About

Eilis Crean is an Irish American artist based near Atlanta, GA. Through various drawing and painting practices her work connects with ideas of loss and celebration. Across diverse subject matter – forgotten landscapes, essential workers, remembered gatherings, her work references the nature of time - cyclical and paused, geological and momentary, lost and seized, contemplative and purchased.

Crean exhibits nationally and internationally including the "Stand and Deliver: Art in the time of Covid" at the David J Sencer Museum, CDC, Atlanta; "Gathered V" at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Georgia (MOCAGA); "All Terrain" Spartanburg Art Museum, SC; "Laborious Conditions" Herron School of Art, IN; "Drawing Discourse" University of North Carolina; Red Line Contemporary Art Center, Denver; the Hambidge Center, GA., RHA Annual, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Ireland; The Visual, Carlow, Ireland; Irish Consulate, Atlanta. Her work is held in public and private collections including the Irish State Collection, Latvian State Collection, French State Collection, LaGrange Museum, GA., King&Spalding Atlanta.

Eilis is represented by Spalding Nix Fine Art, Atlanta, GA.

She is Professor Emerita of Art at University of West Georgia.


CV
EILIS CREAN
Visual Artist
Born 1958, Ireland
Lives and works in Carrollton, GA., 30117, USA
(770) 241-6732 eiliscrean1@gmail.com WWW.EILISCREAN.COM
IG: @eiliscrean
EDUCATION
2000 Master of Fine Art, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1981 Certificate in Teaching, National College of Art & Design, Dublin, Ireland
1980 Diploma - Fine Art, National College of Art & Design, Dublin, Ireland,
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 Meanderscapes/Synthescapes Spalding Nix Fine Art, Atlanta
2024 Fields of Recognition, Vault Gallery, Newnan, GA
2023 Dream Abstractions/Perspective&Perceptions, Spalding Nix Fine Art, Atlanta
2021 Essential Workers/Out of Place, Spalding Nix Fine Art, Atlanta, GA
2017 Above the Sea, Green Fuse Gallery, Westport, Ireland
2016 Laborious Conditions, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN
2015 From the Sheeffry Pass, Clifden Arts Week, Co. Galway, Ireland
2012 New Paintings, Cultural Art Center, Douglasville, GA
2009 Presence: Votives and Portraits, Arnold Gallery, Shorter College, GA
2004 Votives, Moving Spirits Gallery, Atlanta, GA,
2000 Messages of Form, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 1994 Paintings and Drawings, French Embassy, Dublin, Ireland

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025
Hambidge Auction, Atlanta, GA
2024
Stand & Witness: Art in the Time of COVID-19, David J Sencer Museum, CDC, Atlanta, GA
Ensemble, Spalding Nix Gallery, Atlanta, GA
UWG Faculty Exhibition, Center for the Arts, Carrollton, GA
Irish Fest, Roswell Cultural Arts Center, GA
I, We, and the Space Between, GSU, Georgia Perimeter, Clarkston Ensemble, Spalding Nix Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2023
Art Fields, Lake City, SC,
Georgia Lawyers for the Arts Auction, King Plow Center, Atlanta Ensemble, Spalding Nix Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Gathered V, Museum of Contemporary Art Georgia, Atlanta Ensemble, Spalding Nix Gallery, Atlanta, GA,
Hambidge Art Auction, Atlanta, GA
MOCA GA Art Auction, Museum of Contemporary Art, Atlanta, GA Home, Vault Gallery, Newnan, GA
Semblance, 7th Annual Juried Exhibition, Mint Gallery, Atlanta, GA Drawing Discourse, University of North Carolina, Asheville, SC
All Terrain, Spartanburg Art Museum, SC
2019 Loss Redemption Grace, EBD4, Atlanta, GA (Best in Show Award),
2018 Fine Art Exhibition, Callanwolde Arts Center, Atlanta, GA
2017 RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Gallagher Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2016 Drawing Never Dies, Redline Contemporary Art Center, Denver, CO
RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Gallaher Gallery, Dublin, Ireland, (invitational)
2015 Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition, Dalton Gallery, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA
2014 Eigse-Open Submission Exhibition, Carlow Arts Festival, The Visual, Carlow, Ireland
2013 Fables of the Eco Future, The Weave Shed Gallery, Hambidge Center, GA
2012 100at100, Ernest Welch School of Art and Design, GSU, Atlanta, GA
Studio Visit Magazine, Volume Nineteen, Open Studios Press, Boston, MA `
National Small Oil Painting Juried Exhibition – Wichita Center for the Arts, KA
2011
Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition, Dalton Gallery, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, Best in Show Award
International Painting Annual, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Valdosta National, Valdosta State University, GA
2010 Ashes to Ashes: Demise and Transformation, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009 All Small Redux, Dalton Gallery, Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, GA
2008 LaGrange National Biennial, LaGrange Museum, LaGrange, GA
23rd Annual International Exhibition, The University of Texas at Tyler, TX
QX.net Nude International, Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY 2007
34th Annual Juried Competition, Mazur Museum of Art, LA
Juried Art Exhibit, Bascom-Louise Gallery, Highlands, NC Small Wonders, Maryland Federation of Art, Baltimore, MD WCAGA, Annual Exhibition, Stone Mountain, GA
PAINT South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA
20th Annual Juried National Fine Arts Exhibition, Douglasville, GA
2006 Domestic Tensions-Axis of Longing, Gay Center for the Arts, Milwaukee, WI
2005 Northern National Art Competition, Nicolet College, WN
1997 Vital Chords - Land, Identity and Myth in Contemporary Irish Art, Sturgis Library Gallery,
Kennesaw State University, GA,
1995 Iontas - Small Works, Sligo Art Gallery, Ormeau Baths, Belfast, and RHA, Ireland
Arnotts National Portrait Award Exhibition, Ireland Oireachtas, Guinness Hop Store Gallery, Dublin, Ireland Treg'Aquarelle, Britany, France
AWARDS & GRANTS
2023 Life Drawing Self-directed Sessions, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Ireland Painting Workshop with Siobhan O’Callaghan, RHA, Dublin, Ireland
2nd Place, Art Fields Portrait Competition, Lake City, Georgia, USA
2019 Best in Show - Loss, Redemption, Grace, EBD4, Atlanta, GA 2012 Hambidge Fellow, Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts, GA
2011 Best in Show, Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition, Dalton Gallery, Atlanta, GA 2008 Merit Award, Valdosta National, Valdosta State University, GA
2007 Purchase Award, LaGrange National Biennial, LaGrange Museum, GA
Honorable Mention -Juried Art Exhibit, Bascom-Louise Gallery, Highlands, NC
2006 Merit Award – PAINT, South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA
Third Place, National Fine Arts Exhibition, Douglasville Arts Center, GA Second Place, National Fine Arts Exhibition, Douglasville Arts Center, GA
1999 Joseph Perrin Award, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
1996 Irish Rep, Cesis Annual International Watercolor Symposium, Latvia
Irish Arts Council Travel Grant
OTHER Professional Engagements, Artist Talks & Publications
2025 Artist interview - live on Instagram with Spalding Nix Fine Art, Nov 2 2024 Artist Talk, David J Sencer Museum, Atlanta, GA
Mary Stanley Studio visit with the Young Collectors Club -
Essay by Nathan Rees, Fields of Recognition, Vault Gallery Press, Catalog Review by Jerry Cullum - Cullum's Notebook, ArtsAtl Feb 7
Curator: I, We, and the Space Between, GSU, Georgia Perimeter, Clarkston
Artist Interview, Speaking of Art, City Lights WAB,
2023 Artist interview - live on Instagram with Spalding Nix Fine Art,
2021 Artist interview - live on Instagram with Spalding Nix Fine Art 2020 Review by Shelly Dansy, Semblance, ArtsAtl, August 14
2017 Review by Aidan Dunne, RHA Annual Exhibition, Irish Times, May 30th
2012 Artist Talk, Cultural Arts Center, Douglasville, GA
2009 Artist Talk, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ Artist Talk, Shorter College, Rome GA,
2004 Artist Talk, LaGrange College, Department of Art, GA

RESIDENCIES & WORKSHOPS
2025 Hambidge Center, GA, USA
2023 Life Drawing, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Ireland
2023 Figure Painting, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Ireland
2006 Timothy Hawksworth Life Drawing Residency, Morristown, NJ, USA
COLLECTIONS
La Grange Museum of Art, La Grange, GA, USA King and Spalding, Atlanta, GA, USA
Irish State Collection, Dublin, Ireland
French Embassy, Dublin, Ireland
Latvian State Collection
Figgis Collection, Dublin, Ireland
TEACHING ENGAGEMENTS
Professor Emerita, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, 2023 - current Professor of Art, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, 2019- 2022
Associate Professor of Art, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, 2008- 2019 Assistant Professor of Art, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, 2003-2008 Limited Term Instructor of Art, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, 2003-2008 Visiting Instructor of Art, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 2000-2001
Student Assistant, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 1998-2000
Instructor of Life Drawing, Stillorgan Senior College, Dublin, Ireland, 1989- 1996