Newbridge artist a winner at Oireachtas na Gaeilge
Leinster Leader, March 22nd 2001A Newbridge artist is among five winners of the annual Oireachtas na Gaeilge Art Exhibition. Derek Fitzsimons, a sculptor from Kilbelin, was chosen to receive the prestigious award by the Irish language cultural, arts and literary organisation last week.
The theme for this year's exhibition was 'water' and over
300 artists from all over the country submitted entries, from
which almost 100 pieces of art will be put on display.
The exhibition, which takes place in the Town Hall, Dun Laoghaire, has been postponed
until July and will feature sculpture, woodcarvings, water, colours, oils, etchings
and paintings and drawings on canvas. Derek Fitzsimons, a self taught
sculptor originally from Dublin, first began his craft in 1980 and moved on to
stone carving in 1985. He has gained an international reputation for his works
in bronze, stone, terracotta, metal, wood, glass and plastic in figurative and
abstract.
He has displayed work in no less than 65 exhibitions all over Ireland
and abroad in venues such as the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts,
Dublin, Riccione, Ravenna and Caorle, Italy (by invitation), Montbrison Arts Festival and Le Pradet, France (both by invitation) and Brooklyn, New York. He was commissioned by the Irish Times Group for a limited edition of 100 bronzes in 1985. lie has also been commissioned by the Guinness Group and Digital lreland.
Closer to home, Derek was commissioned by Kildare County Council
for a public
sculpture in polished limestone and marble for the County Fire
Station in Newbridge.
The local authority also commissioned him for a sculpture in granite and steel
in Kill village titled 'Tree from a Secret Garden".
Private commissions have been just as regular.
He is responsible for two portrait life size bronze figures playing
frisbee at Ardenode Stud and for the bronze portrait outside Naas
Courthouse. But one of Derek's most impressive works to date is
sited at Enniskillen Bridge on the border. He was commissioned in
1998 by Cavan County Council for the massive public sculpture
comprising of two larger than life bronze figures to commemorate the peace
talks and the re-opening of the bridge which was renamed after Senator George
Mitchell.
Some of the sculptor's pieces have also found their way into the private
collections of President Mary McAleese, US Senator George Mitchell, Minister
Noel Dempsey and John Bruton TD.
His reputation for sculpture is now second to none in the region and he boasts
public works in Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Germany, Sardinia, Israel, Mauritania,
France(3) and Italy (4).
This is the second time he has been recognised by the national organisation,
having won an Oireachtas medal in 1987.