Painter Michael cruises to success

A NORTH Clare resident recently painted his way around the world as an art instructor on the Cunard line’s flagship cruise liner, the Queen Mary 2.
Earlier this year, painter Michael Hanrahan left his home in Lahinch for a four-week voyage incorporating stays in some of the most exciting locations in the world.
“This was part of a world cruise that began in January and finished in April. My role was to teach watercolour painting and I had over 60 student guests each day. It was a wonderful experience and we visited Cape Town, South Africa, St Helena, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Barbados, Fort Lauderdale in Florida, New York and crossed the Atlantic to Southampton,” Michael recalls.
For the Dublin man, the Big Apple proved to be the most memorable port.
“New York was spectacular. The ship was escorted by helicopters from the New York Police Department coming into and leaving Manhattan. The sail-away with Manhattan in the distance, I’ll never forget that view,” he claims. He acknowledges that the reflections of the lights of Cape Town on the water were also mesmerising and provided some artistic inspiration.
Based in the Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon, former bank official Michael loves to paint and to travel. Therefore, it wasn’t a difficult choice for him to join the likes of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, comedian Des O’Connor and former war correspondent Martin Bell on board the 150,000-tonne carrier.
“I answered an ad by a company looking for art instructors for the Cunard Line. It has some of the biggest cruise liners in the world, including the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria. They wanted an art instructor on each cruise. So I gave them my webpage address and they liked what they saw. They interviewed me by phone from Florida back in November. That lasted for about half an hour and then the director of entertainment said they would like me to take part,” Michael explains.
The Lahinch resident didn’t answer straight away, though.
“I decided over night, so within about 12 hours, that this was a chance in a million and an opportunity not to be missed. When would you get that chance again? It is a completely new audience,” he adds.
According to Michael, his time on the ship was pure luxury.
“I started at 10am each day and went on until noon. I would start off doing watercolour painting with 26 students. Then I would teach a further 26 in the afternoon from 2pm until 4pm. Many of the people on it are retired and they are really interested in art classes, computer classes and so on,” he states.
Michael’s students painted mainly landscape and still-life images.
“This was my first time teaching. It was a wonderful experience, particularly with beginners who would say they couldn’t draw or paint and within 10 minutes, I had them painting, doing washes and so on and the look on their faces was amazing when you show them the techniques,” he comments.
On his return, he was approached to run a similar course on a cruise to Alaska. While he had to decline on that occasion, he hopes to travel around the Mediterranean later this year.
“I got great feedback, the passengers really seemed to enjoy it. I suppose if it didn’t go well, they wouldn’t be inviting me back,” he says.
Michael’s recent paintings take their inspiration from a more local source, Ennistymon Horse Fair.
“It is a special day when everyone comes in with their horses and donkeys and ponies. I love that day. My paintings are an attempt to record these events because sadly they are nearly a thing of the past,” he says.
An exhibition of Michael’s work takes place at the Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon on July 3.