What inspires Anthony Carey’s abstract art?

Anthony Carey’s work is shaped by themes of resilience, belonging, and emotional transformation. His art draws heavily from Jungian archetypes like the Wanderer and the Shadow. Jump to the inspiration section

Where has Anthony Carey exhibited his work?

Anthony’s art has been shown internationally.From the Chianciano Biennale in Italy to exhibitions across the USA, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. CV

How does Carl Jung influence Anthony Carey’s art?

Carl Jung’s theories on the collective unconscious and archetypes deeply influence Carey’s figurative abstraction. His work invites viewers into a symbolic world of inner conflict and healing. Read the dedicated blog post

What does “belonging” mean in Carey’s art?

'Belonging' in Anthony Carey’s work is both personal and universal — a search for connection amidst fragmentation. It’s explored visually through layered textures and fractured figures. Learn more in the Belonging series

What materials does Anthony Carey use in his paintings?

He works with plaster, acrylics, industrial adhesives, and mesh to create richly textured surfaces. These materials express vulnerability, erosion, and emotional weight. See materials mentioned in the bio Explore textures in the portfolio.

About Anthony Carey | Abstract Art & Stories of Belonging

Anthony Carey beside a large abstract painting during the Belonging exhibition at Scariff Gallery.

ABOUT ANTHONY CAREY

Anthony Carey is a Dublin-born abstract artist whose work bridges the deeply personal with the universally resonant, inspired by themes of resilience, belonging, and transformation. His textured, abstract figurative pieces, created using plaster and acrylics, uncover untold stories and shared human experiences that shape who we are. Through fractured figures and layered textures, Carey invites viewers to explore the beauty of imperfection and the strength found in connection.

While his work is deeply influenced by his connection to Ireland—the land that molded his perspective—it transcends geographic boundaries. Carey’s art reflects the universal truth that everyone carries a backstory, often untold, yet deeply formative. His exploration of empathy and healing offers a visual reminder that despite our differences, we all belong and are deeply connected.

Inspired by artists like Leonora Carrington, Jackson Pollock, and Jack Yeats, Carey incorporates Jungian archetypes such as the Wanderer and the Shadow into his practice, creating works that resonate with the collective unconscious. His art has been exhibited internationally, including at the prestigious 2022 Chianciano Biennale, and is held in private collections across Ireland, the USA, Canada, and Europe.

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND MY WORK

My art is a dialogue between chaos and calm, a meditation on belonging, resilience, and transformation. I create abstract figurative works that reflect the untold stories shaping who we are—offering spaces for empathy, healing, and connection. Inspired by Carl Jung’s archetypes, such as the Wanderer and the Shadow, my figures embody the universal human experiences of searching for identity, confronting inner struggles, and finding strength in imperfection.

Using plaster and layered textures, I craft fractured forms that reflect the fragility and resilience of the human condition. These figures are not merely visual—they are emotional, symbolic markers of our shared journeys. Through them, I aim to bridge the personal and the collective, inviting viewers to find their own narratives within the work.

Rooted in personal reflection, my practice draws inspiration from Leonora Carrington’s exploration of transformation and the unconscious. My art reflects my belief in the interconnectedness of humanity: though we may carry fragments of the past, we are all part of a continuing narrative, finding light in the fractures of our lives.

What inspires Anthony Carey’s abstract art?
Anthony Carey’s work is shaped by themes of resilience, belonging, and emotional transformation. His art draws heavily from Jungian archetypes like the Wanderer and the Shadow.

Jump to the inspiration section
Where has Anthony Carey exhibited his work?
Anthony’s art has been shown internationally.From the Chianciano Biennale in Italy to exhibitions across the USA, Canada, Australia, and Ireland.

CV
How does Carl Jung influence Anthony Carey’s art?
Carl Jung’s theories on the collective unconscious and archetypes deeply influence Carey’s figurative abstraction. His work invites viewers into a symbolic world of inner conflict and healing.

Read the dedicated blog post
What does “belonging” mean in Carey’s art?
'Belonging' in Anthony Carey’s work is both personal and universal — a search for connection amidst fragmentation. It’s explored visually through layered textures and fractured figures.

Learn more in the Belonging series
What materials does Anthony Carey use in his paintings?
He works with plaster, acrylics, industrial adhesives, and mesh to create richly textured surfaces. These materials express vulnerability, erosion, and emotional weight.

See materials mentioned in the bio

Explore textures in the portfolio.

CV

Anthony Carey

Born in Dublin, Ireland

Currently lives and works in Dublin, Ireland

email: hello@anthonycareyart.com

website: www.anthonycareyart.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/anthonycareyart

Education

Current: BA in Creative Arts with OCA - University of Creative Arts, Barnsley, UK.

Solo Exhibitions

2024 Belonging: A Quest for Home, Scariff Library Gallery, Mountshannon, Clare, Ireland.
2022 Small Talk, Icon Factory, Dublin, Ireland.

Group Exhibitions

2025 6 x 6, RoCo Art Centre, Rochester, NY, USA.

2024 6 x 6, RoCo Art Centre, Rochester, NY, USA.

2024 Art For Gaza, The Copperhouse Gallery, Dublin, Ireland.

2023 Open Studio, Dublin, Ireland.

2023 Art at the Mill, Berkeley Gallery, Grennanmill, Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland.

2023 Summer Of Love, Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Co.Clare, Ireland.

2023 Mountshannon Arts Festival, Mountshannon, Co. Clare, Ireland.

2023 6 x 6, RoCo Art Centre, Rochester, NY, USA.

2023 10th Annual Abstract Sanctuary, Verum Ultimum Gallery, Portland, Oregon, USA.

2023 Art Is, Kefi Art Gallery, Toronto,Canada.

2023 Group Show, GalleryX, Dublin, Ireland.

2022 Chianciano Art Biennale, Museo d’Arte di Chianciano, Tuscany, Italy (Award in abstract category).

2022 Art at the Mill, Berkeley Gallery, Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland.

2022 The Garden of Loss and Triumph, Artaviso, Amsterdam , Netherlands.

2022 Door to Door, Artaviso, Litehaus Galerie & Projectraum, Berlin, Germany .

2021 Art in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Art Cave, New York, USA.

2021 Pluid Project, The Cowshed, Farmleigh, Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland.

2021 Sculpture in the Garden, Berkley Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland.

2021 Newsprint, Three Works, Scarborough, UK.

2021 London Art Biennale, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London, UK.

2021 Newsprint Exhibition, Three Works, Scarborough, UK.

2021 Hope, Fragmented Collective, Glasgow, UK (virtual).

2020 Door to Door (UK & Europe), Artaviso, (virtual) .

2020 Art & Architecture: Uncovering Libraries & Collections,Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin, Ireland.

2020 Artist spotlight, Sauvage Gallery, (virtual).

2019 The Christmas Fair, Icon Factory, Dublin, Ireland.

2019 Art & Architecture: Uncovering Libraries & Collections, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin, Ireland.

2019 Sculpture in Context, National Botanical Gardens, Dublin, Ireland.

2018 Showcase, 30 years, Gallery@OXO, London, UK.

2018 Art & Architecture: Uncovering Libraries & Collections, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin, Ireland.

2018 Trasna 8, Courthouse Gallery and Studios, Co. Clare, Ireland.

Film

‘Story’ a one minute experimental film has been officially selected as a finalist/nominee at film festivals in London,
Berlin, Tokyo, Lisbon, Rome, Los Angeles, Bali, Toronto and Vancouver.

2021 Imagine Rain Independent Film Awards, California, USA, Best Experimental Short - winner.

2021 Great Message International Film Festival, Mumbai, India, Best smartphone - winner.

2021 Tagore International Film Festival, West Bengal, India, Best One Minute Film - winner.

2021 Art Film Awards, Skopje, Macedonia, Best super short film - winner.

2021 Art Film Awards, Skopje, Macedonia, Best poster – winner.

2021 World Film Carnival, Best Experimental Film – winner, Best One Minute Film – winner.

2021 Virgin Spring Cinefest, West Bengal, India, Singapore, Best One Minute Film – winner.

2021 Druk International Film Festival, Best One Minute Film – winner.

2021 1st Monthly FIlm Festival, Belgrade, Serbia -Honourable Mention.

2021 Luleå International Film Festival, Luleå, Sweden - Semi-Finalist.

Fundraising

2024 One in Four, Dublin.

2024 ArtHouse, in aid of Outhouse Dublin.

2024 So This Is Early Onset Bowel Cancer, The Loft Gallery, Brisbane, Australia.

2023 One in Four, Dublin.

2023 Twitter Art Exhibit, supporting Urban Native Youth Association, Vancouver, Canada.

2023 Outside the Box, RHA, supporting Scoop Foundation, Dublin, Ireland.
2022 ArtHouse, in aid of Outhouse Dublin.

2022 Incognito, in aid of Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation.

2022 Twitter Art Exhibit, supporting The Encephalitis Society, The Hiscox Building, York, UK.

2021 Incognito, in aid of Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation.

2021 ArtHouse, in aid of Outhouse Dublin.

2021 Twitter Art Exhibit, in aid of LINC, Cheltenham, UK.

2021 Pluid Project, Dublin, Ireland.

2020 Inside Out Homeshow, in aid of The Coombe Childrens Hospital.

2020 ArtHouse, in aid of Outhouse Dublin.

Books

2018 Connection, Anthony Carey, Dublin, Ireland.
2020 Letters from Dublin, Anthony Carey and Stephen Carey, Dublin, Ireland.

2020 Ask Me Arse and other useful phrases, Anthony Carey and Becca Carey, Dublin, Ireland.

Reviews

Whelan, Ken: ‘Finglas Connection’, Northside People Sunday, 2nd September, 2018.

Whelan, Ken: ‘Author writes letters from Dublin’, Northside People Sunday, 7th January, 2020.

Publications

2021 Red Sails in a Covid Urban Landscape, Artists Responding To, Issue 6.

2021 Opinion, Haus-A-Rest, Issue 13, The Uncanny.

Works held in private collections in Ireland, the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, UK, Germany, and Greece.

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Biography