Sarah O’Brien, born in Cork, 1980.
BA Painting, CCAD, Cork, 2003. MFA Painting NCAD, Dublin, 2007. PgDip Third Level Learning and Teaching, DIT 2012
Lives and works in Kinsale, Co.Cork.
Selected shows include: NEW LIGHT, Lewis Glucksman Gallery (2020), RHA OPEN 2020 (Invited Artist), PERIPHERIES Open 2019, Gorey Art School, Gorey, Everything is in everything, Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh, Wish Me a Wonder, Waterford (all 2019) and STREAM PROJECT, Limerick (2018).
Sarah O’Brien’s work is in the collection of The Office of Public Works and has been funded by the Arts Council of Ireland and the RHA.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
STRONG BRAVE STRONG, Berlin Opticians Gallery at Poetry Ireland, Parnell Square, Dublin, Ireland.
2016
WHO IS GOSH?, Sarah Walker Gallery, Castletownbere, Co.Cork, Ireland.
2012
STUTTER and FLUID, Bar 8, Galway, Curated by Alicia Lydon/Galway Arts Centre, Ireland.
2011
A CIRCLE DANCE Draiocht Arts Centre, Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland.
2008
VERY COMMON GLORY, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin., Ireland.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2023
PERIPHERIES POST, MATTERS OF TABLE. Gorey School of Art, Gorey, Co Wexford.
FRONTS/BACKS Sarah O’Brien, Fergus Feehily, Glenn Fitzgerald. The Complex, Dublin.
2021
WE CAN DANCE. A presentation of 6 female painters, Susan Montgomery, Sarah O’Brien, Casey Walshe, Aileen Murphy, Sinéad Ní Mhaonanigh, Mollie Douthit. Studio of Susan Montgomery, Castlefreke, Co.Cork.
2020
RHA OPEN (Invited Artist), RHA GALLERY, Dublin, Ireland.
NEW LIGHT, Lewis Glucksman Gallery. Curated by Dr. Fiona Kearney.
2019
WISH ME A WONDER, Garter Lane, Waterford.
EVERYTHING IS IN EVERYTHING, a survey of contemporary painters, Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh, Ireland.
ANOTHER PAINTING SHOW, Sternview Gallery, Cork City.
2018
Berlin Opticians Gallery Launch, Merrion Square, Dublin, Ireland
2017
Carlow ARTWORKS & Hotron Prize, Visual Carlow. Selected by Eoin Dara.
2016
POSTCARD SHOW, Sirius Arts Centre, Cork, Ireland.
THE END, Soma Contemporary, Waterford, Ireland.
UNFOLD, West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen, Ireland.
2013
THE KINDLY ONES. Crawford Municipal Gallery, Cork. Ireland.
BERLIN ROOM, Studio of Pontus Lindvall, Neukolln, Berlin, Germany.
2012
Galway Arts Centre, SYNC, Galway, Ireland.
EIGSE 2012, Visual, Carlow, Ireland.
2011
EverythingSoon, The Joinery, Dublin, Ireland.
2010
HOLDING TOGETHER, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, Ireland.
2009
PAPERWORK, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin, Ireland.
CLAREMORRIS OPEN 2009, Claremorris, Co. Mayo. Selected by Tom Morton, Hayward Galleries, London.
2008
TIMBUKTU, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin, Ireland.
WINTER SALON, Temple Bar Galleries & Studios, Dublin, Ireland.
FAX ON/ FAX OFF, Artist Led Archive, Galway Arts Centre and Catalyst, Belfast. Curator Megs Morley
AWARDS
2022
Arts Council of Ireland, Visual Arts Bursary, Round 2.
Arts Council of Ireland, Agility Award Round 1.
2019.
Arts Council of Ireland, Visual Arts Bursary Round 1.
2015/16
Cork County Council, Cork Printmakers & West Cork Arts Centre Unfold project. Selected as one of 3 artists to participate in a project that facilitates an exploration of printmaking through a supported, mentoring process. Culminates in exhibition at Uilinn, West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen. Ireland.
2013
Dublin City Council Tyrone Guthrie Residency Award.
2012
Arts Council of Ireland, Young People Children and Education (YPCE) Bursary.
2011
Temple Bar Galleries and Studios. (TBG&S) Project Studio Award, Dublin, Ireland.
2006
Thomas Dammann Student Travel Award, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Ireland.
REVIEWS
VAN September 2012. SYNC. Maeve Mulrennan.
CIRCA 121, Autumn 2007 Critics Choice. P.38. Sinead Halkett.
METRO, June 4 2008. WEATHER GIRL. Lucy White.
PUBLICATIONS
Jan 2016.
Unfold
Publication to accompany exhibition of same name, West Cork Arts Centre, Project Twins.
July 2012
Artist publication. Pilot Plot. This artist book documented a retreat to west Cork (2010) and back to studio award in TBG&S, Dublin, (2011). The book is funded by Cork City Arts Office as invited by artist/curator Stephen McGlynn.
2006
CORK CAUCUS on art, possibility & democracy. National Sculpture Factory. Ed. Trevor Joyce & Shep Steiner. Gatherings on the Grounds of Art. pp.258-261.
RESIDENCIES
2022
SÍM, Reykjavik, Iceland. 2 week studio residency.
2021
Cill Rialaig, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry. 1 week residency.
2016
The Guesthouse Project, Cork. 1 month residency including artist presentations.
2014
Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Newbliss, Co.Monaghan. Dublin City Council Arts Office Award (2 weeks).
2011
WORLDS END, The Guesthouse, Cork, in conjunction with National Sculpture Factory and Crawford College of Art and Design.
2010
West Cork Arts Centre, Artist in Residence . March 2010.
2009
Curfew Tower Residency, Cushendall, Co. Antrim. Curated by VOID, Derry.
2006
Mount Graham International Observatory, Safford, AZ. USA. Studio research residency at the University of Arizona, supported by RHA.