Verner Finlay

Verner Finlay's love of art started at a young age. Born in 1962, he won the first of many art competitions whilst in primary two and in his third year at Laurenhill High School, Lisburn, when he created the winning design for the Arts Advisory Council logo.

After leaving school in 1978 at the age of sixteen, Verner took an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic, however, he was constantly sketching and drawing; which led him to begin studying an evening A-level art course at Lisburn Technical College. He then trained as a sign writer and illustrator, which gave him the practical experience and the confidence to create his own style of landscape paintings.

In 1993 Verner staged his first solo exhibition in a local hotel and began painting full time and taking commissions. He was awarded the L.E.D.U. Artrepreneur award in 1995 and since then he has not looked back. Over the past years Verner's reputation as a successful artist has grown, he has had a number of sell out exhibitions and has steadily increased in popularity among critics and collectors. His paintings are held in the collections of the D.O.E Offices situated in Belfast, hotels across Ireland and several private collections in Europe, America, Canada,, and South Africa.