It is not easy to sum up the work and life of an Irish artist currently in his artistic prime but at 7.30pm on Tuesday 29th February 2000, a significant cultural event took place in the City of Armagh that crystalized the past and present of John B. Vallely.

Also known as JB Vallely, and seen very much as a local artist - born in the city almost sixty years hence, he realized his life to date was literally staring him in the face. The occasion was the opening of his own major Retrospective exhibition.

In the weeks and months prior, almost two hundred paintings had been retrieved throughout and beyond Ireland in order to document the extraordinary life of this painter, and in particular to capture his wholehearted enthusiasm for traditional music, sport and mythology.

This was a significant event in that a local artist, who had attended local schools and participated in local sports events and who was now largely regarded as one of Ireland's greatest living painters, had, despite his frequent trips abroad, remained loyal to his place of birth.

Despite all the knockbacks and hardships, and there were many, particularly during the dark days of the troubles, JB. Vallely had stayed put, battled on and painted away in his native homeland.

The Retrospective also marked the first event in the long awaited and magnificently modern Market Place Theatre & Gallery right in the heart of the historic Cathedral city. Millions had been spent and programme expectations were high. No better man to put it on the international map.

There's additional value in pointing to the cultural resonances of such an exhibition, bearing in mind that John B. Vallely had long taken on a custodial role regarding the well being of Irish traditional music, Irish mythology and Irish sport - areas that have become his hallmark themes throughout 40 years of painting.

The Retrospective was lent further weight with the launch of the impressive award winning book " A Work of Art " - an unparalleled work of art in itself on the life and work of the man. Such was the anticipated surge in interest for this painter, musician, athlete, festival director and father of five that words were also deemed necessary to document a quite remarkable life.

Even as a young student at the Belfast College of Art, which he attended in 1959 before going on to Edinburgh Art College, he showed remarkable enthusiasm. Close to the day to day development of Vallely's work at the Art College in Belfast was artist and lecturer, Tom Carr. Now the eminent father figure of Ulster Art, Carr made reference to the student saying: " He was the most remarkable student I ever had. He drew with such assurance and maturity. His sketch-book was such quality on outings that I wanted to take a few pages out of it and keep them for myself ! "

40 years of painting have been peppered with hugely impressionable trips abroad such as to Spain and North Africa, some as long ago as the early and mid 60's, a time prior to the visits first made by hippies and then by backpackers and tourists. His earliest quest for outside experience saw him at the 1960 Rome Olympics with Belfast gym proprieter Buster McShane in support of the Irish weightlifing team, yet seeking out Italian art on the same trip. Again, in 1963 he travelled to Italy by car with painter and jazz flugelhorn player Tony Valentine.

Much of his time is now spent between painting and encouraging the hundreds of music students who attend the classes given by the Armagh Piper's Club which he founded over 30 years ago. The Piper's Club, which runs weekly classes, some taught by JB himself, organise the William Kennedy International Piping Festival each autumn as well as numerous other concerts in Armagh throughout the year.

For a much more detailed and insightful account of John B. Vallely's truely remarkable life and powerful representations of his work we refer you to " A Work of Art " - details on this limited edition book and how to order feature elsewhere on this website.