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Stories
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Vincent Devine: Past, Present and the Portrait of Vicky Phelan
From a sell-out debut art show, to having his artwork featured on Madonna's "Rebel Heart Tour", Vincent Devine’s career as an internationally-recognised artist began developing his art portfolio on a Level 5 Art and Design PLC course at Moate Business College (MBC).
During the course, Vincent honed his technical and design skills, improved his observation skills, and quickly learnt how to transform what he saw around him into art of any medium. These skills, he says, were crucial for enhancing his skillset as an artist. Once his portfolio was completed, he continued his education on a degree course in Graphic Design.
However, it was while he was on this course that he began to paint independently and by the time he finished his degree (with a first-class honours), Vincent knew more than anything that he wanted to be an artist.
With dedication and hard work, Vincent built on the skills gained, to become an artist acclaimed by international stars such as Shakira, Will-i-am, Alanis Morissette and J.K Rowling to name a few. Not only that, but he also even had work commissioned by Tyra Banks, Roisin Murphy and Iggy Azalea.
But a particularly poignant and proud time in Vincent’s career came in 2021 when he was commissioned to paint a portrait of cervical cancer campaigner, Vicky Phelan. The painting was included in a charity auction for Heroes Aid, a charity set up in 2020 in response to the global pandemic to help source and fund personal protective equipment, educational and psychological supports for healthcare workers.
Vincent divided the painting into three panels, Vicky’s past, present, and future, each depicted on Doonbeg beach. Not only does this artwork immortalise Vicky Phelan, but when it was auctioned, it raised over €58,000.
Commenting on her collaboration with Vincent, Vicky describes how she felt Vincent understood what was important to her and why.
“I could see how invested he was in his work. He’s very strong into women’s rights and advocating for women and what I really loved was the anatomical way he painted me.
“I really like this idea of showing my scars. We all live with scars that nobody sees, and I thought it was a really clever way of making the invisible visible.”
Moate Business College is one of the largest colleges for further education in the Midlands region. With three departments of study, Business and IT, Art and Sport, and Healthcare and Social Studies, the college provide seventeen full time courses and caters for over 400 full time students.
Recalling his time there, Vincent says the solid foundation he gained on the Art and Design course allowed him to continue developing his abilities after he graduated. The education he received, he says “has proved invaluable and integral to my artistic practice."
Create your career with FET
If you are inspired by Vincent’s story, why not visit www.fetchcourses.ie or www.apprenticeship.ie to see what options FET has for you.
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