Cleary engages primarily in a sculptural-based practice that embraces common materials and textiles. Sustainability is an important aspect of her practice; deconstructing found objects and upcycling them into curious assemblages has become the backbone of her artistic style.
Themes explored in her work arise from a misogynistic culture where in particular her artistic focus is to encourage a continued discourse around trauma and coercion associated with domestic abuse. Her working methodology combines hand-stitched textiles from pre-worn women’s clothes with reconstructed found objects to communicate themes of oppression.
Cleary graduated with a First-Class Honours MA in 2016 and received a First-Class Honours BA in Fine Art in 2014. She was a recipient of the Highly Commended Award in the 2014 programme of the Undergraduate Awards in both the Visual Arts & the Media & Arts Categories. Cleary has had her work published in numerous art magazines and has been featured in the Visual Arts Newsletter several times. She has been the recipient of grants from the Arts Council & from Tipperary Arts Council.
She has been awarded residencies at South Tipperary Arts Centre and the Tyrone Guthrie in Monaghan. Recent solo exhibitions include Vessels of Strength at the Excel Gallery, Tipperary and Estranged at An Culturlann in Belfast. Recent group exhibitions include the Rua Red Spring Open and the 193rd RHA Annual Exhibition. In November she has a joint show scheduled in Platform Arts Belfast.