★A collection of dialogues about the renowned artist Colin Davidson, this book delves into in-depth conversations centered on his twelve iconic paintings, revealing the stories behind these works, the creative process, and the artist’s personal insights.

★Colin Davidson is a brilliant contemporary artist with a wide and profound range of creative work. His pieces are not only technically masterful but also deeply moving, earning him widespread international recognition and numerous awards. He has also become the first artist whose painting graced the cover of Time magazine’s year-end issue.

★Simon Callow, a British actor who has won the Olivier Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award and has been nominated for the BAFTA Awards twice, wrote the foreword for this book.

Twelve Paintings is an intimate and compelling exploration of the life and work of the renowned Irish artist Colin Davidson. Structured around a series of deeply personal conversations with the broadcaster Mark Carruthers, the book uses twelve key works – from early Belfast street scenes to iconic portraits of figures like Queen Elizabeth II, Seamus Heaney and Ed Sheeran – as gateways into broader reflections on art, memory and place.

Combining memoir and artistic manifesto, Twelve Paintings delves into Davidson’s creative process and the powerful human stories behind his work. Rooted in a long-standing friendship, the conversations accompanying the paintings offer a rare glimpse into the artist’s evolving practice.

Through these wide-ranging dialogues, Davidson reveals not only the technical and emotional depth behind his work but also his personal convictions – about creativity, identity and the role of the artist in bearing witness. With warmth and candour, he invites readers into the world behind the canvas, bridging the gap between private reflection and public expression.

Mark Carruthers is one of Northern Ireland’s best known and respected broadcasters, presenting a string of political programmes on television and radio, including The View, Sunday Politics and Red Lines. Mark is also a strong advocate for the arts, chairing the Lyric Theatre board for almost a decade, and being awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to the arts in Northern Ireland. His previous publications include Stepping Stones: The Arts in Ulster 1971-2001, co-edited with Stephen Douds, and Alternative Ulsters: Conversations on Identity, which was published by Liberties Press in 2013.

Colin Davidson is a contemporary artist, living and working near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Since 2010 his focus has been on painting grand scale portraits, which have won widespread recognition and many international awards. As well as numerous commissions, Davidson’s portrait sitters have included Brad Pitt, Ed Sheeran, Liam Neeson, Brian Friel, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Christy Moore and Seamus Heaney. His work is held in many public and corporate collections worldwide. Colin was installed as the 6th Chancellor of Ulster University in a ceremony at St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast in 2022.