Sir, – It was with a great sadness and a sense of loss that I heard of the death of one of our greatest painters, Basil Blackshaw.
Basil was a long time friend, a fellow painter, a hero to me always.
He was a painter who expressed in great depth his personal life, his place of belonging. He was a great enthusiast of his fellow Irish poets, actors and the arts in general.
From his early work of portraying his interest in horses and dogs to his more recent quite abstract paintings of walls, doors and windows, he was always looking out into a world of allusion and invention.
Basil was a gentle soul, never critical, giving encouragement to younger and contemporary painters and his close association with poets in particular.
He viewed his world in a childlike fashion, without judgment.
On my last visit to his home and studio, I was amused to see him watching the horse racing on his small TV, with binoculars. He explained that he wanted to feel that he was at the field. This was typical of Basil.
A great sense of fun always.
He will be sadly missed in Ireland and by his many friends.
– Is mise,
FELIM EGAN
Dublin 2.