Diarmuid Byron-O'Connor

Diarmuid Byron-O'Connor
Born (1964-12-07) 7 December 1964 (age 59)
NationalityBritish
EducationThe John Fisher School
Known forSculpture
Notable workChelsea School of Art

Diarmuid Byron-O'Connor (born 7 December 1964) is a British artist, best known for his sculpture.

He attended the John Fisher School in Purley, with presenter Matthew Wright. In 1984, he started at art college in Bristol. In 1986 he joined "Changing Places", a community and environmental arts project, as a stone carver – leaving in 1988. In 1991 he studied conceptual fine art at Chelsea School of Art, London.

Starting a decorating firm, Byron-O'Connor worked evenings sculpting with wax at home. He was commissioned to create a statue of Peter Pan to stand outside Great Ormond Street Hospital[1] which was given the rights to the character by creator J. M. Barrie. Following the unveiling of this work and an exhibition of small bronzes in 2000, he built a studio for private commissions.[2] In 2005 he added a scale statue of Tinker Bell to the one of Peter Pan, unveiled by The Countess of Wessex.[3]

Byron-O'Connor's research into World War I led to him designing sets for BBC2's The Trench;[4] BBC1's The Somme - From Defeat to Victory;[5] and the Discovery Channel's Mud, Blood, and Tarmac. Whilst working on the set for BBC One's The Crafty Tricks of War he was asked to co present the series with Dick Strawbridge. He subsequently made Geronimo with Fearne Cotton for BBC1.[6]

  • The clay Peter Pan
    The clay Peter Pan
  • Icarus by Byron-O'Connor
    Icarus by Byron-O'Connor
  • Peter Pan limited edition]
    Peter Pan limited edition]
  • 150 Limited edition bronze for Great Ormond Street Hospital
    150 Limited edition bronze for Great Ormond Street Hospital
  1. ^ Hickc, Bill (25 June 2009). "Model students: Why GCSE pupils are head over heels about sculpture". The Independent. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  2. ^ "GGGallery - Gallery". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  3. ^ "The Great Ormond Street Hospital "Tinker Bell" by Diarmuid Byron-O'Connor". Fairiesworld.com. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  4. ^ "History - World Wars: Life in The Trenches Virtual Tour". BBC. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  5. ^ "OU on the BBC: The Somme - From Defeat To Victory - OpenLearn - Open University". Open2.net. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Crafty Tricks of War". Dick Strawbridge. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2011.