In his essay ‘The Painter of Modern Life’, first published in 1863, Charles Baudelaire wrote: ‘Genius is no more than childhood recaptured at will, childhood equipped now with man’s physical means to express itself, and with the analytical mind that enables it to bring order into the sum of experience, involuntarily amassed.’  More than any other painter in Northern Ireland, Neil Shawcross, who turns eighty this year, has succeeded in recapturing childhood and imbuing his work with a playful spontaneity and wit. One of our most celebrated and popular artists, Shawcross has received public recognition for his compelling portraits, joyful nudes and iconic still lifes. Over six decades, through his painting, teaching and friendships, he has made his mark on Irish art and artists.