Jenny O’Brien is a multi-disciplined visual artist and tutor based in Co. Galway, Ireland.
With two decades of experience as a professional artist, her work ranges between commercial and private portrait commissions, murals, web and graphic design, caricatures, cartoons and other published work – twelve of her oil-painted portraits were specially commissioned for a fundraising calendar for a nationwide charity service.
Jenny’s paintings have been included in various group exhibitions nationwide, notably the specially selected “Iontas Small Works” competition in the RHA Gallery, Dublin, and also in her solo portraiture exhibition in the Kenny Gallery, Galway. Her work has been the subject of published articles in both local and national publications.
As an invited tutor for childrens’ art projects, youthwork projects and adult workshops, along with her own privately run classes, Jenny has a wide variety of art education interests stemming originally from her early experience in her hometown of Wexford, and her involvement in the festival town’s vibrant art scene.
“Having grown up in Wexford, I was fortunate to spend much of my teenage years being involved with the Wexford Arts Centre, who undertook some wonderful community art projects, under the guidance of then Director Denis Collins (RIP) , and the team of Community Artist Anne Heffernan, alongside accomplished artists Chris O’Brien and Declan Breen.
The experience I gained from my involvement with these wonderful artists and projects was invaluable, along with the constant support of my parents – my mum being an artist herself – and I feel lucky to have been exposed to such a creative and positive artistic environment while so young. Besides being artistically rewarding, it was great fun!
It really cemented my love of all things artistic, gave me a great foundation not only in skills but also first-hand experience of how to organise projects, exhibitions, large scale murals and puppetry, amongst other endeavours. When it came to deciding what to do after leaving school there was no question as to what direction I would take.”
She now works from her home studio based in the West of Ireland.
JENNY O'BRIEN ARTWORKS 