Kelly McCluskey
Born in 1979, Kelly McCluskey grew up in N.Ireland
Kelly graduated in 2004 with a BA (Hons) in Fine and Applied Art from the University of Ulster. After taking time away from her practice to raise her children, Kelly returned to painting in 2016 following a move to the countryside.
She has been shortlisted for prestigious awards, most notably The Jackson’s Art Prize 2025.
Kelly has exhibited her work in Ireland and the UK, and her paintings are held in private collections across Ireland, the UK, Europe, and the USA.
Artist Statement
Kelly’s surrounding environment is the inspiration for her expressive, textured paintings.
Growing up in Ireland the Landscape has remained a continual source of inspiration.
Kelly’s love of travel has also informed her practice, particularly the west coast of America. A relationship to Ireland and America has continued as a dual focus in her work.
Kellys daily walks are the starting point to her work, immersing herself in the environment, she makes quick observational sketches and takes photos. Back in the studio Kelly works on a number of paintings at the same time,
There is an ongoing dialogue in her practice between control and spontaneity. Marks are bold, layers are built up, scraped back, and reformed, echoing the way landscapes are never fixed but continually reshaped.
While rooted in specific places, the work moves toward something more universal—an emotional landscape shaped by memory, sensation, and time.