Cork artist: "I’m now doing what I was always meant to do"

HAVING spent 20 years working as an engineer, Sue Nelson has finally turned her hand to what she feels she should always have worked at.

Now, the 47 year-old mother-of-two describes herself as an artist, painting landscapes inspired by the coastline of West Cork and the Wild Atlantic Way. She is also the owner of a graphic art print company, Reimagine Photography. The prints, inspired by photographs of familiar locations in Cork that Sue took over the years, have been digitally enhanced and transformed into photographic art.

The Ballygarvan-based artist is currently exhibiting her work at UCC’s student centre. A range of her prints are on sale at the university’s visitors’ centre.

Little did the former student of physics and geology, who went on to do a post graduate course in materials chemistry, think that she’d return to UCC later in life to exhibit her artistic wares. But Sue’s creative side came to the fore during the pandemic, sparking a decision to leave corporate life and paint.

Sue and her identical twin sister, Therese Deane, studied science at UCC, following in their father’s footsteps, who worked in the science sector.

“I didn’t know anybody in creative or artistic roles,” says Sue of her younger self. 

“I was born in 1975. That was a time when you went to college and got a good job.”

Sue took art for her Leaving Certificate at St Aloysius Secondary School in Carrigtwohill. She says going on to study art at third level “was an option for me, an idealistic option, and possibly an unrealistic one. I decided to take the more sensible route. Looking back now, I always knew I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.”

She went on to work at companies including Tyndall, EMC, Dell and Boston Scientific.

“When Covid hit, I was working for Boston Scientific. However, the pandemic gave me an opportunity to take stock and reassess where I was going in life. I realised engineering wasn’t what I wanted to do any more and I needed to pursue a more artistic and creative path.”

An opportunity to take part in an art exhibition at On the Pig’s Back in Douglas saw Sue painting in earnest.

“It was only then I truly understood what a huge part of my soul art and painting was and it couldn’t be ignored any longer. So I took a leap of faith and left my corporate life to start my own business.”

Clearly, Sue still has a sensible head on her shoulders with her business-like approach to paintings and prints which translates to sales. The reaction to her decision to give up her day job was met with positivity from family and friends. She explained that she needed to pursue her artistic side.

“When you spend 20 years in a corporate environment, to suddenly describe yourself as an artist working for yourself is a big change. It’s also a big change when you’re used to a pay cheque coming in every week. Suddenly, it’s not. There is some money coming in from sales of art and the graphic prints.”

Sue successfully applied for a short term enterprise allowance “which was absolutely fantastic. I’m finishing up a business course with SECAD (which supports enterprise).”

There will be a showcase of work from that course at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in September. Other businesses from it include a range of organic clothes for children and the work of a portrait artist.

What does Sue miss from her former career as an engineer?

“The big thing I miss is working in a team. I love working with other people, sharing stories and bouncing ideas off people. When you have your own business and work on your own, it can get very lonely. During Covid, the business course would have involved being on the phone to each other as well as on Zoom. But we haven’t been able to meet properly. Being involved in WREN (Women in Rural Enterprise Network) helped with various women and tutors from around the country on Zoom.”

But not being in the same room as her colleagues and tutors was “definitely a challenge” for Sue.

Also, being at home with her husband and children, Sue says it’s important to carve out a separate space in the house from which to work, adding: “I have my own little space at home.”

From a social point of view, Sue is a great believer in networking when she can. She recently joined Network Cork and is looking forward to attending its physical meetings of women in business.

“I volunteer as chairperson of my daughter’s school’s parents’ council at Christ King.” (Sue’s daughter Zara is 13 and her son Rhys is eight.)

Sue admits that social media passed her by until she needed it to promote her artistic work.

“I’ve had to learn about the different platforms and how to use them. So it has been a learning curve.”

Not being from an entrepreneurial or artistic background, Sue is having to learn how to promote her work. At the recent 300th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, there was a ladies’ lunch in aid of the RNLI. Making guest appearances were Brendan Courtney and Amy Huberman. Sue donated a limited edition of a framed print as one of the raffle prizes.

Reflecting on her three siblings, Sue says they all “went down the science road” but her two brothers are now working in the arts. (Paul Deane studied chemistry but is now doing digital imagery for the Marvel movies, having got his break on Game of Thrones. Her other brother, Brian, studied computer science but realised it wasn’t for him. He did a masters in film studies at NUI Galway and now works as a film producer and director.)

“Therese is still in the science world working in the corporate environment. But funnily enough, during Covid, she realised she needed to do something a little more creative so she has been writing.”

Wherever they got it, the Deane artistic gene demands to be nurtured!

For more see 

www.suenelsonartist.com