse Carlow Festival. Joe is probably best known for his portraiture for which he has received a number of awards including the RHA silver medal for a self portrait in 1986 and the Don Niccolo Caracciolo RHA Award for a period of study in Italy in 1993. He won two awards at the Arnotts National Portrait Awards in 1990 and 1993 and more recently the Keating McLoughlin Medal for a group portrait at the RHA Annual in 2006. Commissions by the Office of Public Works include his portraits of former Taoiseach Eamon de Velera and of President Mary McAleese. His work is included in the collections of the Royal Dublin Society, the Office of Public Works, Irish Independent Newspapers, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the Irish Management Institute, Maynooth University of Ireland, the Ballinglen Art Foundation Archive, the Dublin Dental School and Hospital, and the Boyle Civic Collection.

Martin Wedge was born in 1958 and lives and works in Belfast. He completed his MA in Fine Art at the University of Ulster in 1982. Selected exhibitions include; New Works By Invited Artists, King House, Boyle, 2008, New Paintings & Drawings, Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast, 2007 and New Paintings , Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin, 2004. Martin's work is held in private and public collections including Arts Council of Northern Ireland, An Chomhairle Ealaion and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Martin Wedge is represented by Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast.

Gary Coyle was born in Dublin in 1965, where he now lives and works after living in New York and London for nearly a decade. He graduated the National College of Art Dublin 1989 and the Royal College of Art London 1996 (where he studied sculpture). He has exhibited widely in Ireland & abroad, selected exhibitions include At Sea, Tate Gallery Liverpool, 2001, En direct de Dublin, Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris 2003. Best 3 Draw, An Draiocht, Dublin 2006, I am always touched by your presence dear, IMMA Dublin 2007. His work is in public and private collections, including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Arts Council of Ireland, and Irish Contemporary Art Association. He has received many awards including the Henry Moore Fellowship from the RCA and the Henry Moore Foundation, 1995, and the RHA's Annual drawing prize, 1999. He has also received the Portrait Award from the RHA and Irish US Council for Commerce, 2007. Residencies include IMMA, 1998, and Ballinglen Artists Foundation, 2003.

Carey Clarke was born in Donegal in 1936 and now lives and works in Dublin. He studied painting at the National College of Art in Dublin from 1954-1959 and taught painting and drawing in the Faculty of Fine Art, National College of Art & Design, Dublin from 1963 to 1995. Selected solo exhibitions include: Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, 1996, Solomon Gallery, Dublin, 1990. A major retrospective of his work spanning 50 years is to take place in the refurbished Royal Hibernian Academy Gallagher Gallery, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2 in January 2010. Portrait commissions include: Albert Reynolds, former Taoiseach, Tom Murphy, playwright, the very Rev. Maurice Stewart, Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dr Patrick Masterson, President, University College Dublin, Dr Garrett Fitzgerald, Chancellor of National University of Ireland.

Con Cremin was born in London in 1975 moving to Ireland at the age of 6. He studied at the Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork city graduating in 1997 with a BA in Fine Art. He currently lives and works in Co. Cork. Selected exhibitions have included; Horizon Lines, The Shaw Gallery, Cork City, 2007, Christmas exhibition, Gallery 75, Limerick, 2007, The Black Mariah, Cork, group show, 2007 and Spring exhibition, Gallery 75, Limerick, 2007. Con's work is held in private collections throughout Ireland.

Kieran Crowley graduated from D.L.I.A.D.T, Dublin in 2000 with a qualification in Design Communications & Animation. After a spell living and working in New York, Kieran returned home and became involved with Delicious Nine Animation & Design, producing short films, music videos and visuals for film, television, and music festivals in Europe, the U.S, Canada & Japan. Kieran became a full-time practicing painter in 2006, and now focuses primarily on large scale nudes and portrait work. Selected exhibitions have included; Venetian Stares, solo exhibition, Mill Theatre Gallery, Dublin, 2008, Dublin Antiques & Contemporary Art Fair, RDS, Dublin, 2008, Art 08 (Hazel Williams Gallery), Adams Contemporary Art Auctions, Oisin Gallery Group Show, 2008. Kieran's work is held in private collections in Ireland and the UK.

Daniel Mark Duffy lives and works in Co. Meath. He studied Painting at the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, 1979-81 and Printmaking at the School of Visual Arts, New York, 1992-1993. Selected exhibitions include; Silvermine Guild of Artists, New Canaan, CT, 2007, Greenwich Fine Art Gallery, Fairfield, CT, 2006, and Regina Gouger Miller Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, 2006. Daniel has received numerous awards and his work is held in private and corporate collections throughout the USA including Yale Law School, Carnegie Mellon University and Johnson & Johnson.

Dave Flynn is a painter and writer, living and working in Bray, Co.Wicklow. He is a Fine Arts graduate from the Byam Shaw School of Art, London. He has led art workshops and taught art and art history. His work was accepted for the Royal Academy of Art Summer Show, and, most recently, he has exhibited at the Signal Arts Centre, Bray. He is preparing works for a solo exhibition, and his current projects include private and institutional commissions.

Alan Freney was born in Dublin in 1979, he is a self taught artist who lives and works in Bray, Co.Wicklow. Al has been painting for the last seven years and worked on private portrait commissions and taken part in group shows in London, Dublin and Wicklow, most recently a two man show Many Moods with the Blue Leaf Gallery.

Kit French was born in Cork in 1986 and studied at the Charles Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy, 2005-2008. Selected exhibitions include; Royal Hibernian Academy 2005 and 2008, Kinsale Arts Week, Engage Arts Festival. Bandon, Gallery 23. Kinsale. Kit's work is held in private collections in USA, UK and Ireland.

Oliver Jeffers was born in Western Australia in 1977, and brought up in Belfast. He is an artist who began by exhibiting his work at several small exhibitions in Belfast from 1995-1998, before beginning to illustrate book jackets for local publishing houses. He graduated from the University of Ulster with a degree in Visual Communications in 2001. The first picture book he wrote and illustrated was How To Catch A Star (2004), which was shortlisted for the 2004 Booktrust Early Years Award (Best New Illustrator). Lost and Found (2005) won the 2005 Nestle Children's Book Prize (Gold Award) in 2005, the 2006 Blue Peter Book of the Year Award, and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. The Incredible Book Eating Boy (2006), was shortlisted for the 2007 British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year. Selected exhibitions include; Umbrella Arts, Curcio Projects, New York, 2008, BP National Portrait Awards, National Portrait Gallery, London, 2008, and New Portraits, Deans at Queens, Belfast 2006.

Jo Kelley was born in Broadstairs, Kent in 1955, she now lives and works in Cork. She studied at St Martins School of Art, 1975-1978 and Goldsmiths College, 1978- 1979. Selected exhibitions include; Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast, 2007, Node Original Print Gallery, Dublin, 2008, and Donkey Mill Arts Centre, Holualoa, Hawaii, 2008. Jo Kelley's work is held in private and public collections including the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, University College Cork, Crawford Gallery, Cork, University of Wales and Allied Irish Bank.

Bill was born in Belfast in 1977. He enrolled in the Foundation Studies Certificate in Art and Design at the University of Ulster, which he completed in June 1999, before proceeding to the BA [Hons] in Fine and Applied Art, where he specialised in painting. Since completing his degree in 2002, he has been working as a full-time professional artist.

Eoghan McGrath was born Dublin, 1975 and now lives and works in Kilkenny. He initially completed four years of Medical School before leaving to pursue his interests in fine art and music. Although largely self-taught he has studied at Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome and has taken regular life drawing classes for the past decade. Selected exhibitions have included; RHA Annual Exhibition, 2007, and The F-Word, Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, 2007. Eoghan was awarded the K&M Evans Painting Award at the RHA Annual Exhibition, 2007.

Cian McLoughlin was born in Dublin, 1977, and currently lives and works in Dublin. Cian studied Architecture at UCD between 1995-99 and 2000-02 in between gaining an MA in Film Studies in 2000 also at UCD. Selected exhibitions have included; Camden Town and the Aisling Project Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, 2008, Ranelagh Arts Festival, 2008, RHA Annual Exhibition 2007, The F Word, Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, 2007, 150th Anniversary of the National Portrait Gallery, London, 2006, Portrait Ireland, Newtownbarry House, Wexford, 2005 and BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London, 2005. Cian's work is held in private and public collections throughout Ireland including Croke Park, Dublin, The Gate Theatre, Dublin, Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin and Westbury Hotel, Dublin.

Francis O'Toole is currently studying at Angel Academy of Art, Florence, Italy and exhibits regularly with Cherrylane Gallery, Dublin.

Rai Uhlemann was born in Dublin where he now lives and works. He is a graduate of National College of Art and Design, Dublin. He has worked as an art director and designer for a number of companies before moving to the Phoenix art studios to pursue his interest in fine art full time in 2004. He has exhibited at both the Royal Hibernian Academy Exhibition, Dublin and Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition, Belfast in 2008.

Patrick Redmond was born Dublin, 1976, and currently lives and works in Wexford. He studied Fine Art at Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology. Selected exhibitions include; Molesworth Gallery, Dublin in 2003, 2004, 2006 & 2007, BP Portrait Award Exhibition, London & Edinburgh, 2004, Portrait Ireland, Wexford, 2005 and RHA Annual Exhibition, 2006. Patrick was awarded the K&M Evans Painting Prize at the RHA Annual Exhibition, 2006.

David Russell was born in Belfast in 1984 where he still lives and works. He studied at Queen's University Belfast gaining a BA in English in 2006 and an MA in Creative Writing in 2007. David has been exhibiting regularly at The Eakin Gallery since 2003. Selected exhibitions include; Royal Ulster Academy, 2008, St. Patrick's Day Exhibition of Irish Art, The Eakin Gallery, Belfast, 2008

Dermot Seymour was born in Belfast, 1956, and studied B.A Fine Art and A.D Fine Art at the University of Ulster, 1974-78 and 1980-81. He now lives and works in Co. Mayo. Selected exhibitions include; Eyed, Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, 2007, The Double Image, Representing Narratives in Contemporary Northern Irish Painting and Photography, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, 2007, The Disembodied Eye: Collective Histories of Northern Irish Art, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, 2006 and Exhibition of Contemporary Art from Ireland, European Central Bank, Frankfurt, Germany. Dermot's work is held in private and public collections including; European Central Bank, AXA Insurance, The Office of Public Works, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, University of Ulster, Mayo County Council, Cork City Council, National University Institute, Galway. Dermot Seymour was elected member of Aosdana in 1997 and is represented by Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin.

John Short lives and works in Co. Dublin. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art, 1971-76 and gained an MA from the Royal College of Art, London in 1979. Selected exhibitions include; Coast, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, 2008, Annual Irish Watercolour Society Exhibitions, Dun Laoghaire, 2006-2007. John has received numerous awards and has undertaken portrait commissions for The Sunday Tribune Newspaper Group, Saatchi & Saatchi, Bank of Ireland and many private commissions in Ireland, UK, France and USA.

Spending his time between Ireland and England, landscape painter Simon Tarrant has strong Irish roots, his mother hailing from Belfast and his father's mother from Dublin. Portrait painting is a new departure for Simon. His candid portrayals capture the essence of the sitter, epitomising aspects of human life such as the purity of childhood in his portrait 'Ella', Simon's nine-year-old niece. Travelling widely with his work, Simon has exhibited around the globe from New York to London, and for the past two years at the Royal Academy of Art, London. In 2008 Simon held two solo exhibitions in Ireland, at the Linen Hall Library in Belfast and at Aras an Chontae in Portlaoise, Co.Laois.

Michael Thompson was born in 1967, he lives and works in Bangor, Co. Down. He studied Fine Art at University of Ulster 1995 - 1998. Michael exhibits regularly with Cleft Gallery, Donaghadee, James Gallery, Bangor, Eakin Gallery, Belfast, and Charles Gilmore Fine Art, Belfast / Holywood.

Jennifer Trouton was born in Portadown, Co.Armagh, and is currently living and working in Belfast. Trouton has been exhibiting her work nationally and internationally since graduating with Honours in Fine Art from the University of Ulster in 1996. Jennifer was shortlisted for the AIB 'artist of promise' award, 2007 and was the recipient of the C.O.E. 2005 (Claremorris Open Exhibition, Ireland) Adjudicators' Award curated by Andrea Schieker, and a Golden Fleece award hosted by the Lillias Mitchell Foundation, Dublin. Trouton's work is held in numerous public collections including the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, The University of Ulster, ESB, and The Office of Public Works.