Derval Freeman — Hambly & Hambly

DERVAL FREEMAN

I grew up in Nenagh, County Tipperary and around the time of my leaving cert my family and I relocated to the countryside in County Clare just outside Limerick City. After graduating from Limerick School of Art and Design 1996, I painted on and off over a number of years between Limerick city and county Clare, where ever my personal life would allow. I am currently based in Co. Wicklow painting full time at my home studio.
I have exhibited in several group and solo exhibitions throughout the years and some worth a mention are being an invited artist by Hamilton Gallery, Sligo to partake in exhibitions, ‘Eva Gore Booth’, ‘Among School Children’, ‘Meditations in Time of Civil War’ and ‘St. Brigids Day’. Some more are invited artist by The Narrow Space Gallery in Clonmel for ‘Hidden Histories’ and by Carrickahowley Gallery, Portland, USA for ‘Bealtaine 2022’.
Some achievements I am happy to mention have been one of 25 shortlisted artists for the John Richardson French Residency award 2023 through Hambly & Hambly Gallery in association with Le Centre Culturel Irlandais and Eamon Colman. I have also been awarded artist residency a couple of times and most recently at Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry. I was one of the winners from the open call winter print exhibition 2022 at Hang Tough Contemporary, Dublin. My work has been selected as cover image for the Sligo Music series for 2022 and 2023. During the pandemic I was winner of the Enlighten 5 artist group initiative and been highly commended and runner up on multiple other submissions to the same project with Hambly and Hambly Gallery at Dunbar House, Enniskillen.
My style of painting can be described as abstract expressionistic where my main focus is colour and mark making. I discovered a passion for colour during the pandemic which has taken my work through a significant new direction. My paintings have been described by many as bright and uplifting and compositionally like maps from an elevated viewpoint. My inspirations come from a lot of different places and they vary between what’s happening in my life, to the regular walks I take out in the landscape that surround me and other times I’m inspired by the astrological wonders of the universe that can often preoccupy my thoughts.
All enquiries to: ciara@hamblyandhambly.com

︎ ︎ ︎ ︎