About
Northern Irish based artist Dawn Crothers has been painting her naive style artwork in oils for almost two decades now. As well as being a professional artist selling her paintings worldwide, Dawn inspires young art students by teaching them art at her studio based in Belfast, which is an historic stable building on the Lismachan Estate, in the Glenmachan area. Her family home is within walking distance of her studio, where she lives with her husband and two sons. She also has two beloved pets, a dog called Bodie, and a cat called Coco.
Dawn painting one of her Snail Tree original oil paintings in her studio
Children have always been Dawns biggest fans; there’s a certain freedom and raw creativity that connects with them. Over the years she has passed on her passion for art to others by visiting schools vacillating workshops. The picture book “The Snail Artist”, which she has written and illustrated portrays her passion to inspire children to become more interested in art. The book brings together her visually exciting paintings and her new writing voice. Which she says has always been there, her ability to tell a story in paint has now manifest itself into words.
All Dawns paintings reflect her personality and approachable attributes. She wants the viewer to relish in the many humorous characters and scenes she brings to life and hopes the viewer sees the emotion and energy she portrays in her artwork and writing. One question that always pops up for her is why snails? this mythical creature that features in so many of her paintings and is the main character in her latest book. Dawn says I would like to think it’s because I notice the beauty in often overlooked in things such as a small garden snail, but I also think there must be a deeper meaning. Looking back at her time studying Art at University of Ulster the shell spiral shape appears everywhere in her sketchbooks, as long as I remember I have been drawing circles, said Dawn. Dawn was born in city of Belfast and grew up in a place called the Shore Road, a major thoroughfare with a history tied to land reclamation, as it was once adjacent to the sea. As a little girl, she thought of a sea underneath the streets where she lived in fascinated her, she seen evidence of that underworld every day, she saw many seashells and spiral shaped fossils in the ground where she played as a child.
She can’t say for certain where the snail paintings came from however, she can say that they are not intentional, all her artworks are created and driven from pictures in her mind, pure imagination. Some images are real, and some are subconscious but all of them are authentic.
Dawn is a member of the Ulster Society of Women Artists and was awarded the President’s Award in 2023. She has exhibited in many art galleries across the United Kingdom and Ireland; in 2012 she was asked to take part in a group exhibition in New York. The Royal Victoria Hospital for sick children opened their new Hematology Ward in 2016, Dawn donated a large collection of her colorful oil paintings to brighten up their new facility. When the newly built Daisy Lodge in Newcastle, County Down opened its Cancer therapeutic short break center for families affected by cancer in August 2019 Dawn donated several bespoke paintings to compliment this 5-star retreat. During COVID Dawn provided a service to the NHS, helping staff and their families relieve some pressure by doing art demonstrations online. Her presence online grew fast, and she took part in “The Culture Cafe” teaching an art class for the BBC. The numbers grew and we had up 1500 children with their families log on to watch Dawn take her online zoom classes during lock-down. Dawn was commissioned by the Belfast City Council to paint a uniquely decorated elephant sculpture, the project was called “Elmer's Big Belfast “a public art trail that took place in the summer of 2022, in collaboration with “Wild in Art “and the Northern Ireland children’s Hospice to celebrate their 20th year anniversary and to raise vital funds.
Dawns elephant sculpture called “A Day at the Zoo” still sits in public view at Belfast Zoo; her elephant was inspired by fond memories of visiting there as a child. An animal lover herself she’s known for her paintings inspired by the zoo, the animals and the zoo's historical features such as” Flora Hall” and of course the picturesque views of Cave Hill overlooking Belfast. In 2023 Dawn held a solo exhibition showing her affection for dogs, she worked alongside” The Barn Animal Rescue” in Newtownards County Down.
Some of Dawns artwork features people and places often with a feeling of nostalgic like “Barry's” an amusement park in Portrush on the North Coast and the beautiful beaches of Helen Bay, County Down. It’s really in these most recent works that she began to see the connection between her paintings and storytelling. She started to write short stories and one thing led to a another, it seemed like a natural fit for me, said Dawn as most of my work was based on make believe.
Dawns many years of working with children has given her great insight into what like, what they find funny and amusing, how they like to draw and paint and the holistic benefits of art that’s so good for children’s well-being.
Throughout her career she has always felt like the more creative energy she gives out, the more she receives. And so, “The Snail Artist” book was created, over a couple over years of creation and a year of production. The book will be released on November 2025, with so many art exhibitions and book signings planned for the year ahead!!
Exhibitions
2025 The Snail Artist - Exhibition and Book Launch, Glenmillan Press Ltd, Belfast
2024 Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition, Belfast
2024 Ulster Society of Women Artists Spring Exhibition, Antrim
2023 Solo Dog Exhibition, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2023 Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition, Belfast
(WINNER of President's Award)
2022 Solo Exhibition, New Works, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2021 Solo Exhibition, Staycation, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2020 Solo Exhibition, Christmas, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2019 Solo Exhibition, Clowns of the Sea, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2018 Solo Christmas Exhibition, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2017 Solo Exhibition, Cameron Landscapes, Belfast
2016 Birthstone Solo Exhibition, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2015 Opening Group Show, Art Care, Belfast
2015 Group Christmas Show, The Art Agency, Surrey
2015 Group Christmas Show, The Gallery Kinsale, Ireland
2015 Solo Exhibition, Christmas, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2015 Group Show Lavelle Art Gallery, Clifden, Ireland
2014 Solo Exhibition, Arts for All Gallery, Belfast
2014 Edinburgh Art Fair
2014 Liverpool Contemporary Art Fair
2013 Group Christmas Exhibition, Whalley Fine Art, Belfast
2013 The Mulberry Tree Gallery, Dorset
2013 The Inchmore Gallery, Inverness, Scotland
2012 Solo Exhibition, McAllister Fine Art, Surrey
2012 The Agora Gallery, Chelsea, New York
2010 Group Exhibition The Millbank Gallery, Templepatrick
2010 Group Exhibition Killarney Art Gallery, Ireland
2010 Group Exhibition the Whalley Gallery, Holywood
2010 Irish Interiors Ulster Tatler, Exhibition, Belfast
2009 Group Exhibition, Whalley Gallery, Holywood
2008 Group Exhibition, Grand Opening of Whalley Gallery, Holywood
2007 Group Exhibition, The Yard Gallery, Holywood
Collections/ Corporate
A & L Goodbody, Belfast
Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children, Haematology Ward, Belfast
Daisy Lodge, Cancer Fund for Children, Newcastle, County Down
Tiny Life, Belfast
Cancer Research, UK
Dame Mary Peters LG, CH, DBE, DStJ
Wee Care, Day Nurseries, Belfast
Sir Hugh Orde
Dillon Bass Ltd
Mercer Dental, Bangor, County Down
Hamilton Road Surgery, Bangor, County Down
Coast Restaurant, Holywood
Hope House, Whitehead, Northern Ireland
McHughs Bar, Belfast
Cosmetech, Kings Road, London
The Neptune Group, London
