Angela O'Kelly


Angela O’ Kelly is an artist whose work crosses boundaries of jewellery, sculpture and textile art.  Her wearable art pieces combine paper with fabric, felt, metal, cord, recycled plastic and semi-precious stones using a variety of textile and jewellery techniques.  She produces two ranges: large sculptural wearable art pieces, and a range of smaller neckpieces, brooches and bangles.

Her wall pieces are a response to drawing and photography in nature. She has combined eclectic precious and non-precious materials using jewellery and textile techniques.
Inspiration for all work derives from a fascination with simple shapes, textures and repetition. It is taken from observing colour and texture in Irish landscapes, bog lands, rock formations and sea life.  Her work is exhibited extensively in Europe and the USA and is in many public and private collections.

Born Dublin in 1973

Education 
2003-04 University College Dublin
Masters of Arts Management and Cultural Policy  
1997-98 Edinburgh College of Art, Postgraduate Diploma
Design and Applied Arts-Jewellery
1993-97 Edinburgh College of Art, BA (Hons)
Design and Applied Arts-Jewellery

Awards
2005 50% Scheme Crafts Council of Ireland
1997 Janet Fitch Jewellery Award Chelsea Craft Fair, London
1997 RSA Student Design Awards Jewellery – Highly Commended
1997 Goldsmiths Platinum Design Awards Commended, UK
1996 Goldsmiths Platinum Design Awards Second Place, UK
 
Recent Exhibitions
2008 SOFA Chicago, represented by Charon Kransen
New York Art & Design Fair, represented by Charon Kransen
SOFA New York, represented by Charon Kransen
International Paper Exhibition, Scottish Gallery
Collect, represented by Lesley Craze, V&A
2007 SOFA Chicago represented by Charon Kransen New York
SOFA Chicago, represented by CCoI
PAPER EXHIBITION, Lesley Craze, London
VIVID COLOURS, Electrum Gallery, London
The London Art Fair, represented by Adrian Sassoon, London
2006 Dazzle, National Theatre, London
SOFA Chicago, represented by the National Craft Galleryof Ireland
‘Choice’, Design week exhibition, Dublin
100% Proof at the Scottish Gallery
Galerie Beeld and Aambeeld, Enchede, The Netherlands
SOFA New York, represented by Mobilia Gallery
TRACES, new work OPW, Dublin

Curated Exhibitions
2009 Kilkenny Arts Festival Curator of Craft Strand, Kilkenny, Ireland
2005 Wearable UnWearable National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland
PLAYTHINGS co-curated with Caroline McCarthy
Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland
2004 TEXTURE The Hub Centre for Craft and Design Lincolnshire, UK

Commissions
2006 Department of Foreign Affairs/ Crafts Council of Ireland, Sculptural object for Embassy Collection 2006
2005 Office of Public Works, Ireland; wall pieces for Farmleigh House
2001 Dumfries and Galloway Council, Scotland; crown for Princess Su Su

Collections
National Museum of Ireland, 2006
CCoI/ Embassy Collection 2006
Office of Public Works, Ireland, 2005
Georgia State University, Georgia, 2004
Cleveland Arts Centre, International Jewellery Collection, UK, 2003
Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, 2002
American Museum of Art and Design, New York, 2000
British Crafts Council Collection, London 1999

Exhibitions

Archive

2009

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