Conor Mccreedy Explained

Conor Mccreedy
Birth Name:Conor Matthew Mccreedy
Birth Place:Johannesburg, South Africa
Nationality:South African and British
Known For:Painting, abstract expressionism
Style:Abstract, blue, chiaroscuro

Conor Matthew Mccreedy (born 1987) is a contemporary artist, conservationist and collector based in Switzerland. In his work, his depiction of abstraction is linked to chaos theory. The colour blue is prominent in his works.[1]

Personal life

Mccreedy was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1987, to a South African mother and a French-Irish father.[2] He recalls painting at age four using his mother's makeup brush and coffee grounds.[3] Later in his youth, he became a fashion model, working for fashion houses including Calvin Klein.[4] He also attended Hilton College.[5] In 2006, Mccreedy earned a golf scholarship to attend Barton College in North Carolina. Mccreedy dropped out of art school at the Pratt Institute in New York City to pursue an independent art career in 2007.[6]

Career

After dropping out of college, Mccreedy began selling his artwork on the streets of Union Square in New York City.[6] After marketing manager Mick Rock noticed Mccreedy's work in a gallery, he urged him to talk to Aldon James Jr., the President of the National Arts Club, a private club.[7] Mccreedy held his first solo exhibition here, titled Outliers,[8] making him the youngest artist to have had a solo exhibition at the venue.[9] The exhibition was composed of wildlife photography that he took in South Africa and African safari influenced paintings.[10]

In 2011, he was commissioned by Time Warner to paint a version of its logo for a launch party using his "Mccreedyblue" colour.[9] The colour used in all of his paintings is a combinations of five different blue pigments. In 2012 he produced the "African Ocean" exhibition at the Charles Bank Gallery,[11] as a part of the Witness Hilton Arts Festival at Hilton College,[12] [13] and Selected Works, 2006–2012, at Ernie Els' estate in Stellenbosch.[9]

Commissions of Mccreedy's work include murals painted in private New York City establishments such as the Soho House Hotel[14] and the penthouse of the Bowery Hotel.[15] In 2014, he had a solo exhibition at Gallery Proarta.

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions:

In 2015, his new work formed the exhibition Mccreedyblue, held in Hong Kong, China at the Cat Street Gallery. He also held solo exhibitions in Zurich and Palm Beach. John Cole-Morgan of the South African stated of his Hong Kong exhibition that Mccreedy's work was "powerful, dynamic and genuinely hypnotic".[19]

Artwork

His painting was described by Amber Genuske in the Huffington Post as showing "fluid motion" and "expressionistic creation."[20]

He has stated in several interviews that Pablo Picasso is one of his largest influences.[21] Some of his pieces have been inspired by former South African president Nelson Mandela and the end of Apartheid in South Africa.[22] In June 2013, pieces of Mccreedy's artwork were stolen from a gallery in New York City.[23] Among the stolen pieces was a portrait of Nelson Mandela.[24] His first Asian solo exhibition was opened in 2015. His paintings have sold for up to US$150,000.[25] His "Mcreedyblue" is a combination of five blue pigments.[26]

Charity

During Art Basel, Switzerland in 2017, Mccreedy donated his small Houses of Parliament, London painting to the UNAIDS, United Nations foundation. The painting was auctioned off during the opening night gala dinner in Basel.[27] Mccreedy is the founder of Protecting African Lions, an NPO set up to protecting the declining wild lion population.[28]

Proceeds from the sale of his small 'Splash Painting' went to cerebral palsy causes, part of the Gracious Hearts Foundation. The painting was titled 'Feelings' The auction was held at Christie's in London and was auctioned off by Simon de Pury.He donated a small 'Angel Painting' to Ellerman House, Art Angels Foundation. The foundation is based in his home country. South Africa.[29] It is an annual charity party to benefit the Click Foundation.

In 2023, Mccreedy collaborated with Swiss jewellery designer Suzanne Syz to make a 170 carat blue sapphire brooche that was incorporated into Mccreedy’s painting "Blue eyes sapphirus falco columbarius".[30] The painting sold for ZAR8.2 million (ca. US$420,000) during Art Basel in Switzerland.[31] Approximately ten per cent (ZAR800,000; US$40,000) of that sum was donated to Africamission's Drops of Life Campaign.[32]

Designs

Mccreedy designed an Art Bed called "My Blue Heaven".[33] [34]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leben und arbeiten unter einem Dach . Wohnrevue website.
  2. Web site: Cole-Morgan . John J. . South African artist Conor Mccreedy takes over Hong Kong's art scene . The South African . 2015-05-05 . 2023-09-18.
  3. Web site: Fairlady. May 2011. Recreate.za.net. 2017-08-27 . usurped . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225651/http://www.recreate.za.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/artcastmay-FAIR-LADY.pdf . March 3, 2016.
  4. Web site: Conor Mccreedy: Outliers at the Core. CNN iReport. 29 September 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006073043/http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-432163 . October 6, 2014.
  5. Web site: SA artist gets bite of Big Apple . Times Live Magazine.
  6. Web site: Where Young Entrepreneurs Meet and Start Up | Entrepreneur.com . Young Entrepreneur . 3 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130730022309/http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/blog/from-starving-artist-to-young-entrepreneur-conor-mccreedy-on-making-creativity-pay/ . 30 July 2013 . dead .
  7. Web site: Suthentira Govender . SA artist gets bite of Big Apple . Times LIVE . 3 April 2011 . 3 June 2014.
  8. Web site: O Chats to Artist Conor Mccreedy - O, The Oprah Magazine. Oprahmag.co.za. 29 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006083430/http://www.oprahmag.co.za/live-your-best-life/relationships/o-chats-to-artist-conor-mccreedy. 6 October 2014. dead.
  9. Web site: Conor Mccreedy | Entrepreneur . Entrepreneurmag.co.za . 14 January 2013 . 3 June 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130119002151/http://www.entrepreneurmag.co.za/advice/success-stories/snapshots/conor-mccreedy/ . January 19, 2013.
  10. Web site: Wildlife Painter Conor Mccreedy Attracts A Fashion-Forward Crowd. NBC New York. 29 September 2014.
  11. Web site: Conor Mccreedy's 'African Ocean' Opens in New York (PHOTOS). 23 March 2012. HuffPost. 29 September 2014.
  12. Web site: The Witness. The Witness. South Africa. 29 September 2014.
  13. Web site: Top Artists Exhibit at Hilton Arts Fest. https://web.archive.org/web/20150323165901/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-301389776.html. dead. 23 March 2015. Highbeam.com. 29 September 2014.
  14. Web site: SA boy gets the blues in golden Manhattan.. Highbeam.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140921210102/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-288892372.html. 21 September 2014. 29 September 2014.
  15. Web site: Young SA artist paints the blues in the Big Apple Millionaire swops golf clubs for brushes. https://web.archive.org/web/20140921210109/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-284270155.html. dead. 21 September 2014. Highbeam.com. 29 September 2014.
  16. Web site: Ocean" Exhibition Opening. 6 March 2024.
  17. Web site: Conor Mccreedy. Askeri Gallery. 8 September 2023.
  18. Web site: Net Jets . netjets.com. 6 March 2024.
  19. Web site: South African artist Conor Mccreedy takes over Hong Kong's art scene . The South African . 5 May 2015 . John Cole-Morgan.
  20. Web site: Conor Mccreedy's 'African Ocean' Opens in New York (PHOTOS) . Huffingtonpost.com. 23 March 2012 . 3 June 2014.
  21. Web site: Kuato Studios – Inspiring the Future of Learning . Rocketlist.me . 3 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215926/http://rocketlist.me/videos/conor-mccreedy/ . 4 October 2013 . dead .
  22. Web site: NYAB Event – Conor Mccreedy "African Ocean" . Nyartbeat.com . 3 June 2014.
  23. Web site: The hunt for stolen Mandela painting . BBC . 28 June 2013 . 3 June 2014.
  24. Web site: Mandela painting stolen from SA-born artist in New York | Mail & Guardian . Mail & Guardian . 24 June 2013 . 3 June 2014.
  25. Web site: Conor Mccreedy: Who Is the South African Artist?: Video . https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195848/http://www.bloomberg.com/video/conor-mccreedy-who-is-the-south-african-artist-km2M0RLeRMSgDFnhvBUU6A.html. dead. 10 September 2014. Bloomberg. 29 September 2014.
  26. Web site: The Blue Renaissance . Project Luxury Magazine . 21 March 2017 . 30 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210730105032/https://www.projectluxury.com/single-post/2016/04/21/conor-mccreedys-the-blue-renaissance . dead .
  27. Web site: De Pury . 5 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180406040625/http://de-pury.com/lot/785 . 6 April 2018 . dead .
  28. Web site: Protecting African Lions . protect lions website.
  29. Web site: Art Angels . Art Angels catalogue.
  30. Web site: Richard. Bohrer. Katja. Stefan. 2023-06-13. Die teuersten, irrsten, ausgefallensten Kunstwerke. 2023-10-09. Blick.
  31. Web site: Musyoki . Rose . 2023-07-07 . Conor McCreedy: A Celebrated Artist Redefining Art with Blue . 2023-10-09 . Art News Africa . en-US.
  32. Web site: Mann . Mic . 2023-06-30 . 'Blue eyes' by Conor McCreedy fetches R8.2m at Art Basel, funds lifesaving NFT campaign in Africa . 2023-10-09 . Biz Community . en.
  33. Web site: Conor Mccreedy: Blaues Luxusbett geht auf Weltreise. Shots.media. 27 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170828104704/http://www.shots.media/accessoires/2016/conor-mccreedy-blaues-luxusbett-geht-auf-weltreise/3704 . 28 August 2017 . dead.
  34. Web site: Stylish artist and businessman Conor Mccreedy presents 'Blue Heaven'. Be Global Fashion Network. 27 August 2017.

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