About Me

I love paint! I've always loved the stuff and I love the colours and textures that can be created from it. I love it when the lumps and bumps, gouges and scratches are clearly visible on the canvas or board, giving a lively, active tactile surface. This is what lights me up when I view other artists' work and it's what I strive for in my own paintings.

Senga Sharkey creates colourful, textured, abstract and mixed media paintings in response to her emotions and interpretations of the world around her.

She paints in layers, adding collage and mixed materials along with glazes of paint as the pieces demand. Her paintings are inspired by life’s events, by places she has been to and people she has met; by conversations she has valued and opinions she has held; by experiences which translate into universal themes.

Sharkey has recently exhibited with The Irish Palette collective in CHQ Dublin, Nov 2024, and in Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown, January to February 2024. She has had pieces on show in the Hambly & Hambly gallery shop in Enniskillen and has an upcoming Solo Exhibition with Solas Art Gallery, Ballinamore in September 2025 and with The Irish Palette in the Engine Room Gallery, Belfast in March 2025. She has previously exhibited in other Northern Irish and Irish galleries, including Arts For All, Belfast and the Strule Arts Centre, Omagh. Sharkey is a member of The Irish Palette collective, Visual Arts Ireland and the Visual Artists Association.

I was born in Co Fermanagh, a county of hills and lakes, and have lived here for most of my life but following a fine art degree which I took in Belfast, I spent almost 20 years living in London. It was while I was at art college that I first fell in love with abstract painting, then deepened this interest by seeing some amazing exhibitions over the years which were really inspiring. I loved my years working among other creatives in community arts but when my interests eventually led me into teaching, I gradually lost my own art practice. When I moved back to Fermanagh my interest in painting happily returned as I helped my daughter with her ‘A’ level art. I decided to take the first step, a short course in painting to refresh and develop my skills, about 6 years ago. I have continued my learning since and am working to develop my own painting style, using mainly acrylic paints, collage and mixed media. 

My work is often inspired by features of the local landscape and I am increasingly interested in exploring my own connections to the area as well as family roots in the locality going back generations. My inspirations and interests are varied however, and any of my life experiences can make their way into my paintings at any time. I am increasingly painting from memories, feelings and associations rather than referencing particular people or places. I primarily aim for an emotional response from viewers, who can project their own feelings and experiences, and make what they will of my work.  

Reach out to me for inquiries, collaborations, or any questions you may have. I am always excited to connect with fellow art lovers and enthusiasts. I can also be contacted via Instagram.