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Welcome to our website showcasing products by the artist, Tim O’Brien GAvA where our aim is to provide quality at an affordable price. If you cannot see a particular item please contact Tim to discuss or request the latest free colour product list by phone +44 (0) 1949 877590 or email tobrienart@hotmail.com.

Over three decades, Wilfred Hardy GAvA painted the poster artwork for the Finningley, then Waddington International Airshows. In 2001, he decided to pass on the baton to Tim O’Brien. Tim talks about the latest poster:

“During March, I designed and painted the poster artwork for the 2008 Waddington International Airshow, incorporating the 90^th Anniversary of the RAF theme. The ‘raw’ image is pictured left before the designers add the lettering and sponsors logos. In addition to this a ‘latest news’ inset colour artwork and line artwork for a ‘Spot the Difference’ competition were also produced.”

For those of you attending the Waddington airshow, look out for Tim’s advertisement in the Souvenir Programme detailing a new, exclusive range of Giclee Prints from paintings not previously published. These prints will be available for mail order from early July.

Having worked for the IPC Media publication since late 2000, Tim takes up the story of the most prestigious ‘Aeroplane’ magazine commission to date:

“The brief from the ‘Aeroplane crew’ was to design and paint the artwork for their ‘100 years of British Aviation’ Special issue (July 2008), including all the aircraft featured in the articles…….but then came, “can you complete it before we go to press in three weeks?” Gulp! Despite the tight deadline, the gauntlet had been dropped and before I thought about it too much, I had accepted the challenge. Then, just to up the stakes the ‘Aeroplane crew’ believe that I am the first artist to grace the main cover since the days of the original 1911 – 1968 C.G. Grey publication, apart from a few special supplements in recent years. So, no pressure then! As you can see, I managed to complete on time with everyone happy with the result. I hope you enjoy it too”.

“I have also featured my latest pen illustration from the previous issue of ‘Aeroplane’ (June 2008), which is of an ill-fated BOAC Boeing 707 for an article titled ‘The last flight of Whiskey Echo’ by Susan Ottaway.”

Tim is currently working on two further illustrations that will appear in the September issue of Aeroplane.

Make a date in your diary to pay a visit to a major exhibition of original paintings by Tim and his father, Michael and sister, Kerry O’Brien, who you will also be able to meet. It is open daily from 11th to 20th November 2008, 10 to 4-30pm at St. Luke’s House gallery, 71/73 Friar Lane, Nottingham, NG1 6DH. A selection of prints, cards and books will also be on sale as well as many of Tim’s original aviation paintings.

Anticipated launch date: Late Summer 2008 – exact date to be confirmed. Please contact Tim for more details.

A new comprehensive book about the life of RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire from 1936 to 2001, titled ‘Last post at Newton’ has been written and illustrated by Tim O’Brien GAvA. The book, which Tim has been working on for the last seven years, includes many archive and contemporary photographs, plus specially produced line drawings and paintings, of which some will be available as cards and prints at a later date.

June 2008 update: “After some production related delays, all the text, photographs and artwork are now complete. The latest Government eco-town proposal has also been included to bring the story bang up to date. I am currently designing the book in my spare-time away from my hectic work schedule of full-time Artist, Illustrator and Designer. My mock-up design is approx 87% complete before handing it over to a professional book layout guy who will digitise the design into pdf format before passing the files over to a specialist book printer. Thank you for your patience during this lengthy and costly production process, but like ‘Vulcan XH558’ it will be ready soon!"