Jo Killalea is a visual artist with a farming, natural science and development background, who lives in Swinford, Co Mayo. A concern with social, economic and environmental justice issues is the perspective she brings to her practice. Among the defining qualities of her work is its evocation of time and place. Drawing inspiration from the local landscape, heritage and social history of the west of Ireland, together with years of experience in East Africa, her paintings are overlaid with a global outlook and sensitivity to connections on issues such as inequality, famine, migration, land use and climate change.

She graduated in Fine Art from ATU Mayo Campus (formerly GMIT) with a distinction in 2013 and with a first class honours degree in 2019. She was awarded the Academic Achievement Award and Ballinglen Arts Foundation Student Bursary, which included a residency in 2020.

Killalea has had three solo exhibitions. Preservation: Famine, Climate Change, & Peatlands at The Courtyard Gallery in the National Museum of Ireland Country Life in Oct- Dec 2023; ‘not yet saved’ was held at Ballinglen Gallery in August 2021. ‘Picture Inequality: Challenge to Indifference‘ was held in 2013 at Custom House Studios & Gallery, Westport.

Her work has been selected for numerous curated group shows, including The Curators Journey at King House Boyle (2025); Mapping Stories at The Linenhall Arts Centre (2025); Bloodroot at Pulchri Studios in The Hague & Hamilton Gallery (2025); When We Cease to Understand the World at Interface in Connemara as part of the Galway International Arts Festival 2024; RHA Annual Exhibition 2024, 2023, 2018 & 2012; Rua Red Spring Open 2023; Mayo Day 2018 & 2019; Leitrim Sculpture Centre Summer Show 2018; Cairde Visual Arts at The Model, Sligo 2023 & 2018; Mayo Artists Show 2023, 2021, 2017, 2015, 2013; Lonely Planet at The Luan 2015; Mayo God Helps Us at Claremorris Gallery 2015; Claremorris Open Exhibition 2014; RDS Student Art Awards 2012.

Mixed media paintings and sculptural installations on mental health were shown in ‘Off the Wall’ at ATU Mayo Campus in 2015. Works on homelessness were exhibited in ‘The State We’re In‘ at the MART Gallery Dublin in 2016 and at Rua Red Spring Open Exhibition in 2023.

She has been awarded residencies by Aras Eanna in cooperation with Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin (2025); Cill Rialaig Artists Retreat (2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017 & 2014); Tyrone Guthrie Centre (2022 & 2015); Ballinglen Arts Foundation (2020); GMIT Mayo Campus (2015).

Her practice has been supported by The Arts Council with a Visual Artist Bursary in 2022 and an Agility Award in 2021. She received a Bursary Award from Mayo County Council in 2025.

Her paintings are held in significant public collections including Mayo County Council (2013) and the Office of Public Works (2018).