Medbh Gillard was born in 1969 in County Galway and studied at Crawford Municipal School of Art and Design in Cork and ATU Donegal. She has a BA in Psychology from University of Galway. In 2003 she moved to County Sligo where she now lives and works as a visual artist. Maritime heritage, folklore, people and wildlife are recurrent themes in her work.

With a grounding in drawing, 3D modelling and photography, mixed media has become the essential aspect of her visual practice.

She attained a QQl Level 6 Digital Photography with distinction in 2021. Medbh takes a research-based approach to her practice and much of her work has an historical grounding. She graduated from ATU Sligo in 2023 with a Master of Arts in Historical and Heritage Studies of the Northwest and later was awarded a Decade of Centenaries research bursary from the Royal Irish Academy. Her historical research and visual art practice continue to evolve - addressing contemporary themes and aspects of the human condition whilst highlighting the historical narrative.

Medbh Gillard is a TAP+ (Teacher Artist Partnership) and BLAST (Bringing Live Art to Students and Teachers) creative practitioner with Sligo Education Centre bringing creative, arts-rich experiences into schools to support pupil voice, agency, and wellbeing under the Creative Ireland programme.

She is a member of the Sligo County Council Arts+Health Artist Panel delivering creative projects aimed at improving health, wellbeing, and social inclusion. She is registered with the Teaching Council of Ireland.

Medbh has exhibited widely nationally and internationally, had four solo exhibitions, several Artists Residencies and was awarded an Arts Council of Ireland funded Live/Work/Play travel bursary in 2025. She received The Canopy award at Cairde Visual 2025.

Her work is held in public and private collections.