Una Sealy is a graduate of Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design , (now IADT), in Fine Art, Painting, 1980, and UCD (Higher Diploma in Arts Administration, 1989). She was elected an Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy in 2010, and a full member in 2016.
She was the winner of the Adam’s Award for the Artist with the most potential for Future Appreciation at the RHA Annual Exhibition 2015, and she was one of 12 finalists shortlisted for the Hennessy Portrait Award in 2014. At the RHA in 2011 she was awarded the Ireland-U.S. Council/Irish Arts Review Award for Outstanding Portraiture. She has been awarded several Arts Council bursaries including a Travel and Training award for a period of study in France in 2013.
During her career to date, she has been involved in many aspects of the arts while maintaining her commitment to painting throughout. In 1982, she co-founded Studio 16, one of the first and longest running group artists’ studios in Temple Bar, Dublin. During the 80’s she was very involved in the community arts movement, and was manager of the City Arts Centre, Dublin, from 1985 to 1991. Una lectured in painting at Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design from 1991 to 1996, after which she moved to San Francisco where she painted and exhibited for two years.
She has held nine solo exhibitions including those in The Ashford Gallery (RHA), (2000 and 2016) the Molesworth Gallery Dublin, (2003 and 2006) and Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise (2004)
She had a major mid-career review exhibition at Draiocht, Dublin in 2012/2013, and her most recent solo exhibition was at the RHA Ashford Gallery in July/August 2016.
Una’s work has been selected for curated group shows in San Francisco, New York and Britain as well as many in Ireland, exhibiting regularly at the RHA annual exhibition since 1991.
Her work is featured in many public and private collections including The Haverty Trust, Fingal County Council, Boyle Civic Collection, Little Museum of Dublin, Office of Public Works, Commission for Energy Regulation, National Self Portrait Collection, and Great Book of Ireland
Una has been a visiting lecturer to many 2nd and 3rd level colleges, and is a regular invited tutor on drawing courses in the National Gallery of Ireland and the RHA School where she has developed a teaching module on Anatomy for Artists in association with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
She was a judge on the RTE series Painting the Nation in October 2016.
SoloExhibitions
2016 The Edge, Ashford Gallery, RHA, Dublin
2012 A Piano in the Kitchen and other Stories, Draiocht, Blanchardstown Centre,Dublin
2006 Days Like These, Molesworth Gallery, Dublin
2004 A Year on Main Street, Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
2003 New Paintings, Molesworth Gallery, Dublin
2000 New Paintings, Ashford Gallery, RHA, Dublin
1998 The Linenhall, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
1993 Pleasants Factory, Dublin
1991 City Arts Centre, Dublin
SelectedGroup Exhibitions
1992 – 2017 RHA Annual Exhibitions, Dublin , (except 2002 and 1999)
2015 Boyle arts Festival, Co. Roscommon, invited artist
2014 Inaugural Hennessy Portrait award exhibition, National Gallery of Ireland, shortlisted artist
2004 – 2017 Hermione Exhibition, Alexandra College, Dublin
2012 James English RHA and Friends, Greenacres,Wexford; OAK, Killenure Castle, Co. Tipperary; 12x 4, curated by Bernadette Madden, Gormleys Fine Art, Dublin
2011 Undressed.3 person exhibition with Mick O’Dea RHA and James Hanley RHA, Greyfriars Gallery, Waterford.; Work from Life, Arts Complex, Edinburgh; Work from the RHA life room, Bourn Vincent Gallery, University of Limerick; TograInis Leacan/The Inishlacken Project, Culturlann McAdam O Fiaich, Belfast
2010 BoyleArts Festival, invited artist, Co. Roscommon; The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, Cultural legacy exhibition, Joan Clancy Gallery, Co. Waterford
2009
Inishlacken:The Last Parish, Redhouse Arts Centre, Syracuse, New York
Fis,Contemporary Irish Art Exhibition, Novas Conteporary Urban Centre, Liverpool
2008 Inishlacken, A Place Apart, Galway Arts Centre; Not in Alphabetical Order, Fingal Public Art Collection Exhibition, Farmleigh, Dublin; Boyle Arts Festival, invited artist, Co. Roscommon; Eigse, Carlow, artist in residence
2002– 2008 Christmas group shows, Molesworth Gallery, Dublin
2006– 2009 Summer Exhibitions, Newtownbarry House Gallery
2003 Blink, 5 years of the Linenhall, Castlebar General Hospital, Mayo
2004 RHA Banquet Exhibition
1997 4 Irish Painters, Project Artaud, San Francisco; Mission Cultural Centre Life Drawing Exhibition, San Francisco
1996 Academy without Walls, RHA, Dublin
1994 Siolru, Holles St. Hospital CentenaryExhibition, Dublin
1992 Aer Rianta Gateway to Art, Dublin Airport
1991-1992 RHA Banquet Exhibitions, Dublin
1990 Great Book of Ireland Exhibition, IMMA, Dublin
1989 National Self Portrait Collection Exhibition, National Gallery, Dublin
1987 National Self Portrait Collection, University of Limerick
1986-1988 Arnotts Portrait Award Exhibitions, Dublin
1982 Exposure 2, ILAC Centre, Dublin
1981 Exposure 1, Bank of Ireland, Baggot St,Dublin
Awardsand Residencies
2016 Fingal County Council residency award, Graphic Studio Dublin
2014 Adams Award for the artist with the most potential for future appreciation, RHA, Dublin
2014 Hennessy Portrait award, National Gallery Dublin – shortlisted artist
2013 Arts Council Training and travel Award, period of study in France
2011 Ireland-US Council/Irish Arts Review Award for Outstanding Portraiture
2008 Invited Artist in Residence, Eigse, Carlow
2008 Inishlacken Project Residency, invited artist
2007 Cill Rialaig Residency, invited artist
1996 Arts Council Travel Award – Portugal
1995 Arts Council Studio Rental Grant
1993 Abbey Stained Glass Studio Award for a Work of Distinction by an Artist ofPromise, RHA Annual Exhibition
Collections
TheHaverty Trust
FingalCounty Council
GalwayCity Council
LittleMuseum of Dublin
BoyleCivic Collection
Officeof Public Works
AerRianta
Commissionfor Energy Regulation
NationalSelf Portrait Collection
GreatBook of Ireland
Selected Bibliography
Edges and angst under the surface in Howth, Aidan Dunne, Irish Times July 25, 2016
The Edge, Isabella Evangelisti, Irish Arts Review, Summer 2016
Una Sealy – The Edge, John P. O’Sullivan, Sunday Times, Culture, July 17, 2016
TogetherApart, Isabella Evangelisti Irish Arts Review, Summer 2011
On Days Like These, Sophie Gorman, Irish Independent, September 30, 2006
A Year on Main Street, Aidan Dunne, The Ticket, November 12 2004
A Year in the life of an artist, Naomi Elster, Laois Nationalist, November 19,2004
Portrait of the artist as a Howth Resident, Irish Times, March 28, 2002
Dancing, Shifting light, review by Aidan Dunne, Irish Times, July 12, 2000
UnaSealy, New Paintings, review by Marianne Hartigan, The Sunday Tribune, July 16, 2000
UnaSealy, Linenhall, review by Ian Wieczorek, Irish Times, May 27, 1998
UnaSealy, City Arts Centre, review by Aidan Dunne, The Sunday Tribune, October 13, 1991
UnaSealy, Pleasants Factory, review by Bruce Arnold, Irish Independent, July 20,1993
Sealy and Greenaway at the City Centre, review by Brian Fallon, Irish Times, October24, 1991
Static Realism with more feeling, review by Bruce Arnold, Irish Independent, October28, 1991
ThePortrait Painters, Orna Mulcahy, Irish Times, May 9, 1989