Brian Ballard RUA was born in Belfast in 1943 and trained at the College of Art, Belfast and later at the College of Art, Liverpool. Although he still lives in Belfast, most of his time is spent on the remote island of Inishfree off the coast of Donegal. Well known for his landscapes and expressionistic still-lifes and combining sure draughtsmanship with an exciting sense of colour Brian Ballard has become a well sought after Irish artist. Ballard's love of painting is inspiried by the ordinary things in his world, such as a bowl of fruit, a vase of flowers or a stack of books. He handles a paintbrush boldly and his loose decisive strokes display a gentle innocence within his work. His pictures were first hung in the Arts Council of Ireland in 1967 and has exhibited widely in the UK and Ireland. His work can be found in many collections The Ulster Museum, National Trust, Waterford Wedgewood PLC and U2.