Maeve's recent work finds it's source and subject matter in the Irish landscape with ideas of place and home - leaving, longing and returning.

Maeve McCarthy is one of Ireland's finest figurative painters. She works within the traditional genres of landscape, still life and portraiture, using a variety of subjects - experimenting with composition, colour, light and technique.

Born in 1964, McCarthy spent several years in the USA following graduation from NCAD and has also worked in film animation in Ireland and Germany. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including the BP Portrait Awards at the National Portrait Gallery, London. McCarthy has won several awards, mainly for portraiture. Her portrait of Maeve Binchy is in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland. Her work is also held by the National Museum, the Haverty Trust, the National Self-Portrait Collection, the OPW, the Royal Dublin Society and the Royal College of Physicians. She has been a full member of the RHA since 2007. She is a member of the RHA and has been selected three times for the BP Portrait Award Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
She uses traditional representational techniques: painting on hand made gesso with tempera and oils; charcoal on paper.  

Download CV/ Resume


CV / Resume

Born Dublin, Ireland

Education
BA Fine Art, Painting, NCAD 1987

Solo Exhibitions
The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2018, 2020, 2022
RHA Ashford Gallery, 2016
Catherine Hammond Gallery, Glengarriff Co Cork 2014
The Frederick Gallery, Dublin 2002
Jo Rain Gallery, Dublin, (Kevin Kavanagh) 1998

Group Exhibitions
Crossroads, J Cacciola Gallery, NJ, USA
Mullan Gallery Belfast 2010, 2012 , 2014
Molesworth Gallery, Dublin 2006 - 2010
RHA Annual Exhibition, Dublin 1995,1999, 2000, 2004-2022
BP Portrait Award, The National Portrait Gallery, London 1997, 2004, 2005
National Portrait Awards, Arnotts, Dublin 1985,1986,1989,1999
Iontas small works, Sligo and Dublin 1995
Irish Graduates at The Festival Interceltique, Lorient, France 1987
EV& A, Limerick City Art Gallery 1986

Residencies
Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Co. Mayo 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018 (fellow)
Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015
Burren School of Art, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare 2012
RHA Academy studios, Dublin, 2010
Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig 1997

Awards
ESB Keating and Silver medal award for outstanding artwork at the RHA Annual Exhibition 2017
Irish - US Council for Commerce & Industry Portrait prize, RHA 2006
The Don Niccolo D’Ardia Carraciolo Award, RHA 1995,2004
Arnotts, National Portrait Awards, Open Award - joint 1st 1989,1999
Irish Arts Council travel grant to Colorado, USA 1995

Bibliography
500 Portraits celebrating 25 years of the BP Portrait Awards, NPG London 2011
BP Portrait Award catalogues, The National Portrait Gallery, London, 1997, 2004 & 2005
Dictionary of Living Irish Artists, Robert O’Byrne, Plurabelle Publishing 2010
Irish Arts Review RHA Award winners Vol 22- 2/ Maeve Binchy portrait, Vol 22-4

Commissions
Portrait of Maeve Binchy for The National Portrait Gallery (National Gallery of Ireland), Commissioned and Presented with the support of Irish Life and Permanent plc.2005
Commissioned for one in a series of former TaoisÌ / one in a series of former Chief Justices 1996
Two past Presidents of The Royal Dublin Society 2000
Film work includes portrait of Sinead O’Connor for “The Butcher Boy”, dir.Neil Jordon 1996

Collections
National Gallery of Ireland, National Self Portrait Collection, Limerick, Axa Insurance PLC, OPW, Royal Dublin Society, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland,

Maeve is a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy, RHA