Anthony Collins

Anthony Collins has been a resident artist at La Catedral Studios for over eleven years, tracing his connection back to the studios’ early days in the Docklands. Before dedicating himself fully to painting, he spent ten years as an art dealer in London, an experience that enriched his understanding of contemporary art and shaped his later practice.

Collins studied painting and art history at NCAD, graduating in 1999, and has since developed a dynamic and participatory artistic practice.

His work often takes the form of interactive events, where audiences are invited to explore the unpredictable nature of creativity. Projects such as Academy for Less Control and reimagining the biblical figure of Judith exemplify his interest in how tools, materials, and human agency interact to produce unexpected outcomes. Collins has also created extensive series of smaller works, like Memento, capturing the ephemeral beauty of woodland landscapes while reflecting on the fragility of both nature and human perception.

Collins’ painting style is experimental, often blending watercolour, acrylic, and unconventional supports. His practice emphasizes colour, mark-making, and playful unpredictability, inviting participants and viewers alike to engage with art in ways that encourage both reflection and joy. Over the years, he has created hundreds of handmade tools used in his participatory projects, producing thousands of images that document encounters with people, places, and moments in time.

His work has been widely exhibited both nationally and internationally, including EV+A Limerick (2001), Iontas Sligo (2005), and Eigse Carlow (2008), with solo exhibitions at Park Walk Gallery, London (1993) and the Oisín Gallery, Dublin (2001). His works are held in collections such as AXA Insurance, Microsoft, and the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook.

For Collins, art is both a personal exploration and a communal experience. He values the social and collaborative atmosphere of La Catedral, where artists, musicians, and actors come together, inspiring each other and pushing the boundaries of creative practice. His work celebrates imagination, experimentation, and the delicate interplay between chance, material, and human engagement.