Donald Teskey has been announced as the winner of the RCSI Art Award 2024 in association with the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) and The Irish Times.

The Limerick-born artist was awarded for his oil on canvas piece, ‘Orchestral II’. It was selected from a shortlist of five pieces that were chosen from 515 works on display as part of the 194th RHA Annual Exhibition, Ireland’s largest and longest-running exhibition of visual arts. 

Now in its ninth year, the RCSI Art Award celebrates the long-standing association between art, medicine and well-being. At a ceremony in RHA today, Donald was awarded an RCSI silver medal along with a prize fund of €5,000 to progress his practice, and a €10,000 commission to create a new piece for the RCSI Art Collection. 

Donald Teskey was born in Co. Limerick and graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design in 1978. He came to prominence as an artist through his skill as a draughtsman during the 1980s with several significant solo exhibitions. Since 1992 he has crafted out a substantial body of work as a painter of the landscape focusing on the ruggedness of the western seaboard. Sometimes working on a very large scale, his images reflect his response to the formal elements of composition; shape, form and fall of light.  

Teskey has exhibited widely in the UK, USA, Canada, China, Germany, France, Finland and South Africa. His work is held in national collections including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery of Ireland, Arts Council of Ireland, as well as corporate and private collections worldwide. 

Donald Teskey commented on his win saying: “I’ve been at this a long time and don’t ever expect to win awards so when a prize such as RCSI award comes my way it represents a significant moment in the story of my painting career, one that deserves a large bookmark. I’m also impressed by the long-term collaboration between the RCSI and the RHA that enables this award.” 

Evolving series

Describing the winning piece, Teskey said: “The painting, Orchestral II, is from an evolving series of paintings based on aspects of the riverbank which first began in 2017. In this case, the impressive Butterbur leaves which grow and develop into harmonious clusters along the banks of the river Dodder in the summer. The Dodder runs close to my studio. Their large green leafy pad arrangements scrolling out along the riverbank suggests to me, musical tablature and punctuated by clusters of orchestral polyphony. In this particular painting, I’m getting in very close to the action like a conductor. The Dodder is a suburban river for much of its course and so it is necessary to get in close to the undergrowth to avoid the ubiquitous urban architecture which is nearly always present in the background.

“My appreciation for nature and woodlands became even more heightened in recent years, concern for the environment and biodiversity being very much to the fore. There has been much focus on the health benefits, both physical and mental that nature can bring. It works for me as an artist as much as for anyone.”

RCSI Vice Chancellor Professor Cathal Kelly, commented: “Congratulations to Donald Teskey on winning the 2024 RCSI Art Award. This award is a celebration of the common heritage of RCSI and the RHA and the important link that exists between art and medicine. We look forward to seeing the artwork that Donald will create for the RCSI Art Collection, which serves to enrich our campus experience and inspire students, staff and all who visit RCSI. My thanks to the RCSI Art Award judging panel for their enthusiasm, passion and commitment to the award.”

All works of art, in any medium, selected for the 194th RHA Annual Exhibition were considered for the RCSI Art Award. The four other shortlisted works are Cubist Bull by John Behan RHA, Homage to Paint and Protest by Liam Belton RHA, At the Starlit Sill I Let Them Draw Near by Eileen Leonard Sealy and The Wait by Sadhbh Mowlds. For further information about the RHA Annual Exhibition, visit www.rhagallery.ie. The Limerick-born artist was awarded for his oil on canvas piece, ‘Orchestral II’. It was selected from a shortlist of five pieces that were chosen from 515 works on display as part of the 194th RHA Annual Exhibition, Ireland’s largest and longest-running exhibition of visual arts.

Art, medicine and well-being

Now in its ninth year, the RCSI Art Award celebrates the long-standing association between art, medicine and well-being. At a ceremony in RHA today, Donald was awarded an RCSI silver medal along with a prize fund of €5,000 to progress his practice, and a €10,000 commission to create a new piece for the RCSI Art Collection.

Donald Teskey was born in Co. Limerick and graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design in 1978. He came to prominence as an artist through his skill as a draughtsman during the 1980s with several significant solo exhibitions. Since 1992 he has crafted out a substantial body of work as a painter of the landscape focusing on the ruggedness of the western seaboard. Sometimes working on a very large scale, his images reflect his response to the formal elements of composition; shape, form and fall of light. 

Teskey has exhibited widely in the UK, USA, Canada, China, Germany, France, Finland and South Africa. His work is held in national collections including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery of Ireland, Arts Council of Ireland, as well as corporate and private collections worldwide.

Donald Teskey commented on his win saying: “I’ve been at this a long time and don’t ever expect to win awards so when a prize such as RCSI award comes my way it represents a significant moment in the story of my painting career, one that deserves a large bookmark. I’m also impressed by the long-term collaboration between the RCSI and the RHA that enables this award.”

Describing the winning piece, Mr Teskey said: “The painting, Orchestral II, is from an evolving series of paintings based on aspects of the riverbank which first began in 2017. In this case, the impressive Butterbur leaves which grow and develop into harmonious clusters along the banks of the river Dodder in the summer. The Dodder runs close to my studio. Their large green leafy pad arrangements scrolling out along the riverbank suggests to me, musical tablature and punctuated by clusters of orchestral polyphony. In this particular painting, I’m getting in very close to the action like a conductor. The Dodder is a suburban river for much of its course and so it is necessary to get in close to the undergrowth to avoid the ubiquitous urban architecture which is nearly always present in the background.”

“My appreciation for nature and woodlands became even more heightened in recent years, concern for the environment and biodiversity being very much to the fore. There has been much focus on the health benefits, both physical and mental that nature can bring. It works for me as an artist as much as for anyone.”

Common heritage

RCSI Vice Chancellor Professor Cathal Kelly, commented: “Congratulations to Donald Teskey on winning the 2024 RCSI Art Award. This award is a celebration of the common heritage of RCSI and the RHA and the important link that exists between art and medicine. We look forward to seeing the artwork that Donald will create for the RCSI Art Collection, which serves to enrich our campus experience and inspire students, staff and all who visit RCSI. My thanks to the RCSI Art Award judging panel for their enthusiasm, passion and commitment to the award.”

All works of art, in any medium, selected for the 194th RHA Annual Exhibition were considered for the RCSI Art Award. The four other shortlisted works are Cubist Bull by John Behan RHA, Homage to Paint and Protest by Liam Belton RHA, At the Starlit Sill I Let Them Draw Near by Eileen Leonard Sealy and The Wait by Sadhbh Mowlds. For further information about the RHA Annual Exhibition, visit www.rhagallery.ie.