"Moods of Cheltenham" 2026 O/C by John Fitzgerald (Irish, B. 1976)

Canvas Sz: 15 3/8"H x 19 1/4"W Frame Sz: 19 1/2"H x 23 1/2"W Signed: LR Dated: 10. 6. 26 A scene from just after the race, where everything has fallen quiet, time moved at a much slower pace back then, a time when there was less noise, and less distractions. John Fitzgerald is now established as one of Ireland’s leading Equine, Sporting and Portrait Art. Born in Co. Meath in 1976, John still lives and works from his studio in the heart of Meath’s countryside. John originally studied Industrial Design in Letterkenny RTC & in University of Wales, Swansea. It was while in college that he developed a strong understanding of drawing & design and the different techniques used in completing a piece from initial concept sketches, observation and studying 3-dimensional form. John has carried out commissions for many leading horse owners and trainers, and has painted some of our top equine heroes as well as portraits of leading Jockeys such as Lester Piggot & 20 times champion A.P. Mc Coy. John's work is now collected worldwide, incl New Zealand, New York, Colorado, Germany & London. In 2013 John was asked to be the Artist in Residence by the Curragh Racecourse, where he has his own studio/ gallery which is open to the public on race days. 2014 saw John’s work reach a huge audience at The Cheltenham Festival, where he was filmed by Channel 4 Racing while he was doing A.P. Mc Coy’s portrait, and sketches & studies around the parade ring and weigh room. in 2018 John was commissioned to paint one of the world's most famous racehorses, Shergar, for a BBC Documentary Searching for Shergar, this was a massive achievement for John which saw his work reach millions worldwide. John is now highly sought after, and his work can take months to complete. He puts his heart and soul into every single piece, and can paint in many styles to suit. “A painting is yours to treasure, and it will be there for the next generations to treasure too”.