Born in Dublin in 1947, Fred McElwee trained as an architect. His main preoccupation since childhood, however, has been drawing and painting. Subsequent art training took place in N.C.A.D and D.L.C.A.D. Now matured and readily identifiable, his work is found in important public and private collections throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and elsewhere.

Fred works mainly in oils and on a diversity of subjects - still life, nudes, portraiture, flowers and particularly landscape. This fulfils a special interest in trees and foliage. These light filled paintings, often expressionistic in handling, explore the inherent nature of the tree in context through the elemental interchange of light, shade, colour, texture, massing, wind direction, branch structure etc.

While Fred concedes an obvious indebtedness to Cezanne, many will discern an underlying admiration for the palette of the later Roderic O'Conor.

Fred's work has also been selected many times for the R.H.A. Summer Shows as well as by invitation to their Banquet Show. He has also participated in other national jury selected exhibitions such as Iontas and an Oireachtas.

Submitted by Bill Feeny