This biography from the Archives of AskART:
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 William Conor OBE, RHA, RUA (1881–1968)
The Irish figure and portrait painter William Conor, noted for his sympathetic genre-paintings of working-class life in Ulster, was born in Belfast, the son of a wrought-iron worker. At the age of 10, the skill and dexterity of his chalk drawings was noticed by a teacher who arranged for him to attend the Government School of Design in Belfast.
After initially working as a commercial designer, William Conor was commissioned by the British wartime government to produce official records of soldiers and munitions workers.
In 1920, he moved to London where he met such artists as John Lavery and Augustus John. In 1921, he exhibited at the Royal Academy (RA) and continued showing at the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA). From 1918-1967, he exhibited more than 200 works at the RHA. He became an Associate RHA in 1938 and a full member in 1946. He focused on oil painting but executed a number of watercolours and crayon drawings.
In 1930, William Conor was one of the first Academicians when the Belfast Art Society was renamed the Ulster Academy of Arts. Two years later, he executed several mural commissions for Belfast Museum and Art Gallery. He showed at the Victor Waddington Galleries in 1944 and 1948.
In 1952, he was made OBE and in 1957 he was elected President of the Royal Ulster Academy (RUA) - an office he held for 7 years. He exhibited at Bell Gallery, Belfast in 1964, 1966 and 1967. Conor was also elected foundation member of the National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Engravers. In addition, he became the first Irish member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters.
His paintings were widely shown during his lifetime. His solo exhibitions include:
1922 Grosvenor Galleries, London: "William Conor."?1968 Arts Council Northern Ireland, Belfast: "William Conor 1881-1968."?1999 Ulster Museum, Belfast: "William Conor- The People's Painter."
His group exhibitions include numerous Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) shows and numerous Oireachtas. His artworks are represented in several public collections, including:
- Ulster Museum, Belfast.?- Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin.?- Limerick Gallery of Art.?- National Self Portrait Collection, University of Limerick.?- Water Colour Society of Ireland Collection, Limerick.
Source:
Online Encyclopedia of Irish and World Art
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/irish-artists/william-conor.htm | |
This biography from the Archives of AskART:
| Please note: Artists not classified as American in our database may have limited biographical data
compared to the extensive information about American artists.
 Celebrated for his warm and sympathetic portrayals of working-class
life in Ulster, William Conor studied at the Government School of
Design in Belfast in the 1890s. He initially worked as a commercial
artist, before being commissioned during WWI by the British government
to produce official records of soldiers and munitions workers.
He
moved to London in 1920 and there met and socialized with such artists
as Sir John Lavery and Augustus John. He exhibited at the Royal Academy in
1921 and in Dublin at the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) from 1918-1967, showing there nearly
200 works.
Conor was one of the first Academicians when the Belfast
Art Society became the Ulster Academy of Arts in 1930. He became
an Associate RHA in 1938 and a full member in 1946.
Exhibitions
at the Victor Waddington Galleries were held in 1944 and 1948. In
1952 he was awarded the OBE and in 1957 he was elected President
of the Royal Ulster Academy - an office he held until 1964.
More than 50 works of
his in crayon and watercolour are in the permanent collections of
the Ulster Museum. | Source:
Whyte's Auction
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