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Fig. 16. Norah McGuinness
Fig. 17. Brown Thomas window display designed by Norah McGuinness.
Norah worked 3 days a week from the 1940’s to the 1970’s doing these
displays.
Fig. 15. Norah McGuinness and Elizabeth Rivers
doing Brown Thomas window
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Derry born artist Norah McGuinness won a three year scholarship to study at the Metropolitan
School of Art in Dublin at the age of 18, where she was taught by Harry Clarke, Patrick Tuohy and
Oswald Reeves before moving to London to study at the Chelsea School of Art. In 1923 she won
an RDS medal and the following year exhibited for the first time at the RHA. During these years
McGuinness supported herself by designing sets and costumes for the Abbey and Peacock theatres
and illustrated books.
Under the advice of Mainie Jellett she travelled to Paris to study for a period under Andre Lhote. In
1957 she was elected an Honorary member of the RHA but resigned in 1969. A founding mem-
ber of the Irish Exhibition of Living Art, she served as president from 1944 to 1971. McGuinness
exhibited regularly at the Dawson and Taylor Galleries as well as in London, Paris and NewYork. She
also represented Ireland at the 1950Venice Biennale with Nano Reid. A retrospective of her work
was held at Trinity College Dublin in 1968 where she was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1973.
Her work can be found in the National Gallery of Ireland, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Hugh Lane
Municipal Gallery, Ulster Museum and Crawford Gallery
