My Weekend: 'Weekends are for walking, talking, and no agenda'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

I’m a glass artist based in Fermoy, North Cork. Nature and landscape are at the heart of everything I make.

My studio sits in the rolling hills over the Blackwater Valley, and it’s my happy place. I allow myself great freedom to explore, experiment, and follow my intuition. Glass as a material to work with is magic because of how it plays with light and colour and can be totally transformed by heat. Every time I open the kiln, it’s a surprise — sometimes exactly what I hoped for, other times not.

Having my studio close to home means I can duck in and out all day, which gives great freedom, though it can get isolating. That’s why collaborations have been such a joy lately. Through Design and Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) and the Homo Faber Michelangelo Foundation, I took part in the fellowship programme, which matched master artisans with recent graduates. I welcomed a French graduate to the studio for a six-month residency, and together we created Shaping Light from Ruins, which was exhibited during Milan Design Week and 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen.

I’m also working on a collaboration, Wings Across Waters, with a Spanish artist near Barcelona. And closer to home, I’m part of The Project Space, a three-month residency in a previously disused space. It was the brainchild of local Fermoy artist Lucy Phelan and is supported by Blackwater Valley Makers and Cork County Council.

I’m also a member of Cork Craft and Design and part of Cork Craft Month in August.

The support, opportunities, and community there have meant so much to me over the years. It has definitely boosted my confidence and helped me grow over the years. It’s a fantastic community of makers, designers, and crafters who all support each other. It’s not just business and work; it’s friendships and people who get it. They understand your passion and long hours in the workshop. I see members supporting each other all the time and offering encouragement and help to each other, which is so important to makers, especially those who work in isolated studios. People need people.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

Feet up at home, pizza from Bella’s in Fermoy with the kids, popcorn, and a movie.

We spend as long trying to agree on a movie as we do watching it — teenage democracy and negotiations at its best, but we love it.

Lie ins or up with the lark... which is it for you?

Lie ins. Especially on Sunday mornings. I’m loving the summer holidays and getting a rest from the school-morning negotiations. Sunday mornings are my favourite; it’s for slow coffee, no alarm, and pretending Monday isn’t coming.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Absolutely. My work is an integral part of my self-expression, and because I live alongside my studio, it’s great to be able to pop in when an idea pops into my head.

If money was no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

Venice. As a glass artist, it’s an absolute heaven — the history and glass echoing through its narrow streets and Murano Island is amazing. I was there on a girls trip a few years ago, and we had a fantastic time. My sister missed it, so I would have to bring her, and I also need to bring my best friend, the girls I was with the last time, and my kids. The list is getting very long; I will have to go on several trips!

I’m actually heading back to Venice in September for a work-related event. I extended my stay a few days to enjoy the city, art galleries, narrow streets, and its canals.

I also love Irish city breaks. Cork is obviously the best city, but I live here, so Kilkenny is my go-to city for a little break. It’s a beautiful little city and has one of my favourite galleries in Ireland, the DCCI National Design and Craft Gallery.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

The sea and the woods. I need both. I love walks by the beach listening to the waves — so soothing. I’m equally happy under a tree.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

100%. Weekends are for walking, talking, and no agenda, just good chats and fresh air.

This weekend I did the Ardmore cliff walk with a friend I hadn’t seen in ages. We walked, talked, and laughed whilst taking in the stunning sea views.

We live in such a beautiful country, and it’s important to remember to enjoy it.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I love going to small live gigs. I was at a little festival in Clonmel recently, sat on a bale of hay and chatted to the people beside me. The atmosphere was so easy-going. I went to hear Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill, and they were incredible, but the bands before them were fantastic too.

I also love art galleries — hours can disappear in them; it’s a little time out from what’s happening in my world to see the world through the eyes of others.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter, do you have a signature dish?

Be entertained, 100%. I love cooking, but I’d much rather someone cooked for me. I’m cooking meals every day for kids that think I’m a chef: “Can I have pasta but not that pasta, the other pasta, the sauce last week wasn’t as nice as you used to make, etc.”

To be fair to them, the sauce can get burnt from time to time, and they aren’t falling for “that’s a smoked sauce” excuse anymore.

Whatever happened to “eat the spuds and cabbage or go hungry?” That was my childhood, and I still love spuds and cabbage. With real butter, of course.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork — where are your go to spots for coffee/ lunch/special meal?

Local all the way. Hanna’s Cafe in Fermoy is my go-to place for a catch-up coffee and unreal apple and berry crumble.

Bella’s pizza in Fermoy on Fridays is non-negotiable with the kids.

For a real treat, O’Mahony’s in Watergrasshill has gorgeous decor; an easy-going, friendly atmosphere; and amazing food. They’re brilliant at supporting local producers and growers.

Sunday night comes around too fast... how do you normally spend it?

Quiet. Maybe a walk if the weather plays ball. Just trying to stretch out the weekend as long as possible.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

Too early. School run o’clock. But once the chaos is done, it’s straight to the studio where everything makes sense.

Suzanne is a maker involved in Cork Craft Month, which has been taking place this August with its biggest programme yet, featuring over 90 workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions, and markets designed to connect the public directly with the county’s vibrant craft community. She is part of the Women Make Art at Blackwater Valley Makers in Fermoy throughout August.

See: corkcraftanddesign.ie.