I grew up in Nenagh, County Tipperary and around the time of my leaving cert my family and I relocated to the countryside in County Clare just outside Limerick City. After graduating from Limerick School of Art and Design 1996, I painted on and off over a number of years where ever my personal life would allow. I took up painting full time over 7 years ago at my home studio in Co. Wicklow where I fell in love with and have settled in over the past number of years.
I have exhibited in several solo and group shows throughout the years and the highlight of exhibitions so far are being an invited artist to various group shows within the past 2 to 3 years with Hamilton Gallery, Sligo. Some include, Eva Gore Booth, Among School Children, Meditations in Time of Civil War and currently St. Brigids Day exhibition 2022.
Another highlight is being one of the winners of the Enlighten artist group initiative 2021 and runner up on multiple other submissions to the same project with Hambly and Hambly Gallery, Enniskillen.
I am also very happy to say that I have been awarded an artist residency in March 2022 by Noelle Campbell Sharp at her artist retreat in Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry. Later towards the end of this year I look forward to a solo at Easter Snow Gallery, Seamus Ennis Gallery in Naul, Co. Dublin.
My painting style leans towards abstract expressionism and there is an element of the figurative in the work too. My inspirations come from my life experiences past and present, from nature and the wonders of the universe. I began to embrace colour in my work during COVID times and have discovered a true passion and curiosity for colour. This has taken my work through a significantly new direction that I am currently embarking upon.
See an in debth interview with the artist here
Exhibitions
Current & Upcoming
Group- Bealtaine 2022, Carrickahowley Gallery, 34 Gray St., Portland, ME 04112, United States – May 2022
Group- Three Rooms, Hyde Bridge Gallery, Yeats Building, Hyde Bridge, Sligo, F91 DVY4, April 2022
Group – Hidden Histories, The Narrow Space Gallery, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, July 1st to August 27th
Solo- Easter Snow Gallery (Seamus Ennis, TSEAC), Naul, Fingal, Co. Dublin, K32 AY27, Oct/Nov 2022
Solo Shows
A Way to Equilibrium – Signal Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow 2021
Imagine – Hambly & Hambly, Dunbar House, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, 2021
Solace II– Entering the Dream– Ranalagh Arts Centre, Dublin, 2018
Solace I – Signal Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow, 2017
Urban Trail – (FKA) Frame Gallery, Upper Denmark St. Limerick, 2007
Plane Series – Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin 1998
Group Shows
Three Rooms, Hyde Bridge Gallery, Yeats Building, Hyde Bridge, Sligo, F91 DVY4, 2022
St. Brigid’s Well, Invited Artists – Hamilton Gallery, 4 Castle St. Sligo, 2022
22nd Annual, SAS Members Exhibition- Signal Arts Center, Bray, Wicklow, 2022
Enlighten 2021 June– Hambly & Hambly, Dunbar House, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, 2021
Meditations of Time in Civil War Invited Artists – Hamilton Gallery, 4 Castle Street, Sligo, 2021
Imagine Beyond 2021 Annual– Hambly & Hambly, Dunbar House, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, 2021
21st Annual, SAS Members Exhibition- Signal Arts Center, Bray, Wicklow, (Online), 2021
Weapon of Choice– Slow Lane Gallery (AKA Inspire Gallery), Dublin (Online), 2020
Solo Ensemble- Hambly & Hambly, Dunbar House, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, (Online), 2020
Westival 2020– Westival Virtual Gallery (Moved online due to COVID 19), Westport, Mayo, 2020
Among School Children– Invited Artists, Hamilton Gallery, 4 Castle Street, Sligo (Online), 2020
Imagine Together: Artists Unlocked – Group Show at Hambly & Hambly, Dunbar House, Enniskillen, 2020
20th Annual SAS, Members Exhibition– Signal Arts Center, Bray, Wicklow, (Moved online due to COVID 19), 2020
Eva Gore Booth – Hamilton Gallery Sligo, externally exhibited at the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), UCD, Dublin, 2020
Wicklow Artists: A Gathering – Pop-up Gallery La Touche Place, Wicklow, 2018 and 2019
16th Annual SAS Members Exhibition – Signal Arts Centre, Wicklow, 2015
Celebrating Motherhood – Gallery 75, Limerick – 2007
Eclectic – Tipperary Institute, Tipperary, 2007
Light Captured – Gallery 75, Limerick, 1997
Residency Awards
March 2022 – The Cill Rialaig Project, Artist’s Retreat, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry.
Derval Freeman 