 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), and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, (RCSI) MSc in Anatomy for Artists 2021. She was elected an Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy in 2010, and a full member in 2016. She was appointed the first ever Professor of Art at the RSCI in 2021. 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 eleven 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 2016 and 2017.     Solo Exhibitions 2019, Dialogues, Laois Art House, Stradbally, Co. Laois 2018 Here,Now, Lavit Gallery, Cork 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
Selected Group 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 12 x 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 Togra Inis Leacan/The Inishlacken Project, Culturlann McAdam O Fiaich, Belfast 2010 Boyle Arts 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 Centenary Exhibition, 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
Awards and 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 of Promise, RHA Annual Exhibition
Collections
The Haverty Trust Fingal County Council Galway City Council Little Museum of Dublin Boyle Civic Collection Office of Public Works Aer Rianta Commission for Energy Regulation National Self Portrait Collection Great Book 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 Together Apart, 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 Una Sealy, New Paintings, review by Marianne Hartigan, The Sunday Tribune, July 16, 2000 Una Sealy, Linenhall, review by Ian Wieczorek, Irish Times, May 27, 1998 Una Sealy, City Arts Centre, review by Aidan Dunne, The Sunday Tribune, October 13, 1991 Una Sealy, Pleasants Factory, review by Bruce Arnold, Irish Independent, July 20, 1993 Sealy and Greenaway at the City Centre, review by Brian Fallon, Irish Times, October 24, 1991 Static Realism with more feeling, review by Bruce Arnold, Irish Independent, October 28, 1991 The Portrait Painters, Orna Mulcahy, Irish Times, May 9, 1989
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