Helen O’Leary attended the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has been honoured with la Prix de Rome, American Academy in Rome, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship; two PollockKrasner awards; and the Joan Mitchell Award for painting and sculpture. Solo exhibitions of O’Leary’s work have been held at venues including Lesley Heller Gallery, New York; The MAC, Belfast; and Limerick City Gallery of Art.