Having graduated from the University of Ulster with a Degree in Fine and Applied Arts (specialising in painting) in 2001, Ciara moved into Bridge Street Studios, Dundalk and continued to be a member till 2011. Ciara now works from her studio at home in Mullacrew and is a member of Visual Artists Ireland, Creative Spark print studio, North Louth Artists and AAEX.

Ciara has held three solo exhibitions and taken part in numerous group exhibitions. Over a dozen works have been acquired by the Office of Public Works, one of her paintings was exhibited in Currents, Art of the State touring exhibition; other collections include the Louth County Council, Smurfit Art Collection, as well as private collections in Ireland, Australia, France and the USA.

My work is limited to horizonal and vertical strips and blocks of colour, which are all around us. Some edges have a blurred or indefinite quality and others are left straight. I want to create tension between the two as I feel when something is imperfect there is more truth in it, more expression.

The colours I use are from memory, things that I have seen. They are very experimental, they come out of playing with paint, with materials and colour.  My work is a mirror of the environment without in anyway literally representing it.