Rod Coyne is permanent artist in residency and owner/manager at Avoca Gallery. Here he is also the inspirational facilitator of the Avoca Painting School. “So many of his images could be straight out of my own memory, very strange and wonderful, the red lightship, the Wicklow high valley, the angel glimpsed,” said Irish Laureate Sebastian Barry of Rod Coyne’s work in 2009. The artist graduated from Dun Laoghaire and Crawford Colleges of Art, before moving to Düsseldorf in 1990. After a decade working in his Rhine-side studio he returned to paint the Irish landscape en plein air. Coyne founded the Avoca Studio Gallery in 2003 followed later by the Avoca Painting School in 2010. Rod exhibits on the international stage and his paintings grace public, private and corporate collections quite literally worldwide.
Created in the teeth of a storm or on the shores of a placid mountain lake, Rod Coyne’s paintings convey a narrative that allow the viewer to witness nature and landscape first-hand. The combination of his contemporary painting styles depict the elemental atmosphere of a living landscape. His passion and direct approach communicate this power and energy as he opens a window to the Irish landscape in your living room.
Rod Coyne – Artist Statement
After a decade painting in Düsseldorf I came home to paint the Irish landscape. Since the year 2000 my plein air conversation continues unabated. With the landscape as a vehicle my painting has morphed continually. Originally working with acrylics untill I turned to oils in 2005. Realising the oil was still malleable after a day out painting I began to distress the surface back at the studio creating atmospherics. Later, on realising all the fine detail would dissolve during that process I replaced my brushes with palette knife. Enjoying the knife’s crisp edged image I stopped distressing the paint in 2010. Since 2012 I had been searching to marry atmospherics with palette knife. In 2015 I achieved that union with my “Waters Soft & Wild” exhibition. More recently I have been taking new paths and you can learn about these on our blog.
Attainments 2023
Three artist exhibition in Studio Hiller, Dusseldorf, Germany, entitled DIF3 – Achieved 20 years of Avoca Studio Gallery open to the public – Awarded Culture Ireland funding under the Ireland in Germany international culture program – Avoca Studio Gallery reopens after “Covid renovations”
Attainments 2022
Rod continued Avoca Studio Gallery structural and styling “Covid renovations” – Hosted six Outdoor Painting Workshops – Drove 3,500km through Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia and Bosnia with a bunch of crusty biker mates (who really should know better).
Attainments 2021
Rod commences Avoca Studio Gallery structural and styling “Covid renovations” – Extensive expansion of Avoca Gallery .ie website – Awarded Cill Rialaig Artist Retreat Residency – Art Source art fair, RDS Dublin
Attainments 2020
Juried exhibition: Contemporary Irish Arts Center L.A. – Commission: 1916 Collection for Rebel Coffee, Cork – Juried exhibition: “Through the Artist’s Eye”, Birr Castle – New website launch: Avoca Gallery .ie
Attainments 2019
The year finished with Rod as Prize winner: Banksy Eco Project, Tramore, Waterford – his artwork was selected for CD cover: Barleyshakes – Residency: Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry – Exhibition: “Kingdom Come”, Origin Gallery, Dublin
Attainments 2018
2018 started with “Seeing Red” a solo exhibition in Dublin’s Origin Gallery – which later traveled to Cill Rialaig Art Centre, Co. Kerry – October Rod’s Skellig Fire & Ice was shortlisted London’s NOA.
Attainments 2017
2017 During a landmark residency in Cill Rialaig Rod kick-started his Seeing Red project. This was validated with his prize winner Skelscar Abbey in the Wexford Art in the Open.
Attainments 2016
2016’s highlights included touring his solo 1916 Portrait Collection – invited for residency at Tourin House – received Wicklow Arts Bursary to commence his Pirate Painter Project.
Attainments 2015
2015’s highlights include a solo launched by Minister of Arts Humphreys in Dublin’s Origin Gallery – Rod was shortlisted for National Art Open UK (Royal College of Art) – later invited to participate in Sky TV’s Landscape Painter of the year.
Attainments 2014
In 2014 Rod launched solo exhibition entitled “My Place on Canvas” – Awarded Wicklow Leader financing to produced a one-hour plein air DVD – Awarded Arts Council Travel Grant – Rod was one of thirty international artists selected to participate in “Schilders Week” symposium Domburg, Holland.
Attainments 1993 – 2013
Pleas see Rod’s latest CV.
Rod’s latest on YouTube.