For Immediate Release: May 6, 2019
One of Ireland’s premier contemporary artists Richard Hearns returns to The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture with an exhibit showcasing a vibrant new collection of still life paintings with ancient spiritual roots. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a portrait memorializing New York’s Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Specializing in representational and abstract paintings, Hearns’ portrait of the Cardinal is a marked departure from much of his previous work and one which, according to the artist, “required considerable study and research.” The finished product so impressed the subject that it will join the collection of official portraits of the Archbishops of New York at the Cardinal’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral residence. The portrait will be available for public viewing along with Hearns’ still life collection at The Sheen Center Gallery from May 9 through May 22.
Members of the press are invited to an exclusive viewing and reception with the artist at The Sheen Center Gallery on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at 6:00PM. Kindly confirm attendance by contacting [email protected].
Richard Hearns’ journey into traditional portraiture was both technical and personal, as he sought to capture not only the image and likeness of the Cardinal, but the joy and charisma of the man. “To assist in my understanding,” the artist tells us, “I met with two very special people in his life. One was my godmother, Sr. Rosario Delaney, who served as school principal at the Holy Infant school in Ballwin, Missouri; and the other, Cardinal Dolan’s grade school teacher, Sr. Bosco Daly. Their kind words helped to inspire and affirm my knowledge of the man.” This unexpected biographical perspective, held in the memory of the future Cardinal’s grade school teacher, helped bridge the gap between technique and real life for the artist
As a backdrop for the portrait, Hearns chose the Cardinal’s private chapel. He prepared the canvas with warm a imprematura or ground color and began the process of painting and building color successively to create the image. Scale and space around the subject were used to ensure breathing room and the “welcome” that the composition so thoughtfully conveys.
To view the portrait and to learn more about Richard Hearn’s exhibit, please join him at The Sheen Center Gallery May 9 or contact [email protected] directly to schedule an interview
The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture is a New York City arts center located in NoHo that presents a vibrant mix of theater, film, music, art and talks. A project of the Archdiocese of New York, The Sheen Center serves all New Yorkers by presenting performances and artists that reflect the true, the good, and the beautiful. Cognizant of our creation in the image and likeness of God, the Sheen Center aspires to present the heights and depths of human expression in thought and culture, featuring humankind as fully alive. Named for the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, best remembered as an inspirational author, radio host and two-time Emmy Award-winning television personality, The Sheen Center reflects his modern-day approach to contemporary topics. The Sheen Center is a state-of-the-art theater complex that includes the 270-seat off-Broadway Loreto Theater, equipped with five-camera high-definition TV and live-stream capability and a multi-track recording studio; the 80-seat off-off-Broadway Black Box Theater; four rehearsal studios; and an art gallery.