Local man’s artwork gets stamp of approval

WHEN a Northside man visits his local post office these days he can be excused for having a broad smile on his face when he steps through the door. 

Brian Palm’s painting of the ‘RMS Leinster Exploding’ is being used on the current Irish postage stamp commemorating the sinking of the Mailboat Leinster on October 10, 1918, only one month before the First World War ended. 

Brian, who is originally from the US, said his regular visits to his local post office in Drumcondra have taken a “lively turn”.

“I am now bringing my own stamps in to be hand franked by staff who all know me,” he told Northside People. “It has created a lot of good humour and laughter for all of us.

“I have lived in Drumcondra for 15 years and I am originally from America. I regularly send cards, letters and parcels abroad from the post office in Centra, Drumcondra, where I am very well known. I am the first American to have my artwork used on an Irish postage stamp. I recently attended the launch of the stamp as a VIP, and also attended several commemoration ceremonies in remembrance of the disaster. 

“The sinking of RMS Leinster off Dun Laoghaire is still the worst Irish maritime tragedy, despite being over shadowed by the more famous Titanic and Lusitania disasters.”

The day after the stamp was launched, Brian had a solo exhibition in the Duke Street Gallery about the RMS Leinster.

“It did quite well, particularly in what is still a very bad market for contemporary art sales,” he said.

“I will have two paintings exhibited in the United Arts Club in an exhibition which opened on November 23 and I am currently working towards the Christmas Exhibition in the Duke Street Gallery, which will be opening on December 6. 

“For 2019 I will continue as Artist-in-Residence at the Ireland Institute for Cultural and Historical Studies, 27 Pearse Street, Dublin 2.”