Kim Sharkey is a multi-media artist, creating across Illustration, animation, ceramics and other media. Living on the North West coast of donegal. Her work is primarily influenced by her love of story. 

EDUCATION                                                                                                                                                          2016 BA Animation LYIT, Donegal. 1:1 grade                                                                                                                      1995-1999  Nottingham Trent University BA (hons) Decorative Arts  2/1.                                                          1993-1995   Harrogate College of Arts and Technology. Art Foundation Diploma.                                                    

AWARDS                                                                                                                                                                       2020 The Eilís Dillon award for illustrating Mór agus Muilc from Children’s Books Ireland/ KPMG Children’s Book of the Year Awards.                                                                                                                                                                 2016 Derek Hill Award for Creative excellence.                                                                                                                                                           2010 shortlisted Irish Ceramic Awards, Millcove Gallery, Kerry.

BOOK ARTWORK / ILLUSTRATION

2021/2022  Illustration for book with Gabrielle Rosenstock’s Mamaí Gé rhymes to be published 2022 

by Éabhlóid.                                                                                    

2021 Artwork for ‘Tairseach’ by Dairena Ní Chinnéide for Éabhlóid 

(Dairena’s book Shortlisted for the Gradam Uí Shúilleabhain 2021)

2021 Illustration for Anja Stephan. Fantasy fiction Genre book about Art, to be self published.

2020 ‘Santa’s Cat’ book with Eoin McLaughlin for Littlewoods Ireland.

2019 ‘Mór agus Muilc’ by John Óg Ó Colla. Publisher Éabhlóid.                                                                              2019 Cover Art ‘ The Hollow Woman on the Island’ by Nessa O’Mahony. Publisher Salmon Poetry.
2019 Cover art and ink motifs for inside the book for Máire Dinny Wren’s poetry collection, Tine Ghealain.  

(Máire’s book Shortlisted for the Gradam Uí Shúilleabhain 2020) 

2018 Cover Art ‘The North’ poetry magazine Irish Edition.  

2017 Artwork used for “Garraí an Ghiorria” Irish language theatre programme.
2017 Cover art ‘Metamorphic’, 100 21st century poets respond to Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Editors Nessa O’Mahony and Paul Munden, Recentworks Press. 

FUNDING / RESIDENCIES 

2021 booked December Residency at Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig. 

2021 Arts Council Agility Award funding €5000 for development work on illustrations a new book project to be published in 2022.

2021 July/August Two week Residency at Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig. 

2020 Ealain na Gealtacht Síol funding €1500 for development of porcelain hidden stories in the landscape concept.

2018 Ealain na Gealtacht Síol funding for development work toward animated series concept.

EXHIBTIONS / SHOWS 

Upcoming2022 Live artwork for travelling performances with chamber music group for Ian Wilsons newly composed work for children. Supported by the Arts Council. Mermaid Theatre, Moli, Grianan Theatre, Westport Theatre.

2021 Culture Night Painting in ‘this is me’ selected artists exhibition at Letterkenny regional cultural centre, curated by Peadar McDaid.

2021 New works from ‘Hidden Stories in the landscape’ series responding to folk tales exhibited at Ceramics Ireland Exhibition at ‘Printworks’ Dublin Castle

2021 Earagail Arts Festival. Ceramic sculpture ‘Hidden Stories in the landscape’ created new works for An Baird Nua live outdoor event a collaboration of word and art between Scottish and Irish artists in response to Colmcille 1500.

2021 ‘Incognito’ three works in the annual Jack and Jill Foundation fundraising exhibition. 

2020 ‘Exquisite Confined portrait’ 30 selected Irish illustrators and Children’s book writers collaboration with French Illustrators and children’s book writers. The Hub Dublin.

2020 Online Earagail Arts Festival work on An Baird Nua collaboration in film, poetry, song and art.

2019 DCCOI selected makers Craft Village at Bloom in the park with our Cupán Cré – eco art keep cup 

2019 Culture Night Group Show ‘When I was a child’ Regional cultural Centre, Letterkenny. Curated by Peadar McDaid Featured in Peadar McDaid’s film about artists in their Studios, shown at RCC, Letterkenny. Multi media live link exhibition from Gealtacht hubs ‘Alternative Narratives’ telling the story of new Irish, Curated by Andrew Duggan. Group Show of selected artist beer mat sized work at the Cottage bar, Letterkenny Donegal. 

2019 Ceramics Ireland Exhibition Six works sold through this exhibition at Dublin Castle ‘Printworks’ 

2019 December Gifted, National Craft Fair, RDS,Dublin. Featured on Nation Wide.

2018 ‘ We are Donegal’ selected artist group show Culture Night, 

2018 curated by Peadar McDaid. 

2017 ‘Landing’. Three woman exhibition at Donegal Airport 

2017 ‘Melting Pot’.Three person exhibition at the Ardara festival. 

2017 ‘Lunasa’ & ‘Changing Donegal Landscapes’ Donegal Gaeltacht Plein Eire exhibitions. 

2017 ‘Art in Mini’ two works selected artist group show, Inishowen, Donegal. 

2017 Donegal and Sligo DCCI education programme projects at the Hyde Gallery, Sligo during the Lily and Lolly Craftfest.

2016 present my final year animation work to HRH Prince Charles of the UK on his visit to Donegal. 

2015 my Animated christmas card chosen to send out and represent the LYIT christmas greeting that year.

2014-16 The Art House Gallery, Dunfanaghy, Co.Donegal.

2012-2019 Mary from Dungloe Artists group exhibition.

2010-11 dew Donegal Elemental Women group exhibition,’Celebrating Celtic Coastal Culture.’Manor House Rathlin Island, Benbecula in the outer Hebrides and Sherkin island Cork. Start of a touring exhibition through Ireland,Scotland,Wales and their Islands. Featured on RTE Nationwide. 

2010 Culture Night Exhibition in Donegal Gealtacht with dew. 

2010 Mill Cove Gallery, Cork. Work selected for the Irish Contempory Ceramic Awards.

2009 dew Donegal Elemental Women group exhibition, Sulis, Carrickmacross,Monaghan. Launched by Heather Humphries.

2006-2008 Showcase, RDS, Dublin.

2005-2009 National Craft Fair, RDS,Dublin.

2000 Angel Row Gallery, now Nottingham Contemporary Arts Centre. Selected artists ‘Words in Art’ exhibition
1999 DJanogly selected artists Showcase, Nottingham. 

1999 Young Designers select artists Exhibition. Islington Design Centre, London. 

1999 Guildhall Craft Fair Derry.

 WORK 

2021-2024 Selected by Children’s Books Ireland to be one of four national, Reading Champions,  for their Community Libraries project. Supported by RTE Late Late Toy Show appeal.

2021 Concept Art and Illustrated set creation for Daniel O’Donnell music video for Re_Act productions.   2021 Halloween pre-record online event for National Museum of Ireland.                                                                                                                                                                                                         2021 Concept art and film creation for art video for musician storytelling series idea for musician, Conor Caldwell.                                                                                                                                                  2021 Cruinnuí na nÓg pre-record online event for National Museum of Ireland and a live online Illustration event based on Hidden stories in the landscape for Creative Ireland Laois.                                                                                                                                                        2021 Every child a reader Live online illustration and recorded creative videos with this programme for Children’s book Ireland.                                                                                                                                                               2021 Champion of Reading/Every child a reader Live online illustration and recorded creative videos with this programme for Children’s book Ireland.                                                                                                                                                               2021 Commission painting and book art Commissions
2021 Jan/Feb Development and experimentation in new ceramic works using oxides and porcelain. (Funding from Ealaín na Gaeltachta)                                                                                                                                                      2021 online CPD for DCCI                                                                                                                                            2021 Artwork for ‘Tairseach’ by Dairena Ní Chinnéide. Publisher Éabhlóid
2021 DCCI/National Craft and Design gallery videos and workshops produced for the national Keep Well campaign.
2021 DCCI ‘Design Circle’ working with Secondary level art teachers on new design process programme for JCT.
2021 Young at Art Illustration at online book event.                                                                                                   2021 The Ark/DCCI Tradfest online workshop facilitation. Cave Painting – image in response to sound.
2021 The Ark Further creative online workshop facilitation, Focused on image in response to sound.
2020/21 National Craft and Design Gallery online seminars/videos and workshop facilitation.                                 2020 March Mór agus Muilc shortlisted to the ten listed books for Children’s Books Ireland and KPMG children’s book of the Year Awards Recieved the Eilís Dillon award in May.                                                                                                           2020 CRAFTed in classroom and online.
2020 KPMG Children’s Art competition judge online.                                                                                                      2020 Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre, videos for Spring into Stories from my studio                                  2020/21 Visual Development with Vera Lalyko of Toon Sisters.
2020 Autumn Support to national manager of DCCI CRAFTed programme in resolving online completion of CRAFTed around the country.                                                                                                                                                    2020 pre record videos and live online class on Mór agus Muilc illustration for Juniors Juries, part of CBI/KPMG Awards.
2020 Book artwork development.                                                                                                                               2020 Tulca Visual Arts Festival with writer Pete Mullineaux.
2020 Earagail Arts Festival on An Baird Nua collaboration in film, poetry, song and art.                                           2020 Wonderfest part of first ever online Irish Children’s book festival.                                                                                                                    2020 Illustrated Santa’s Cat book with writer Eoin McLaughlin for Littlewoods Ireland
2020 Commission painting.                                                                                                                                          2019 Facilitated National Drawing Day Workshop at the Glebe Gallery, Donegal.                                                        2019 Cover Art ‘ The Hollow Woman on the Island’ by Nessa O’Mahony. Publisher Salmon Poetry.
2019 In conjunction with other artists established Donegal Creative Breakfast, for physical cuppa gatherings.
2019 Developed ‘Mo Thaisce Cré’ – eco art ceramic jewellery                                                                                      2019 Cover art and ink motifs for inside the book for Máire Dinny Wren’s poetry collection, Tine Ghealain.
2019-20 CRAFTed Programme manager (maternity cover) coordination of national programme CRAFTed at the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.                                                                                                                         2018 Speaker at The Ark Dublin for DCCI creative education CPD day.
2018 Facilitated National Drawing Day Workshop at the Glebe Gallery, Donegal.
2018 Developed new Cupán Cré – eco art cup ceramic products.
2018 Cover Art ‘The North’ poetry magazine Irish Edition                                                                                         2018/2019 Illustrated children’s book ‘Mór agus Muilc’ by John Óg Ó Colla. Publisher Éabhlóid.                                2017 Artwork for Udaras na Gaeltacht “Garraí an Ghiorria” Irish language theatre programme.                              2017 Cover art ‘Metamorphic’, 100 21st century poets respond to Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Editors Nessa O’Mahony and Paul Munden. Recentworks Press.                                                                                                                            2016-on DCCOI, CRAFTed project CO-Ordinator for Donegal
2015 ‘Once Upon A Place’ Laureate na Og project. I put in a proposal to bring Eoghan Colfer and his storytelling troop to the Donegal Islands and secured funding towards this.                                                                                                                                                                    
2014-On Carrickfinn Artists Courses. I established this facility to bring professional training to artists in Donegal.                                                                                                                                                 2014, Adrienne Geoghegan’s children’s book course and in 2017/18/19 Niall Laverty of 9 lines, gesture drawing.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
2013-Ongoing Studio artwork, illustration, animation and workshop facilitation.                                                                                                                                               
2013 CPD for Donegal education centre teachers; in animation.
2012-17 CPD through DDCOI, education programme for education centres.                                                                                             
2012/13 Heritage week. Dungloe, Donegal. Teaching needle and nuno felting techniques/animation.               2012-15 Summer volunteer and product contributor in gallery, Erratic Makers. Dungloe, Co.Donegal.          
2010-on DCCOI, education programme in Sligo/Donegal .                                                                                           2008 Founder Arts Centre in the Donegal Gaeltacht at An Chuirt hotel with a group of artists and makers.
2008 Earigal Arts Festival event                                                                                                                             2007-12 Peace of Earth Ceramics studio. Self employed                                                                                             2004 An Tobár Derrybeg, Co.Donegal. Ceramics with adults with learning and physical disabilities.                     2002-4 Youthreach, Gortahork, Co.Donegal. Ceramics.                                                                                             2003 Worked with three different potters while travelling in New Zealand.                                                                                2000 Ceramics night class, FÁS, Derrybeg, Co. Donegal.                                                                                             2000 Experience with Judy Greene, Michael Kennedy, Benbulben and Potsmiths potteries.                                     1999-03 Dunlewey Pottery, Co.Donegal.  Self Employed.                                                                                         1997/98 Royal Armouries Museum -Leeds. Gallery host.

MEMBERSHIPS

Childrens Books Ireland

SCBWI

Visual Arts Ireland

Ceramics Ireland

DCCI education panel