My Work

My work explores our connection with humanity and the Divine.

In the depiction of light it is as if something transcendent is touching the here and now.

I aim to draw the viewer to connect with the sitter and their own soul; to consider what we may share that transcends the flurry of modern life.

There is increasing evidence that digital preoccupation is damaging our mental health. Within the internet generally and social media in particular, the repeated seeking of potential connection that doesn’t quite satisfy, is synonymous with other addictive behaviours. My work encourages space to reflect and a drawing into intimacy. I am increasingly working with compositional space to further accentuate these elements..

I hope to bring us back to an authentic connection with humanity and a sense of something beyond ourselves

Biography

I live in Belfast, Northern Ireland, working within art and health/ community arts and believe passionately in the value of arts intervention as a tool to improve health. I have begun to see my whole practice as a a creative force for holistic wellbeing.

My portraits have twice been shortlisted for the National Gallery of Ireland Portrait Prize, and won several accolades including Regional Artist at ING Discerning Eye, Sky Portrait Artists of the Week (during lockdown), American Arts Award First Prize Portrait Winner and High Commendation at Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. My work is regularly selected for the Royal Ulster Academy and featured in other prestigious juried shows, including Wells Art Contemporary.

I recently returned to education to focus fully on my own Art, gaining a distinction in my MA Fine Art from the University of Gloucestershire and most importantly developing greater insight into my practice.

CV

EDUCATION

2024-2025 University of Gloucestershire, MA Fine Art

1990-1991 Birmingham City University, Pg Dip History of Art & Design

1985-1988 Coventry University, BA Hons Fine Art

AWARDS AND PRIZES

2024 - Shortlisted for AIB Portrait Prize – National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

2024 – Past President’s Award - Ulster Society of Women Artists

2023 – SIAP General Arts Award, Arts Council NI

2022 – Prize Winner – American Arts Awards (portrait)

2021 – Shortlisted for the Zurich Portrait Prize – National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

2021 – Enlighten13 Winner – awarded by Hambly and Hambly

2020 - Regional Arts Prize – awarded by ING Discerning Eye

2020 – First Prize Winner, Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Week (lockdown programme)

2019 – Bradbury Graphics Art Prize – awarded by USWA

2019 – Mary Dugdale cup for portraiture – awarded by USWA

2018 – Highly Commended – Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (for portraiture)

2017 – Longlisted for the Jackson’s Art Prize 2017

2016 – First Prize Winner – American Arts Awards – (portrait of non-famous person)

2011 - Winner of Anna Cheyne Visual Arts Award, Lisburn, Northern Ireland

2007 - SIAP Travel Award, Arts Council of Northern Ireland

2005 - First Prize Winner, Blair L Sadler International Healing Arts Awards for the

Dreams Art and Health Research and Evaluation Project, Arts Care at the Mater Hospital, Belfast

COLLECTIONS

2019 - NI Civil Service Public Collection

2018 - Arts Council of Northern Ireland

2011 - Lisburn City Council

2007 - Mater Hospital, Belfast

Paintings, pastels, drawings and prints in private collections in the UK, Ireland, Europe and North America, plus Abraham’s Stars Art Books sold to Australia, Africa, the Americas and Europe

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS - Juried

2025 Wells Art Contemporary, Wells Cathedral, Somerset

Ulster Society of Women Artists, Spring Exhibition, Flowerfield Gallery, Portstewart

2024 AIB Portrait Prize, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin (& to Killarney Gardens)

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Prize Exhibition

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Summer Exhibition

Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition, Belfast

2023 Royal Ulster Academy 142nd Annual Show Ulster Museum, Belfast

Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition, Belfast

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Summer Exhibition

2022 Person, Presence, Perception, NI Civil Service Collection & Office of Public Works, Eire

Burnavon Gallery, Cookstown, Armagh County Museum, Kilmallock Library Limerick,

Casino Marino Dublin, FE Mc William Gallery Banbridge

Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition, Belfast

2021 Zurich Portrait Prize, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin (& to Crawford Gallery, Cork)

Royal Ulster Academy 140th Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast

Enlighten, Hambly and Hambly, Enniskillen

Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition, Belfast

2020 ING Discerning Eye (London/online)

Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition (Belfast/online)

USWA Prize-Winners Exhibition, Down to Earth (NI/online)

2019 Royal Ulster Academy, 138th Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast

Hallows Gallery Winter Show, Belfast

Anna Cheyne Award Exhibition, Island Arts Centre, Lisburn

Portrait Prize Exhibition, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham

Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition, Belfast

2018 Royal Ulster Academy, 137th Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast

Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition, Dublin

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Open All Media, Birmingham

Leamington Studio Artists Annual Exhibition, Leamington Spa

2017 Royal Ulster Academy, 136th Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast

2016 Royal Ulster Academy, 135th Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast

2014 Royal Ulster Academy, 133rd Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast

2013 Anna Cheyne Award Exhibition, Lisburn

2012 Royal Ulster Academy, 131st Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast

2011 Anna Cheyne Award Exhibition, Lisburn

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024 Soul Songs, Island Arts Centre, Lisburn

2022 Moments, Studio Exhibition, Belfast

2021 Beverley Healy, Hambly and Hambly (online)

2019 Abraham’s Stars, East Lodge Gallery, Leamington Spa

2018 Abraham’s Stars, Cregagh Studio, Belfast

2017 Abraham’s Stars Book launch and Exhibition, The Bookwell, Belfast

2003 Spirit, Higgin Gallery, Belfast

2000 Living Colours, Theatre Galleries, Watford and High Wycombe

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS – not juried

2025 The Prayer Book – co-ordinated collaborative project - still touring

Cheltenham Gardens Gallery, Morphe London, Sputnik, Birmingham ongoing

MA Fine Art Exhibition, University of Gloucestershire

2019 Angels Among Us, Magheralin Parish Church, Magheralin

2013 Arts Care 21, Clotworthy Arts Centre, Antrim

2009 Faith Hope Love, with Joy McCann, 3 Hospital Galleries, Belfast

2001 Arts Care Artists, Krystyne Gallery, Gilford

2000 Glimpse, NI exhibition tour, arranged by Queen Street Studios, Belfast

1999 Mill Rules and Regulations, Blackstaff Studios, Belfast

1997 Arts Care Artists, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast

1998 BA Fine Art Exhibition, Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry. Toured to Jersey Art Gallery

PUBLICATIONS / Media

Go Leor – Irish Arts and Culture– The genuine art of Beverley Healy, Aidan Mc Grath -10/11/25

Wells Art Contemporary – Catalogue of works 2025

Irish News – From Dolly Mixture to the divine – sweet inspiration, Niall MacMonagle -19/01/25

AIB Portrait Prize - Catalogue of works 2024/25

Royal Ulster Academy - Catalogue of works 10/2023

Person, Presence, Perception - NI Civil Service Collection – Catalogue of works 9/2022

Trumpet 10 – Poetry Ireland 12/2021

Zurich Portrait Prize – Catalogue of works 11/2021

Belfastmedia.com – Arts: a holiday in the heart assured in Ulster, Bronagh Lawson – 15/11/2021

Royal Ulster Academy - Catalogue of works 10/2021

Royal Ulster Academy - Catalogue of works 10/2019

Ulster Tatler – USWA Annual Exhibition, Arts Diary 10/2019

Royal Ulster Academy - Catalogue of works 10/2018

Royal Hibernian Academy – Catalogue of works - 2018

UCB Ireland – radio interview about Abraham’s Stars with Vincent Hughes –10/2017

Royal Ulster Academy - Catalogue of works 10/2017

Culture Hub Belfast –Beverley Healy Artist, 09/ 2017

Huffington Post – America’s Best galleries Name Pickler, Ford Healy, Tilden, Zener,

Van Doorn, Hames, Wade, Thapa And Broadfoot the World’s Best Portrait Artists - 03/11/2016

Holywood Alert – American Arts Awards Category 32- portrait (someone not famous) - 03/11/2016

Royal Ulster Academy – Catalogue of works 10/2016

Royal Ulster Academy - Catalogue of works 10/2014

Royal Ulster Academy - Catalogue of works 10/2012

ARTIST MEMBERSHIP

A-N Artist Information Company

Ulster Society of Women Artists, Northern Ireland

ARTS COORDINATION, TEACHING AND FACILITATION

1988 until present day working in Healthcare and Community Settings across Northern Ireland and in the Midlands

Contractors include Arts Care; MindWise; Belfast and Northern Health & Social Care Trusts; Coventry, Warwickshire and Rugby Hospitals; Youth Clubs; Addiction Rehabilitation Centres; Nursing Homes; Mental Health and Elderly Care Day Centres and latterly also Horatio’s Garden, Belfast. I also regularly teach art courses and workshops at the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast; Millenium Court Arts Centre, Portadown and Island Arts Centre, Lisburn.

As Artist in Residence for the Mater Hospital, Belfast Trust 1996-2007, I secured funding for various projects and collaborations. In 2001 I developed and coordinated the Dreams Art Health Research Project in conjunction with Community Evaluation Northern Ireland and Arts Council NI which won the Blair L Sadler International Healing Arts Award in 2005. This incorporated curation of 3 exhibitions of participants’ work at the Old Museum Arts Centre and the Waterfront Hall, Belfast

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