Mary Cullen Kelly likes to time travel using paint, print and collage. She makes moments and places that may or may not exist. Colour and texture weave these often small-scale ‘magic carpets’, and the destinations can feel familiar and strange.
Mary graduated from the National College of Art & Design Dublin with a BFA in Fine Art Print, and studied some Art Therapy in Crawford College Cork as well as completing a Masters in Developmental Disability Studies at UCD which was all about being In the Flow, looking at peak experience and engagement with an arts activity and how that can be for the person.
Mary is a founder member of Blueprint Artists Carlow, part of community art project Pure Thinking, was a long term member of the Blackstack Print Studio Kilkenny and is currently a member of We Go On writers group in Visual, Carlow.
‘Carousel’ is her current exhibition, showing at Dunamaise Art Centre, Portlaoise from 15th August to 20th September 2025.
Group Shows
RHA Annual 2025
Dunamaise Open 2024 (prize winner)
Dunamaise Open 2023
RHA Annual 2022
GOMA Open Submission Waterford 2022
Evocation, Blue Egg Gallery Wexford 2020
Blackstack Summer Show Kilkenny 2019
Butler House Blackstack Print Exhibition Kilkenny 2019
Blackstack Summer Show 2018
Before/Beyond, Kilkenny Arts Office 2018
‘2027’ No.10 Dublin Street Carlow 2017
Blackstack at St Luke’s Hospital Kilkenny 2017-2018
Open Submission, GOMA Waterford 2017
EP16, Connacht Tribune Printworks, Galway 2016
Blackstack Printmakers, Rothe House Kilkenny 2016
Blackstack at Grennan Mills Thomastown 2016
Limerick Printmakers Open 2015
RHA Annual 2014
Being Here, Dungarvan Arts Centre 2014
RHA Annual 2013
‘Level’ Dunamaise 2012
Birr Vintage & Art Festival 2012
RHA Annual 2010
City Artsquad Anniversary Show, Mill St Studios Dublin 2010
Greenacres Open Wexford 2010
Carlow Selected Artists, Eigse 2009
Artforms Gallery Summer Group Show 2009
St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny Arts Festival 2013
BLUEPRINT Eigse Festival, 2008-2017
In the Flow, Cafe Formenti 2008
Solo
DREAMLANDS, Visual Centre for Contemporary Art, Carlow
Meditations, Tullow Civic Offices
Prizes and Bursaries
Joint recipient Dakota Print Travel Bursary 1993
International Print Portfolio Exchange 1996
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Medal 2004
Artlinks Mentoring 2013
Carlow Arts Office Arts Acts Grant (various years)
Dunamaise Arts Centre Open Submission prize 2024, selected by Vera Klute RHA
Education:
BA Fine Art Print, National College of Art and Design Dublin 1993
Certificate Art Therapy, Crawford College, Cork 1998
MSc Disability Studies, UCD 2004
Prof Dip Creativity, Innovation & Leadership UCD 2023
Member
Artlinks
Crafts Council of Ireland
Blueprint Artists Network
We Go On Writers Group
Mary Cullen Kelly 