I was born in the west of Ireland. I attended the Institute of Technology, Sligo, National Diploma in Painting and Printmaking (distinction); the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, BA Painting (1^st class honors),1986; the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, MFA Painting, 1989; and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, 1989.

I was the recipient of a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, 2016, a Contemporary Northwest Art Award, 2016, a Pollock Krasner Award in 2013, the Jack and Grace Pruzan Fellowship for 2009-2012 and 2013- 2015, and numerous other awards and research grants. Over the past 25 years, my work has been included in several international exhibitions in Ireland and Singapore, including solo exhibitions at the Hamilton Gallery, Sligo, Ireland; The Linenhall Arts Centre, Co. Mayo, Ireland; The Yeats Gallery, Sligo, Ireland; Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle; Sazama Gallery, Chicago; The Cultural Center, Chicago; The Hudson D. Walker Gallery, Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown; and Chatam College, Pittsburgh. I participated in numerous residencies including The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown; the Bemis Foundation, Omaha; and The Tyrone Guthrie Centre Residency Programme, Annaghmakerrig, Ireland.

I was a visiting artist and gave talks on my work at venues such as the Malaysian Institute of Art, Kuala Lumpur; The University of Alaska, Fairbanks; The University of Puget Sound, Tacoma; The Massachusetts College of Art, MA., and SFMOMA Gallery, San Francisco. I live in Seattle, and I am currently Professor of Art and Chair of the Division of Art at the University of Washington. I also taught at La Salle College of the Arts, Singapore, and The University of Washington Studio Art Program in Rome.

Education

1989 – Master of Fine Arts, Painting/Drawing – School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL

1989 – Summer Residency – Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Skowhegan, ME

1986 – Bachelor of Arts, Painting/Drawing (1^st class honors) – National College of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland

1985 – National Diploma in Fine Arts, Painting/Printmaking (distinction) – Institute of Technology, Sligo, Ireland

Solo Exhibitions

2014 – Ground The Hamilton Gallery, Sligo, Ireland

2013 – Between the Rural and the Void – Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA

2008 – Mór Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA

2007 – Beag The Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Ireland

2006 – Dwellings Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA

2002 – Paintings Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA

2000 – Western Light Woodland Art Gallery, Chatham College, Pittsburgh, PA – Paintings – Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA

1999 – Paintings Sligo Art Gallery, Yeats Memorial Building, Sligo, Ireland

1994 – Toher-Lumen The Cultural Center, Chicago, IL

1992 – New Paintings Sazama Gallery, Chicago, IL fellowship Work Hudson D. Walker Gallery, Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA 

1991 – Paintings Sazama Gallery, Chicago, IL

 

Two-Person Exhibitions

2013 – Rebecca Cummins/Helen O’Toole The Jacob Lawrence Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

2010 – Lorraine Wall/Helen O’Toole The Claremorris Art Gallery, Ireland

2009 – Helen O’Leary/Helen O’Toole Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL      

1992 – Helen O’Leary/Helen O’Toole SXU Gallery, St. Xavier University, Chicago, IL

1988 -Natalie Clark/Helen O’Toole Gallery 2, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL                     

 Selected Group Exhibitions

 2019 – Unforseen Thereness Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA St Bridgid’s Day 12 Star Gallery, London, UK

A Contemporary Irish Art Exhibition, Irish Women visual artists respond to ‘St. Brigid’s Day 1989’, a poem by the late Leland Bardwell, Embassy of Ireland, Berlin, Germany

2017 – Crazy Jane The Hamilton Gallery, Sligo, Ireland

2016 – Contemporary Northwest Art Awards Portland Art Museum, OR

2015 – Impressions and Portraits of WB Yeats The Hamilton Gallery, Sligo, Ireland

2013 – Numberless Dreams The Hamilton Gallery, Sligo, Ireland

2012 – Commentaries: Artists Respond to the Land Prographica, Seattle, WA

2012 – Amid a space Between: Irish Artists in America SFMOMA Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2011                Faculty Exhibition Jacob Lawrence Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA Inside the Collection Institute of Contemporary Art, Singapore

2009 – Gathering Image, Fugitive Form The Kittredge Gallery, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

2008 – The 25^th Anniversary of the Gallery Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA

2007 1991-1992 Fellows Hudson D. Walker Gallery, Provincetown, MA

2005 – University of Washington Painting Faculty Seattle Academy of Art, Seattle, WA

2005 – The 2005 Neddy Artist Fellowship Washington State Convention and Trade Centre, Seattle, WA Ten Years of Excellence, Neddy Nominees Tacoma Art Museum, WA

2003 – Dreams Sligo Art Gallery, Yeats Memorial Building Sligo, Ireland

2001 – Music Sligo Art Gallery, Yeats Memorial Building Sligo, Ireland Ann Gale, Louise St. Pierre, Helen O’Toole Jacob Lawrence Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

2000 – Mirabilia Artis University of Washington Summer Arts Festival, Meany Hall Theater, Seattle, WA Inaugural Group Exhibition Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA A Salute to the New Millennium Sligo Art Gallery, Sligo, Ireland

1999 – From Here to the Horizon: Artists of the Rural Landscape,                                                           Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Bellingham, WA

1998 – Paul Harcharik, Helen O’Toole, Jill Sabella Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA

1997 – New Faculty University of Washington, Seattle, WA

1995 – Living Landscape ‘95, West Cork Arts Center, Skibbereen, Ireland Fine Arts Faculty Exhibition La Salle Gallery, Singapore

1993 – Emerging Chicago Abstraction Rockford Museum of Art, Rockford, IL Fine Arts Work Center 1991-1992 Visual Fellows Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, MA

1991 – Contemporary Fine Arts Invitational Augustana College Gallery, Rock Island, IL Gallery Northwest  Indiana University, Gary, IN Fine Arts Work Center Visual Fellows Hudson D. Walker Gallery, Provincetown, MA

1990 – Skowhegan in Chicago Hokin Kaufman Gallery, Chicago, IL 5 Young Chicago Artists Sazama Gallery, Chicago, IL The Chicago Show The Cultural Center, Chicago, IL

Springboard, selected graduates of Ireland’s Art Colleges, 1985-1988 Irish Life Exhibition Center, Dublin, Ireland

1989 – Surrounding Abstraction, Five Painters from Chicago  Armstrong Gallery, Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, IA New Talent 1 Contemporary Art Workshop, Gallery, Chicago, IL Paper Products School of the Art institute of Chicago, IL

1986 – NCEA Art and Design ’86 Guinness Hops Store, Dublin, Ireland Guinness Peat Aviation Awards for Emerging Artists Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland Graduate Exhibition Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin, Ireland

1985 – Print Society Exhibition Yeats Gallery, Sligo, Ireland

 

Awards and Honors

2019 – Milliman Endowment Fund University of Washington, WA

2016    John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship New York, NY Contemporary Northwest Art Awards, Portland Art Museum, OR

2013 – Pollock-Krasner Foundation Fellowship Pollock-Krasner Foundation, New York, NY

Jack and Grace Pruzan Endowed Faculty Fellowship (2013-2015) University of Washington, WA Milliman Endowment Fund University of Washington, WA

2012 – Milliman Endowment Fund University of Washington, WA

2009 – Jack and Grace Pruzan Endowed Faculty Fellowship (2009-2012) University of Washington, WA

2010 – Milliman Endowment Fund University of Washington, WA

2009 – Milliman Endowment Fund University of Washington, WA

2007 – Milliman Endowment Fund University of Washington, WA Graduate School Award University of Washington, WA

1999 – Graduate School Award University of Washington, Seattle, WA Junior Faculty Development Fellowship University of Washington, Seattle, WA      

1992    The Bemis Foundation Residency (1992-1993)  The Bemis Foundation, Omaha, NE

1992 – The Tyrone Guthrie Centre Residency – The Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, Co. Monaghan, Ireland     

1991 – FAWC, Kenneth Stubbs Fellowship (1991-1992) – Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA

1991 – Community Arts Assistance Program Grant – Chicago Office of Fine Arts, Chicago, IL

1989 – Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Fellowship – Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, ME – The Art Council of Ireland Travel Award Dublin, Ireland

Public or Institutional Collections

Portland Art Museum, OR.

Capital One, Richmond, VA

Swedish Hospital, Seattle, WA

Mc Kinsey &CO., Chicago, IL

Amdahl Corporation, Hinsdale, IL

Tuthill Corporation, Hinsdale, IL

National College of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland

Regional Technical College Sligo, Ireland

 

Bibliography

2019 – Lennon, Joseph, Weathered Together Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, May (catalog)

 2016 – Laing-Malcolmson, Bonnie, Contemporary Northwest Art Awards The Portland Art Museum (catalog)

2013 – Pollman, Lisa. Oil Paintings Uncover Ancient Connections and Mysteries. The Seattle Vine. February Rumold, Danila. Beyond The Void. Contemplative Process. February

2012 – Bigman, Alexander. Irish Art in America: ‘Amid a Space Between’ at SFMOMA Artists Gallery. ZYZZYVA, April Rumold, Danila. Amid a Space Between. Contemplative Process. March

2009 – Davidson, Dave R. A quartet of evocatively murky painters muddy the wall of Kittredge Gallery. Tacoma Weekly. November

2006 – Hackett, Regina. Review. Seattle Post Intelligencer. March 17

1999 – Ó Cuív, Ruairí. A few thoughts provoked by painting. Sligo Art Gallery Exhibition brochure. August Ó Cuív, Ruairí. Helen O’Toole Exhibition at Art Gallery. Review. Sligo Champion, August

1995 – McQuaid, Sali.  Atmospheric. Review. Artist Writer. February Ewart, Mark. Living Landscape. Review Irish Times, August

1994 – Artner, Alan G. Two more Chicago painters are guided by the light. Review.  Chicago Tribune. December 2

1992 – Teevan, Colin. New Paintings. Sazama Gallery Exhibition Brochure. September Yood, James. Chicago. Helen O’Toole. Sazama Gallery. Review Art Forum. December Moehl, Karl. Contemporary Visual Art Invitational. Review New Art Examiner. April Lautman, Victoria. Artistic License. National Public Radio. September 19          

 

1991 – Hixon, Kathryn. Chicago in Review. Arts Magazine, June Lautman, Victoria. Artistic License. National Public Radio. April 20 McCracken, David. Gallery Scene. Review. Chicago Tribune, April 5

1990 – Fallon, Brian. “Springboard” of Irish Life. Review The Irish Times, February 8

1988 – Anderson, Tonnia L. Review Gallery News, November Lautman, Victoria. Artistic License. National Public Radio. November

1987  – Dunne, Aidan. Irish Women Artists, From the Eighteenth Century to the Present Day. P69

1986 – Fallon, Brian. GPA Awards Exhibition. Review – Irish Times. October Dunne, Aidan. Art Student Vision and the Restorer’s Art. Irish Times. June – Robinson, Kate. Landscapes of China. NCAD’s annual exhibition. Irish Independent. June

Mc Crum, Sean. Graduating with Honours. Review.

Sunday Tribune, June

Dunne, Aidan. Visionary in the Classroom. Review.

Sunday Press, June

Visiting Artist, Lectures

2016 – Artist Talk, Portland Art Museum, OR

2014 – “What Makes its Presence Known”, panel with Josephine Halvorson and Emily Gherard, Puget Sound University, Tacoma, WA

2013 – Promotion Lecture, Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, WA – Conversations with Painters, artist talk and discussion on “The Sublime” with Gary Carpenter, Helen O’Toole Workshop, Olympia, WA – Artist Talk, Visiting Artist, Puget Sound University, Tacoma, WA

2012 – Artist Talk, Conversations with Painters, Jordan Wolfson Workshop, Olympia, WA – Artist Gallery Talk, SFMOMA Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2009 – Artist Conversation, Kittredge Art Gallery, University of Puget Sound, WA

2007 – Visiting Artist, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK – Artist Talk, Errew National School, Co. Mayo, Ireland

2000 – Artist Talk, Chatham College, Pittsburgh, PA

1998 – Columbia Basin College, Pasco, WA

1996 – Artist Talk, Faculty Lecture Series, School of Art, University of Washington, WA

1995 – Malaysian Institute of Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Academic Appointments

2014 – present  Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

2002- 2014 – Associate Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

1996-2002 – Assistant Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

1993-95 – Full-time lecturer, LaSalle-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore

1999, 2004 – University of Washington Studio Art Program Rome