From a profile by Ann Gormley and Oisin Grehan
Louisa Nally Celtic Canine Artist L
ouisa is undoubtedly one of Ireland’s most accomplished canine artists. Born in Clare, she has established herself internationally as a specialist in the Irish native breeds of dogs and gundog and sporting art, producing an uncanny likeness of her artistic subjects. The soul of each of the dogs she has painted can be seen through the lifelike expression in their eyes. The atmospheric and magical content of her work leads to each painting becoming truly creative and almost inviting you into each picture.
Aged three, her creative talents in sporting art were discovered by her grandfather, a very talented artist who was a friend and colleague of Paul Henry (who painted so many well known scenes of Connemara). On one of
his visits, her grandfather found her lying on the floor with a box of crayons drawing bunnies and designing a cardboard cart for her tortoise in which to pull her teddy bears for a picnic feast. Her Grandfather said: “You certainly have got my talent and also my nose.” She was so pleased about having his talent but rather cross about having his nose and indeed still is over half a century later. The drawing won her first prize in a competition on radio, a large paint box and brushes. She was on her way into the world of painting and all the magic it was to bring her. Stories of Ancient Ireland, its pagan religion and Celtic fables were to feed her imagination and so came her first Irish dog breed to be portrayed. The hound of Cullen and Cu Cullen emerged as a detailed illustration. At school in Sion Hill, Blackrock now aged six, she was encouraged to enter the Texaco Art competitions every year and won many certificate awards. When Louisa did her inter cert at 15 years old she received the highest marks in the country. She did not continue school after that but was sent to commercial college instead which she absolutely hated. At night she attended technical college where she studied engineering and mechanical drawing. Leading from this she went on to work for 15 years as a draughting assistant in electrical, mechanical and technical drawing, hence her attention to fine detail in her work today. She also went to Art College at night but in the late 60s abstract art was all the rage and she left the college to spend more time studying art by herself. But determined to follow this artistic path she studied on her own for the Art Teaching Certificates.
A greater interest in canine art develops
Thirty Years of Irish Game Fairs. 102
Autumn 2011 Countrysports and Country Life
Next was a period working on the restoration of Victorian paintings, her part in this work was to return any dogs which were damaged to their original state. This helped to create in Louisa a greater interest to paint dogs. Artists whom have influenced her in her work have been Sir Edwin Landseer, William Osborne the Irish animal and portrait painter,Albrecht Durer for his detailed engravings and Leonardo da Vinci not just for his