My Weekend: It started out as a hobby but now my art is a business

I adore using colour as much as possible in my work, and would best express myself with very large impactful canvasses using a contemporary abstract style. I also work full time as a consultant for a Cork-based company and have been with them for the past 10 years.
Many moons ago when I finished school, I went straight into the workforce, and sadly my art took a back seat. One day sitting in my apartment I decided to pick up a paintbrush and see if I still had any bit of my talent left in me, and thankfully I hadn’t lost it.
In the past four years, I have dedicated a lot of my time in working on my craft, and what started back as a hobby, has now become a business. I have the most amazingly supportive friends and family, who really drove me to put my art out there for everyone to see, and once I made that big step, it took off! I have exhibited my work across Cork in several solo exhibitions, and some of my art work can be found in restaurants/ bars in the city. My art has sold predominately in Ireland and mainland Europe, and I hope to keep expanding my customer base over the next few years.

I didn’t attend art college, so I did find myself quite unsure at the beginning and found it very nerve wracking to try and break into an industry that I wasn’t very familiar with. However, over the past few years, I have connected with so many different creative people and groups across the city which has given me the confidence to sell my work and share knowledge with others. Cork has such a vibrant art community which is constantly growing, and you can see it every day when you walk through the city.
I am so lucky to have my very own art studio in town where I truly love spending my time, you’d find me with my music playing and covered in paint making new pieces most days. I adore what I do, and I hope to dedicate my life to becoming a full-time artist.
I have organised a group exhibition with three other Cork artists called WE CR:EATE which takes place in St Peter’s from October 3 to 6, where we are showcasing each of our disciplines, painting, craft and photography. It’s a celebration of Cork artwork in the beautiful venue of St Peter’s, and we will be launching the exhibition on October 3 at 5.30pm with drinks, music and beautiful art!

