George Smyth

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George H. Smyth

Since graduating from university in 1994, with a B.A. Honours in Fine Art, George has produced almost 450 paintings and sold them all. Born in the coastal village of Ardglass, in the north of Ireland, in 1968, he was encouraged as a child by his father Ben, himself a talented water-colourist, to draw and paint.

Discovering the work of the Surrealists in his youth cemented his notion to become an artist. Extensive travelling allowed him to view paintings in the flesh that had only ever been poured over in books. In fact at one point George found himself standing in Salvador Dali’s home studio in Port Lligat, Spain.

Later he discovered the work of the Modern Scottish Realists and befriended his hero, the renowned painter, Peter Howson, who provided George with much valued encouragement.

Settling at Tyrell Beach, close to Ardglass in 1995, saw his palette become brighter, inspired by the sunshine of Los Angeles which he visited often.

George has exhibited in Dublin, London and New York. He has produced icon images for rock bands and activist groups, as well as wine merchants. His work has been seen on T-Shirts, tattoos, mugs and M.T.V.

Taken from his site.

Around the middle of 1990 George was introduced to Fyfe Ewing the drummer in an emerging Irish rock band called Therapy? They immediately hit it off.

A mutual love of music, painting and cinema saw the band asking him to design the cover of their debut, self-financed single ‘Meat Abstract’ A copy of which was handed personally to the Radio 1 DJ John Peel who played it shortly afterwards.

So impressed with the result they then gave him carte blanche to produce the artwork for their next two albums ‘Babyteeth’ and ‘Pleasure Death’.

“I believe the imagery matches the music perfectly”, he says, “uncompromising, in-your-face but at the same time thought provoking.” Paul Brannigan the ex-editor of British music magazine ‘Kerrang!’ has said that “They are my favourite album covers of all time!”