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The artist & the man...

Edward McNulty was born near Irvinestown in Co. Fermanagh in 1941, spending his school days just across the border in Kilskeery Primary School, Co. Tyrone. It is here, way back then, Eddie - as he is  known - first took a keen interest in drawing and painting. However, it was only in 1963 when this interest, and occasional hobby, began to take hold. It was then Eddie began to craft an envied talent and begin his life-long journey as an artist.

He featured in several exhibitions during the sixties and early seventies. It was during this period he began painting wildlife subjects, attributed always to his love of the countryside where he grew up as a boy. His first wildlife only exhibition in 1984 was a complete sell-out, with 27 of the 29 paintings on display sold within an hour of its opening.

Along with the creation of wildlife masterpieces, Eddie continued to produce landscapes, still life and portraits. He has captured many famous faces over the years, including numerous members of the Royal Family like Prince Charles, the Queen Mother and Lord Mountbatten. His portrait of Princess Anne was selected by The Sun newspaper for its Royal Portrait competition and went on display at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 1998. His portrait of Her Majesty the Queen during her 60th birthday celebrations in that iconic blue floral dress featured on The Antiques Roadshow, and subsequently was chosen to be part of a special celebration of the Queen's life in portrait in 2011 and resided in Hillsborough Castle for the six-week-long exhibition.

Eddie has won over 20 awards throughout his career for his landscape, wildlife, still life and portrait paintings. In 1996 he won the coveted Winsor & Newton Bronze Medal First Prize in its International Wildlife Competition. In the same year he won first prize in a national competition for painting farm animals and in 1999 he was voted by an Italian Art magazine as one of Europe's best still life painters.

In the late 80s he was selected to illustrate gundogs and game birds for the Irish magazine 'Shooting News' capturing beautiful pheasants, woodcocks, and springer spaniels for readers . He has also been featured many times on TV and in the press over his long career. And his work has been on display in countless galleries across Europe, as well as going under the hammer at leading auction houses.

His personal love of golf transferred through his paint brush on to canvas with Eddie painting numerous stars of the sport such as Tiger Woods and Darren Clarke, with some commissioned by leading golf clubs across the country. And of course, his life-like portrait of Rory McElroy, which was signed by the golfer himself, was on display for many years at the Castle Hume Golf Club at the Lough Erne, outside Enniskillen in Co. Fermanagh.

He also loves to teach others to paint, taking up an art lecturer role with the Fermanagh College in 1988 with classes focussing on technique in oils, watercolours, and acrylics as well as the art of drawing in pencil and charcoal. And even now at the grand 'young' age of 80 he stills takes afternoon and evening classes, sharing his love and passion for painting.

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