"Approaching Storm, 2025" Painting

Adam Reid is a contemporary Irish artist in London whose paintings emerge from the intersection of literature, memory, and a reverence for the Masters.

Born in Galway and raised in Toronto, Adam moved to London in his early thirties (returning to the city where his Irish father grew up) and now lives in Hackney with his young family. A voracious reader and cultural observer, Adam approaches painting as an emotional sanctuary.

Adam formerly worked entirely in gouache, but has expanded his practice to include acrylic, Posca paint markers, and waffles between painting on canvas and board. The influence of Turner's atmospheric power and the School of London's raw emotional intensity permeates his work, yet Adam's voice remains distinctly his own.

When not painting in his Hackney studio, Adam can be found reading, cooking, or walking in search of history and herons. All while navigating life with young twins. These experiences and observations inevitably find their way onto canvas, informing the emotional depth and contemporary relevance of his work.