Biography
Samuel Walsh was born in Wimbledon, London in 1951. He studied at the Limerick School of Art and subsequently took an MA in Fine Art (Painting) at the National College of Art & Design, Dublin.He also holds a NUI Diploma in Philosophy from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. He was elected a member of Aosdána in 1997. He is the founder of the National Collection of Contemporary Drawing in the Limerick City Gallery of Art. Hilary Pyle the Art Historian and critic has called him one of the finest draughtsman in the country. He has received numerous national and international awards, grants, and bursaries. He has lectured at many colleges of art and universities in Ireland.
Walsh’s work is in many Irish public collections including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, National Self-Portrait Collection, Limerick; Contemporary Irish Art Society, Department of Foreign Affairs, Aer Rianta, Dublin Airport; Butler Gallery, Kilkenny; Limerick City Gallery of Art, ABN Amro Bank Group, Dublin; UL, UCD, DCU, UCC, & TCD; The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Dublin, Crawford Gallery, Cork; The John Hunt Collection, Dublin Castle, National Concert Hall, Dublin; Aer Cap, Shannon, Co Clare and the Office of Public Works. He has completed commissions for P.J.Carroll & Co. Ltd and the Arts Council.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018 Five Paintings, Limerick City Museum, Limerick
2018 Hunt Museum, Limerick
2017 The Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin
2014 New Paintings and Some Drawings, The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Co Clare
2014 Glance, Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin
2013 The Seasons, The Drawing Project, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin
2012 Hilsboro Fine Art Gallery, Dublin
2011 The Coercion of Substance VISUAL, Carlow & Highlanes, Drogheda
2011-2012 The Coercion of Substance, VISUAL, Carlow and tour to the Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda, Co. Louth and the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
2008 Works Based on The Divine Comedy, Limerick City Gallery of Art & France
2007 Frieze, Ashford Gallery, RHA, Dublin
2007 Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin
2007 The Divine Comedy, Limerick City Gallery of Art (also: 2010: Triskel @ ESB: Caroline St., Cork & 2008: ‘Inferno’, Centre International d’Art Contemporain, Pont-Aven, France)
2003 Hunt Museum, Limerick
2003 Ambit, Limerick City Gallery of Art and tour to Draíocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin
2003/2015 Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare
2002 Rubicon Gallery, Dublin
2002 Ambit Paintings, Éigse Arts Festival, Carlow. ‘Small Works on Paper 1985-2001’, Galerie B, Pont-Aven, France
2000-2001 Drawings 1982-2000, O’Rahilly Building, University College Cork
2000 Fourteen Points of Entry, (Drawings), St. Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick
1999 The Solicitari Suite, Chris Doswell Gallery, Limerick
1997/2004 Vangard Gallery, Cork
1996/1999/2002 Rubicon Gallery, Dublin
1990 Fourteen Points of Entry, (Paintings), Kulturzentrum BINZ39, Scoul-Nairs, SWITZERLAND
1989 The Arena Paintings 1987-1989, Limerick City Gallery of Art and tour to the Triskel Arts Centre, Cork and the Project Arts Centre, Dublin
1986 Creation, Mid-West Arts Association touring exhibition to schools in Limerick and Clare
1985/2005 University of Limerick
1984 Triskel Arts Centre, Cork
1983/1985/1988/1991/1992 Oliver Dowling Gallery, Dublin
1982/1995 Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick
1978/1980 Kevin Cummins Gallery, Limerick
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025 ‘Líníocht’, Selections from the National Collection of Contemporary Drawing, Súil Gallery, Ennis, Co Clare
2024-2025 ‘Connections’, OPW touring exhibition of Ireland & N. Ireland
2024 Summer Open Exhibition, Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Co Clare
2024 ‘All Along the River’, The Peoples Museum of Limerick
2023-2024 1st Ballinglen Biennial Exhibition, Ballinglen Art Museum, Ballycastle, Co Mayo
2023 ‘Art in the Hubs’, Monaghan, Longford, Cavan, & Louth
2022 ‘The Works We Thought We Had’, Limerick City Museum
2022 ‘Drawing Room’, Crawford Gallery, Cork
2022-2023 ‘In & Of Itself’, Contemporary Abstraction in the age of Images, RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin
2021 ‘In Residence’, Oliver Sears Gallery in London, England
2021 Art Beijing International Art Exposition, NAE Centre, Beijing, China
2020 ‘The Moyard Collection’, Station House Gallery, Clifden, Connemara, Co Galway
2020 ‘Limerick Connections’, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2020 Parallel Editions, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2019 ‘Visible Reminders of Invisible Light’, Hunt Museum, Limerick & tour to venues in Ireland and Limerick City Museum
2019 ‘Press Play’, Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin
2019 VUE Contemporary Art Fair, (Parallel Editions), RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin
2019 ‘In Living Memory’, Emo Court, Co Laois
2019 ‘Atlantic’, Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre, Co Donegal
2019 ‘Youyi’, Hangzhou Library, Hangzhou, and tour to Shanghai and Beijing, China
2019 ‘Curator’s Choice’, Hunt Museum, Limerick
2018 ‘Art in Churches’, St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick
2018 VUE Contemporary Art Fair, (Parallel Editions), RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin
2018 ‘Buzz and Hum’, (with Richard Gorman), Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen, Co. Cork
2017 ‘Buzz and Hum’, (with Richard Gorman), Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2017 ‘Plates’, Bourn Vincent Gallery, University of Limerick, Limerick
2017 VUE Contemporary Art Fair, (Parallel Editions), RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin
2017 Parallel Editions, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2016 London Art Fair, (Oliver Sears Gallery), Business Design Centre, Islington, London, England
2016 On Paper, SO Fine Art Editions, Dublin, Ireland
2016 Parallel Editions, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2016 Salon, Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, (ongoing)
2016 From Edge to Edge: One Hundred Years of County Clare Art, Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare
2016 ‘In Residence’, Oliver Sears Gallery in London, England
2015 ‘Drawings’, Limerick City Gallery of Art
2015 Nord Art, Kuntswerk Carlshütte, Büdelsdorf, Germany
2015 ‘Impressions of W.B. Yeats’, Hamilton Gallery, Sligo, Ireland
2015 ‘Celebrating 30 Years’, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2015 ‘In Residence’, Oliver Sears Gallery in London, England
2015 ‘Visions of Now’, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2014 ‘Curator’s Choice’, Hunt Museum, Limerick
2014 ‘Synergy’, Bourne Vincent Gallery, University of Limerick
2014 ‘The Artist’s Eye’, Hunt Museum, Limerick
2014 2nd SOSE, Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare
2014 246th Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Burlington House, London, England
2014 VUE Contemporary Art Fair, (SO Fine Art Editions), RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin (also: 2015/2017/2018)
2014 Collecting & Curating, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2013 I go to seek a Great Perhaps, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick
2013 VUE Contemporary Art Fair, (Oliver Sears Gallery), RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin, (also: 2014/2018/2019)
2013 Group Show, SO Fine Art Editions, Dublin, (also: 2014-2019)
2012 6×6, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, New York, USA
2012 The 5th Birthday Show, Regional Cultural Centre Letterkenny, Co Donegal
2012 VUE Contemporary Art Fair, (Hillsboro Fine Art), RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin
2012 Rich Terrain, Roscommon Arts Centre, Co. Roscommon
2012 Sketchbooks, Graphic Studio, Dublin
2012 Trasna III, The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Co. Clare (also:2013/2015/2016/2018/2020)
2011 Fine Lines, Limerick City Gallery of Art
2011 Collecting for Ireland, Hunt Museum, Limerick
2011 Drawing Connections, Siena Art Institute, Italy
2010 Made in China, Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare
2010 An Ēire of the Senses, 411 Galleries at Expo, Shanghai and tour of China until 2011
2009 Drawing Éire, 411 Galleries, Shanghai and tour to Hangzhou & Beijing, China
2009 2nd Bangkok Triennale International Print & Drawing Exhibition, Bangkok Art & Culture Centre and tour of Thailand
2008 Undercover, Graphic Studio Dublin
2008 Winter Salon, Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin
2007 Céad in China, 411 Galleries, (invited), Shanghai and tour to Hangzhou & Beijing, China
2007 Mike Fitzharris Selects, Lavit Gallery, Cork
2007 Catching a Likeness, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
2007 Made in Ireland, Irish Embassy, Beijing and tour of China
2006 Convergence, The Tolbooth Art Centre, Kirkcudbright, Scotland
2006 Tribute to Beckett’, Vangard Gallery, Cork
2006 Annual Group Show, Normoyle/Frawley Gallery, Limerick. (also: 2007/2009/2010)
2005 Drawings, Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin
2005 ‘Images from North Mayo’, Courthouse Gallery, Ballycastle, Co. Mayo
2005 BOXiD, Original Print Gallery, Dublin
2005 Obsession, Centre International d’Art Contemporain, Pont-Aven, France
2005 12th Hermione Art Exhibition, Alexandra College, Dublin (also: 2014/2015)
2005 Unseen, South Tipperary County Museum, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
2005 3rd International Drawing Biennale, Steps Gallery, Melbourne, Australia and tour
2005 D’ici, et d’ailleurs, Centre International d’Art Contemporain, Pont-Aven, France
2004 When We Were Away… [with Mike Fitzharris], Limerick Printmakers Gallery, Limerick
2004 In the time of shaking, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin
2004 6×6, 411 Galleries, Hangzhou City, China (also: 2005 and tour of China and to Singapore)
2004 IV International Biennial of Drawing, Museum of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic and international tour (also: 2015)
2004 Art in Clare, Civic Offices, Ennis Town Council, Co. Clare
2003 14 Artists 1 Place, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, Montana, USA
2003 CASe, Lavit Gallery, Cork. (also: 2017)
2003 Irish Art, Walton Gallery, London, England
2003 Is, Was, Will Be, Espace Melanie, Riec-sur-Belon, France
2003 Distillations, Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France
2003 2nd International Drawing Competition, Museum of Architecture, Wroclaw and tour of Poland (also: 2006)
2002 Line|Exploration, Lavit Gallery, Cork
2002 New Art from North Mayo, Courthouse Gallery, Ballycastle, Co. Mayo
2001 15th International Triennial of Drawing, Modern Gallery in Rijeka, Croatia
2001 As I see myself, Hunt Museum, Limerick
2001 Annual Group Exhibition, Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin (also: 2002/2003/2006/2007/2010-2012)
2000 Colour Codes, Rubicon Gallery, Dublin
International Exhibitions
2024 ‘Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art Legacy Exhibition’, Galerie Izart, Pont-Aven, Brittany, France
2023 ‘In Residence III’, Oliver Sears Gallery in London, England
2021 Art Beijing International Art Exposition, NAE Centre, Beijing, China
2019 ‘Youyi’, Hangzhou Library, Hangzhou, and tour to Shanghai and Beijing, China
2016 ‘In Residence II’, Oliver Sears Gallery in London, England
2015 NordArt, Kuntswerk Carlshutte, Budelsdorf, Germany
2015 ‘In Residence I, Oliver Sears Gallery in London, England
2015 Laureates of the International Biennial of Drawing, Gallery of the City of Pilsen, Pilsen, Czech Republic
2012 ‘6×6’, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, New York, USA
2011 ‘Drawing Connections’, Siena Art Institute, Italy
2010 ‘An Éire of the Senses’, Expo Pavilion, Shanghai and tour to various venues in China
2009 2nd Bangkok Triennale International Print & Drawing Exhibition, Bangkok Art & Culture Center, Thailand
2009 ‘Drawing Éire’, 411 Galleries, Shanghai and tour to Hangzhou & Beijing, China
2008 ‘Made in Ireland’, Embassy of Ireland, Beijing, and tour to various venues in China
2007 ‘Céad in China’, 411 Galleries, Shanghai and tour to Hangzhou & Beijing, China
2007 ‘Made in Ireland’, Embassy of Ireland, Beijing, and tour to various venues in China
2006 ‘Convergence’, Tolbooth Art Centre, Kirkudbright, Scotland
2005 ‘Obsession’, Centre International d’art Contemporain, Brittany, Pont-Aven, France
2005 3rd International Drawing Biennale, Melbourne, Australia
2005 ‘D’ici et d’ailleurs’, Centre International d’art Contemporain, Brittany, Pont-Aven, France
2004 IV International Biennial of Drawing, Pilsen, Czech Republic
2003/2006, International Drawing Competition, Wroclaw, Poland
2003 ‘Irish Art’, Walton Gallery, London, England
2003 ’14 Artists 1 Place’, Helena, Montana, USA
2001 15th International Triennial of Drawing, Rijeka, Croatia
1999 6th Cheltenham Open Drawing Exhibition, England
1997 2nd Taunton Open Drawing Exhibition, England
1995 ‘forme et fonction’, swell galerie, Brittany, Pont-Aven, France
1992 ‘The Abstract Irish’, New York, USA
1991 ‘Parable Island’, Liverpool, England
1990 ‘Images of Ireland’, Brussels, Belgium
1988 4th International Triennial of Drawing, Wroclaw, Poland
1984/1986/1988, ‘Rajz/Drawing’, Pecs, Hungary