Today we’d like to introduce you to Eamon Harrington.
Eamon, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve been a television director for over 35 years. I co-own Planet Grande Pictures in Malibu, and we specialize in making documentaries. Our films have won 7 Emmys over the years among various other industry honors. One night 9 years ago I picked up a brush and began to move paint around a canvas. I have painted nearly every day since then. I still love looking through the lens of a camera and telling provocative stories in the edit room, but painting is giving me a creative freedom I never found in the television industry. Maybe it’s because painting is a solitary discipline compared to the collaborative nature of filmmaking. Maybe it’s because there are no network executives trying to tinker with my canvasses the way they tinker with my rough cuts. I’m not sure. But whatever it is, I feel blessed to have found this exhilarating new way of expressing myself.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I mainly paint with acrylics on canvas, although recently I have begun to paint furniture and surfboards as well. I generally work in the early mornings or the late evenings. My living room has gradually evolved into my studio over the years, thanks to the patience and encouragement of my wife Veronica. I prefer working in the house as opposed to going to a studio because it allows me to stay connected to the rhythms of my family even when I’m working. My paintings are often political in nature, drawing from the headlines and news cycles. I often incorporate text into the work, probably because I can’t draw very well. That lack of ability to represent objects realistically has allowed me to explore the beauty of words and text. My work is often abstract. I use bold colors and I apply thick layers of paint. I suppose I would describe my style as folk influenced, with a nod to abstract expressionism and pop art.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
Cultivating an audience that collects the work is a challenge. Getting seen on a wide scale is a challenge. Finding the appropriate price range is a challenge. Shipping the work is a challenge. Storing the work that doesn’t sell immediately is a challenge. Continuing to evolve is a challenge. Avoiding the temptation to settle into what’s comfortable is a challenge. It’s one challenge after another!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have recently opened a 6-month pop-up in Malibu called Red Ladder Gallery, located in Malibu Village at 3832 Cross Creek Road. My partner in the gallery, animation guru Adam Shaheen, is sponsoring my work exclusively at Red Ladder now through the end of October. I also have work hanging in many restaurants around LA including Il Moro in West LA, Macaroni Republic in DTLA, and Ollo in Malibu. My website is eamonharrington.myshopify.com.
Contact Info:
- Address: RED LADDER GALLERY
3832 Cross Creek Road Malibu, CA 90265 - Website: eamonharrington.myshopify.com
- Phone: 805-910-7274, 310-420-3567
- Email: redladdergalley@gmail.com, eamon@planetgrande.net
- Instagram: @eamonh, @redladdergallery
- Facebook: eamon harrington, red ladder gallery
Image Credit:
Surfboard shaped by Keegan Gibbs
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