Sinéad Mckillican is an Irish abstract artist, from the Shannonside City of Limerick. Having studied at the Limerick School of Art and Design (TUS) Sinead received a BA (1st Hons) in Painting (2020). Sinéad transitioned from a career as an architectural technician to a visual artist over several years. Experiences, skills, and knowledge gleaned from these activities blend seamlessly into Sinéad’s contemporary practice. Currently, Sinéad has work included in the 193rd RHA Annual Exhibition, RHA Gallery, Dublin, D02 A213. Previously, Sinéad had work exhibited at the Sailors Home, Limerick (The Oobleck Collective), Collect Art (Circle’), Tbilisi, Georgia, Syria & Turkey Fundraiser (Virtual Exhibition), LCGA, Limerick City Gallery of Art (‘Pulse’), Limerick Summerfest, Limerick Racecourse; The Courthouse Gallery & Studios, Ennistymon, Co. Clare; Art Mad, Limerick; Limerick School of Art & Design for ‘SVITLO’; Belltable, Limerick; Limerick City Gallery of Art; The Hunt Museum, Limerick; RHA, Dublin; Circuit Art, Galway and K-Fest, Killorglin Co Kerry. In 2020 Sinead was shortlisted for the RDS Visual Art Award. Some of Sinead’s awards include works purchased by LCGA, Limerick and The Hunt Museum.
Sinead McKillican’s quasi-neoplastic art lies at the heart of her creative practice. It is a liberating art form favoring personal expression over literal representation. Having previously worked as an architectural technician, Sinéad has honed many skills and gained a wealth of knowledge that informs and shapes her process-based art practice. Geometric shapes frame Sinéad’s work, with forms giving structure to materials. Colour utilized by Sinéad in the work sustains transformative and sensory qualities. Through a dynamic interplay between hand and head, Sinéad explores and transforms materials, surfaces, shapes, and color. Activities culminating in the construction of non-objective outcomes that fall into the realm of ‘expanded painting’. Modernist and minimalist techniques employed in Sinéad's work echo the pared-down language of the progressive 20th century artists, offering the viewer an opportunity to escape the complexities of contemporary life and reflect on the visual realities contained in her work. These could simply be a line, a shape, a color, and or a surface; elements intended to ‘…. induce or intensify the viewers natural desire for contemplation without the benefit of a guiding principle’ [quote by John McLaughlin]. A preoccupation with curves dominates Sinéad’s work, particularly the circle. It is a symbol imbued with multiple universal meanings, intuitively connecting the viewer with the work. Ultimately, Sinéad seeks to create visuals that are intended to be celebrated for their aesthetic value, activating a response in the viewer that transcends rational interpretation.
2023 Contemporary Art Academy: Critical Contextual (PG-2) (0nline-UK)
2023 Contemporary Art Academy: Personal Practice (PG-1) (online-UK)
2023 Stained Glass Workshop (Dublin, D03 AE09) (IRL)
2022 Silkscreen Course with Limerick Printmakers (Limerick, V94 FE06) (IRL)
2022 Art of Light Art Appreciation, National Gallery of Ireland (Online-IRL)
2022 Woodwork / Joinery class (Limerick, V94 W6W8) (IRL)
2020 BA (1ST Hons) Fine Art Painting (LSAD) (TUS) (Limerick, V94 KX22) (IRL)
2016 Art & Design (Diagnostic year) (LSAD) (TUS) (Limerick, V94 KX22) (IRL)
2015 Advanced Art (QQI level 6 Major Award) (Distinction) (LCFE) (V94 P232) (IRL)
2014 Art/Craft & Design (QQI Level 5 Major Award) (Distinction) (LCFE) (V94 P232) (IRL)
2021 The Hunt Museum, Limerick (IRL)
2023 193rd RHA Annual Exhibition, RHA Gallery, Dublin, D02 A213
2023 The Oobleck Collective, Sailors Home, Limerick
2023 ‘Circle’ Collect Art, Tbilisi, Georgia (Virtual Exhibition)
2023 Syria & Turkey Fundraiser (Virtual Exhibition)
2022 The Oobleck Collective, Sailors Home, Limerick
2022 Crescent Shopping Centre, Limerick (LSAD) (TUS)
2022 ‘PULSE’ Summer Exhibition, Limerick City Gallery of Art (V94 E67F)
2022 Limerick Summerfest, Limerick Racecourse (V94 K858)
2022 ‘Summer Open’, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios, Ennistymon, Co. Clare
2022 ‘SVITLO’ Limerick Artists for Ukraine (LSAD) (TUS)
2022 ‘Unwrapped’ Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA)
2022 (LSAD) (TUS) / Crescent Shopping Centre, Limerick (Collaboration)
2022 Everything Small Exhibition, Belltable, Limerick
2021 191st RHA Annual Exhibition, RHA Gallery, Dublin, D02 A213
2021 K-fest 2021, Killorglin, Co. Kerry
2021 Circuit Arts 2021, Galway
2021 'Winter Open’, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios, (Co. Clare, V95D791) (IRL)
2021 ‘Trasna IX', The Courthouse Gallery & Studios, (Co. Clare, V95D791) (IRL)
2020 Crescent Shopping Centre, Limerick (LSAD) (TUS) (Limerick)(IRL)
2020 ‘Limerick Connections’, Limerick City Gallery of Art (V94 E67F)
2020 ‘Impromptu’ (Online)
2020 ‘Physical Impact’, Limerick City Gallery of Art (V94 E67F)
2020 ‘Impact 2020’ (LSAD) (TUS) (Online)
2019 ‘Underexposed’ (LSAD) (TUS) (Limerick)(IRL)
2019 ‘Variance’ (LSAD) (TUS) (Limerick)(IRL)
2016 ‘Approach’ (LSAD) (TUS) (Limerick)(IRL)
2015 ‘New Beginnings’, (LCFE) (Limerick)(IRL)
2014 ‘Reflections’, (LCFE) (Limerick)(IRL)
2022 Normoyle Frawley Gallery, Art Mad, Limerick
2020 ‘Stimulating Optimism, Limerick City Gallery of Art
2020 'Untitled’, (LSAD) (TUS)
J2020 Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA)
2022 Recipient of Agility Award, Round2 (Visual Art), The Arts Council of Ireland.
2018 Recipient of the Hunt Museum 2018 Purchase Prize
2023
Magazine - ‘Circle’, Special Edition Vol 21, March 2023, Tbilisi, Georgia.
Art Book - 101 contemporary artists and more...|Volume 2|Collect Art|2023|Georgia.
2020 Shortlisted for the 2020 RDS Visual Art Awards
Ormston House Cultural Resource Centre, Limerick, V94 V089
Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA), Limerick City, V94 E67F
Visual Artists Ireland (VAI) (IRL)
Limerick Culture and Arts Office ((V94 EH90) (IRL)
126 Artist-Run Gallery & Studios (Galway, H91 NN29)
The Courthouse Gallery & Studio (Co. Clare, V95D791) (IRL)
K-Fest (Killorglin, Co. Kerry)
2022/'23 Volunteering Role: Gallery Assistant at Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA)
2020/'21 Volunteering Role: Invigilating for the 39th EVA International
2019/'20 Curatorial involvement in college exhibitions that incorporated my work.
2016/'17 Senior Architectural Technician, Quinn Architects, Limerick
2010 /'15 Self-employed ‘Space & Safety Design
1999/'09 Senior Architectural Technician, Murray O’Laoire Architects, Limerick
1990/'99 Senior Architectural Technician, P.J. Sheahan & Company Ltd., Limerick
1988/'89 Architectural Technician, McColl Architects – London
1988 Architectural Technician, Module 2 Architects – London
2012 Revit / Special Purpose Award, Level 6, 10 ECTS Credits (LIT) (TUS) (Limerick, V94 EC5T)
2012 MS Spread Sheet Methods & MS Word Processing (QQI Level 5) (Limerick, V94 EHE6)
2010 Access Auditor Training - Cert of Training (OHAC) (Dublin D08 X8DP)
2009 Safety & Health at Work QQI Level 5 (Limerick, V94 CV66)
1985/'88 Architectural Technician (LIT) (TUS) (Limerick, V94 EC5T)
2020 Collection
Contact Me
12 Greenpark Close S.C.Rd Limerick
00353868740416
sineadmckr@gmail.com
@sineadmckillicanart
Photo: By Studioworks Phototograpy