Conor Mccreedy

Conor Matthew Mccreedy (born 11 February 1987 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a contemporary artist, conservationist and collector based in Switzerland. The color blue is prominent in his works.[1]

Conor Mccreedy
Mccreedy in November 2019
Born
Conor Matthew Mccreedy

(1987-02-11) 11 February 1987
Sandton, Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, South Africa
NationalitySouth African and British
EducationHilton College, Pratt Institute
Known forAbstract Expressionism, Figurative, Painting, Blue
Notable work
My Blue Narrative (2019), The Butterfly Effect Trio (2019), The Magnification of Chaos (2019) The Secret Angel (2012)
StyleBlue, Abstract, Chiaroscuro
AwardsKennith Beghin Memorial Prize for Art
Websiteconormccreedy.com

Personal life

Mccreedy was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1987. He is the great great grandson of Sir Theophilus Shepstone, the colonial British Statesman. His father is of French-Irish Ancestry, and his mother a South African architect and interior designer. Mccreedy recalls painting at age four using his mother's makeup brush and coffee grounds.[2] Later in his youth he became a fashion model, working for fashion houses including Calvin Klein.[3][4] He also attended Hilton College.[5] In 2006, Mccreedy earned a golf scholarship to attend Barton College in North Carolina.[6] Mccreedy dropped out of art school at the Pratt Institute in New York City to pursue an independent art career in 2007.[7][8] In 2013, the SA Style Awards named Mccreedy the "Most Stylish Personality" in South Africa.[9]

A museum is being built which will display his own steadily growing collection of contemporary artists in addition to his own works, it will be complete in 2022.[10]

Career

After dropping out of college, Mccreedy began selling his artwork on the streets of Union Square in New York City.[8] 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.[11] Mccreedy held his first solo exhibition here, titled Outliers,[12] making him the youngest artist to have had a solo exhibition at the venue.[6] The exhibition was composed of wildlife photography that he took in South Africa and African safari influenced paintings.[13] His one previous exhibition was at the David Brown Fine Art Gallery in Johannesburg.[6]

In 2011, he was commissioned by Time Warner to paint a version of its logo for a launch party using his "Mccreedyblue" colour.[6] The color used in all of his paintings is a combinations of five different blue pigments.[14] In 2012 he produced the "African Ocean" exhibition at the Charles Bank Gallery,[12][15] as a part of the Witness Hilton Arts Festival at Hilton College,[16][17] and Selected Works, 2006–2012, at the Ernie Els' Estate in Stellenbosch[7] In 2013 he was a part of a group show at the Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg.[18] Commissions of Mccreedy's work include murals painted in private New York City establishments such as the Soho House Hotel[19] and the penthouse of the Bowery Hotel.[4] In 2014 he had a solo exhibition at Gallery Proarta.[14]

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions:

  • "Outliers" National Arts Club. New York City, 2009.
  • "African Ocean" Elizabeth Street, Charles Bank Gallery New York City, 2012.
  • "Splash Paintings" ProArta Galerie, Zurich, 2014
  • "Mccreedyblue Abstract" Cat Street Gallery, Hong Kong, 2015.
  • "Chiaroscuro Abstract Portraits" HG Guggenheim Contemporary, New York City, 2016.
  • "Splash Paintings" Askeri Gallery, Moscow, 2017.
  • "Splash Paintings" Askeri Gallery, Moscow, 2018.[20]

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".[21]

Artwork

His painting was described by Amber Genuske in the Huffington Post as showing "fluid motion" and "expressionistic creation."[22]

He has stated in several interviews that Pablo Picasso is one of his largest influences.[23] Some of his pieces have been inspired by former South African president Nelson Mandela and the end of Apartheid in South Africa.[24] In June 2013, pieces of Mccreedy's artwork were stolen from a gallery in New York City.[25] Among the stolen pieces was a portrait of Nelson Mandela.[26] His first Asian solo exhibition was opened in 2015. His paintings have sold for up to US$150,000.[14] Mccreedy's "Mcreedyblue" is a combination of five blue pigments.[27]

Charity

Mccreedy supports many charities. During Art Basel, Switzerland in 2017, he 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.[28] Mccreedy is the founder of Protecting African Lions, an NPO set up to protecting the declining wild lion population.[29]

Proceeds from the sale of his recent 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 of by Simon de Pury.[30] He donated a small 'Angel Painting' to Ellerman House, Art Angels Foundation. The foundation is based in his home country. South Africa.[31] It is an annual charity party to benefit the Click Foundation.[32]

Designs

Mccreedy has collaborated with Bulgari and Rolex. He has also designed an Art Bed called "My Blue Heaven".[33][34]

References
  1. "Wohnrevue". Wohnrevue website.
  2. "Fairlady" (PDF). Recreate.za.net. May 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  3. "Conor Mccreedy: Outliers at the Core". CNN iReport. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  4. "Young SA artist paints the blues in the Big Apple Millionaire swops golf clubs for brushes "". Highbeam.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  5. "SA artist gets bite of Big Apple". Times Live Magazine.
  6. "Conor Mccreedy | Entrepreneur". Entrepreneurmag.co.za. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  7. "Conor Mccreedy". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  8. "Where Young Entrepreneurs Meet and Start Up | Entrepreneur.com". Young Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  9. "Glamour and Glitz at the SA Style Awards - My Joburg. Your News. Your Community. Online". myjoburg.com. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  10. "Prestige Magazine" (PDF). Prestige website.
  11. Suthentira Govender (3 April 2011). "SA artist gets bite of Big Apple". Times LIVE. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  12. "O Chats to Artist Conor Mccreedy - O, The Oprah Magazine". Oprahmag.co.za. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  13. "Wildlife Painter Conor McCreedy Attracts A Fashion-Forward Crowd". NBC New York. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  14. "Conor Mccreedy: Who Is the South African Artist?: Video". Bloomberg. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  15. "Conor Mccreedy's 'African Ocean' Opens in New York (PHOTOS)". HuffPost. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  16. "The Witness". The Witness. South Africa. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  17. "Top Artists Exhibit at Hilton Arts Fest". Highbeam.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  18. "Conor McCreedy is a South African artist based in New York. - LIVEOUTLOUD - Luxury Lifestyle Magazine". Liveoutloud.co.za. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  19. "SA boy gets the blues in golden Manhattan". Highbeam.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  20. "Afrcian Ocean".
  21. John Cole-Morgan (5 May 2015). "South African artist Conor McCreedy takes over Hong Kong's art scene". The South African.
  22. "Conor Mccreedy's 'African Ocean' Opens in New York (PHOTOS)". HuffPost. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  23. "Kuato Studios – Inspiring the Future of Learning". Rocketlist.me. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  24. "NYAB Event – Conor Mccreedy "African Ocean"". Nyartbeat.com. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  25. "The hunt for stolen Mandela painting". BBC. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  26. "Mandela painting stolen from SA-born artist in New York | Mail & Guardian". Mail & Guardian. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  27. "The Blue Renaissance". Project Luxury Magazine.
  28. "De Pury". De Pury. Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  29. "Protecting African Lions". protect lions website.
  30. "Forbes Gracious Hearts". Forbes.
  31. "Art Angels" (PDF). Art Angels catalogue.
  32. "click foundation". click foundation website.
  33. "Conor Mccreedy: Blaues Luxusbett geht auf Weltreise". Shots.media. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  34. "Stylish artist and businessman Conor Mccreedy presents 'Blue Heaven'". Be Global Fashion Network. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
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