Portrait of Cork artist Bill Griffin on home ground

We catch up with Cork artist Bill Griffin as Charlie Bird performs the opening of the painter's exhibition now running in Allihies

Bill Griffin at his exhibition. Pictures: Brian Cronin

What influences our choice when we select a work of art for the home? Is it the simple enjoyment of the image or artefact, a reminder it gives of a place and time, or the artist behind the work?

According to former RTÉ news correspondent Charlie Bird, it can be a mixture of all three. “I said to my wife, inshallah, we’re coming towards the end of lockdown. I’d like a painting, a marker of Covid; I rang artist and friend Bill Griffin asking him to paint me a picture to act as a reminder both to me and generations to come of these past 18 months. I ended up taking two.”

Speaking at Bill’s new exhibition in Allihies, Charlie adds: “I have three of Bill’s paintings at home in Wicklow; Bill’s work is distinctive; it leaps out of the canvas.

Charlie Bird and Bill Griffin at the exhibition opening Pictures: Brian Cronin

Symbolic of the archaeological ruins of the Allihies mines, in the future Bill’s images will hang with their own story to tell, ghostly edges in their fringes.

Explaining how this body of work, originally destined for St Petersburg, ended up displaying “at home” in the Allihies community centre, AKA The Halla, Bill says: “I was approached by Alexander Marachev, onetime director of Bula Resources, inviting me to exhibit in St Petersburg and Moscow. I had everything prepared and ready to go. Then Covid hit. What you see here is a selection, a third of the work.”

Once a consultant in the oil industry, Bill still works with oil, albeit now in its capacity as painting material.

The display shouts colour and hones diverse conversations around biblical themes, the Irish justice system, and ancient Egypt. Theo Dorgan’s poem Black Fox Woods provides inspiration. One work, The Wedding Planner of Cana, causes the artist to chortle as Bird muses on a “two thousand-year-old wedding planner”.

Bill’s personal favourite, 8 pints for Mossie reflects on his brother’s death: “An amazing character if you had the patience to listen to him.”

A Song for Deirdre took Bill years to complete, he says. “I didn’t know when to finish,” says the artist, adding that neighbour and fellow artist Tim Goulding once told him: “A painting will tell you when it’s finished; if it wants you to keep working on it, do it.”

Charlie Bird is there to meet filmmaker Brian Cronin to partake in a documentary on Bill’s life.

Brian, maker of several short films including RTÉ’s Fond of a Moth (incidentally featuring Bill’s brother Mossie) and videos for acts including Mick Flannery, said the exhibition is the starting point of his documentary. “I’ve known Bill a long time. I enjoy spending time with him so working alongside him is a bonus; I’ve photographed extensively for his previous art brochures and exhibitions.”

Likewise, Charlie Bird tells the Irish Examiner he met Bill in the Middle East just before the Gulf War. “Twenty-four years ago, he was a man with a suit and no beard, known for being buddies with Saddam Hussein. Now, this ‘mad hatter’ is painting with his fingers.”

Bill agrees. “Events in Iraq caused me to leave the oil business; I disagreed with UN sanctions. A million people died of starvation; people forget that. Part of me always wanted to go back to painting.”

The artist speaks about his work adorning the hall’s eggshell-coloured walls with tenderness. “Fingers are sensitive, more delicate than a brush.”

Artist Bill Griffin.

Contemplating the vivid faces peering out from their frames, Bill reflects: “There can be no loneliness, I’m living with these people; they’re alive in my head; they have lives.

“The paintings aren’t for sale. I might keep it, or in time, donate it to the nation, but for now, it will stay together as a body of work to eventually show in a gallery.

“Originally destined for a very prestigious gallery — part of the Hermitage in St Petersburg — unfortunately, now, that’s not likely to happen.”

Charlie Bird, who opened Bill’s first-ever solo exhibition at St Finbarre’s Cathedral in 2000, reiterates his pleasure at seeing this new work, hoping that all viewership will give strength, not only to Bill, but to artists of every genre who sustained the difficult Covid period. 

“It’s a lonely furrow you’ve been digging, or in this case, painting. It’s an amazing sunny weekend, I believe, good karma.

“After 18 months of hard times, here is an artist still working. It’s great to see. I’m taking part in this documentary to help all artists, and Bill is that symbol.”

A €5 ticket is necessary to gain exhibition entry; these can be bought in the village shop, pubs or via online donations.

A welcome fundraiser for the financially stricken hall, the tickets culminate in a raffle for a painting. “It’s my way of giving back; Covid has devastated the Halla’s income; no festivals; no Christmas events. Of course, the venue is ideal, a large hall that can accommodate my larger pieces.”

Spokesperson Rachel Southgate adds that it is “a real delight to see the hall being used again; it’s uplifting”, with treasurer Lorraine Higgins noting: “Every single donation we get is a lifesaver, keeping us afloat.”

Looking around, Bill concludes: “People come in and say the place looks great, my reply being ‘Oh! What about the paintings?’ Honestly, although it never made it to St Petersburg, I’m delighted with it.” The paintings remain hanging for the foreseeable future.

• Bill Griffin Exhibition, Allihies Hall, Allihies, Beara, Co Cork