Joan Finnegan is an artist born and raised in Galway where she is now based. She holds a BA in Fine Art from ATU, The Centre for Creative Arts and Media, Galway.

Joan’s paintings originate from all sources. She uses the visual elements of the beautiful landscape around her to influence but not dictate her paintings, using them as points of departure to create her art. She works mainly in acrylics and oils. The starting point and the finished painting can sometimes be very different, and serendipity often has its part to play too.

By simplifying the shapes and elements of the landscape, and using bold colours, there is a sense of mystery and ambiguity; quite often the images taking their being from the viewer’s state of mind.

Solo Exhibitions

2023 As I see It, Corner Gallery, Clifden Arts Festival

2022 Sunchyme an exhibition of new work for Shorelines Arts Festival, Portumna, Galway

2019 Connemara Chroma an exhibition for the Galway Showcase at Celtic MKE Irish Fest, Milwaukee, WI. USA

Group Exhibitions

2024 Summer Show, The Kenny Gallery
Summer Open, Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon

2023 Royal Ulster Academy 142nd Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast
Summer of Love, The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon
Engage Art Studios, as part of Galway International Arts Festival

2022 Outset XMAS Show, December 2022
Galway International Arts Festival – ‘Galway Emerges’ at The Kenny Gallery
Galway International Arts Festival – Engage Studios Show
Clifden Arts Festival, Regeneration
Summer Exhibition at the Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon

2021 Summer Exhibition at the Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon
Winter Exhibition at the Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon

2020 Royal Ulster Academy 139th Annual Exhibition, Belfast
Winter Exhibition at the Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon
Space Gallery, Corrandulla, Co. Galway. Due to Covid, this exhibition was online

2019 HARK Hambly & Hambly, Dunbar House, Enniskillen
Brittle/Fragile, ‘Westival’, Westport’s Arts Festival
9 Walls Exhibition, The Hyde Bridge Gallery, Sligo
Summer Exhibition at the Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon

2018 Liberte, Éqalité, Sororité, Hambly & Hambly, Dunbar House, Enniskillen
Sowing a Seed: Archives to Art, Open Submission Galway County Council/Creative Ireland, Tuam Library, County Galway
Canvass to Canvas; Women of the West in association with Galway County Libraries
Eclectic XXV, Annual Winter Exhibition, Hambly and Hambly, Dunbar House, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh

2017 M’Asal Beag Dubh, Galway’s Great Read in association with Galway County Libraries and Galway City Library
13, Courthouse, Kinvara, Co. Galway
Graduate Degree Show, CCAM, ATU, Galway

2014 Fringe Festival, Galway