My Career: ‘I adore working creatively’
The best advice I ever got starting up was not to be a busy fool, says Jill.
Name: Jill Cotter
Job title: Chief pen pusher @Corkidoodledo
Lives: Rochestown
Education background: Degree in Printmaking and Photography, CCAD.
Hobbies: I’m slightly obsessed with the art of rowing, and a member of Shandon Boat Club. I feel so lucky to spend my free time on the water in our lovely harbour, I get to switch off and exercise simultaneously, which is a win/win.
I like anything outdoorsy and sociable, as I work indoors and for the most part solo. Our family sport is hockey, so we spend many hours engaged in club activities in our club in Garryduff.
Describe your job in five words: Creative, varied, flexible, fulfilling, enjoyable.
Describe yourself in five words: Creative, energetic, enthusiastic, practical, a situational perfectionist.
Personality needed for this kind of work? Ideally, you would be creative, ambitious, self-disciplined, multi-skilled, and a little bit brave.
How long are you doing this job?
I exhibited for the first time at the Glucksman Christmas fair in 2018 and haven’t looked back!
How did you get this job?
Corkidoodledo came about organically.
After college, I used my photography skills from college to travel and worked as a cruise ship photographer, subsequently moving to London. There, I was fortunate to get an internship with the BBC, and worked in the lighting department at the Television Centre.
Returning to Cork with a young family, I continued to work with cameras but this time as a wedding photographer.
Fast forward to a family of five (three kids!) and I began to realise that working long hours away from home on the weekends and in the summer months would become more challenging in the years to come.
While on mat’ leave with my youngest, I returned to drawing, grabbing a half an hour here and there after the kids had gone to sleep. I’ve always kept a sketchbook as a visual diary, preferring to draw lines rather than write words. I have a love of architecture and started sketching buildings, and embarked upon little tours of Cork city in my sketchbooks, capturing buildings I admired, or had an emotional connection with. I started to share them with friends and family and was encouraged to see if I could make my little doodles become a bigger part of my life.
Since that first craft fair, they’ve done just that and taken me with them on a little adventure of their own. I see my job more as a facilitator, connecting people to memories of times spent with family and friends in Cork, whether it be in pubs, chippers or churches or homes. I want my little prints to be the vehicle that takes the viewer to a place where they are content and loved. That’s the part of my job I find most rewarding and motivating.
I’ve had such amazing support over the years that I’ve just kept going. I’m so grateful to be able to do that which I enjoy, while also being able to be present for my family.
Do you need particular qualifications or experience?
Not really, you’ll use every skill you have and need to learn some new ones along the way.
Describe a day at work:
Every day, and every month is different, which keeps me interested and on my toes! I could be working on commissions, I have days solely allocated to production and framing. There are online and shop orders to be fulfilled, and, reluctantly, some hours are spent doing the dreaded admin!!
I’m a member of one of Cork’s craft collectives, Cork Craft and Design, and spend happy hours working in our two outlets in Douglas, which is a fabulous opportunity to connect with fellow makers and clients.
How many hours do you work a week?
I work within the timeframe of the primary school day at the moment!
What do you wear to work?
I don’t know, probably gym gear for the most part!
Is your industry male- or female-dominated?
I would say definitely female-dominated!
Is your job stressful? How? Rate it on a scale of 1-10: 3/10. Any stress in my day is totally self-induced so for the most part it is entirely stress-free! Christmas can be adrenaline-fuelled in the craft industry but we can enjoy it as we all know there will be lots of time in the new year to recover.
Do you work with others or on your own?
I’m mostly on my own.
When do you plan to retire or give up working?
I’ll always draw, though I may not always earn a wage from it. Time will tell, I guess.
Best bits: I adore working creatively and am so grateful to be able to weave my work around my family. I like meeting clients and listening to their stories. I love sending prints abroad and connecting people to Cork.
Worst bits: Admin, self-promotion, feeding the social media monster; it is a hungry beast, and I’m short a couple of skill sets here.
On the flip side of being my own boss, there are times I could consider firing myself for failing to reach my targets and complete to-do lists; it can be challenging wearing all the hats when some of them aren’t a good fit!
Advice to those who want your job?
Go for it! Start small, go to your local LEO for support, connect with other like-minded people. Research your product well, and don’t forget to pay yourself.
The best advice I ever got starting up was not to be a busy fool. When you do something you love, it can be hard to put a price on your work and your time. If you don’t, then it will always remain a hobby, which is arguably where you can be your most creative self.
App?
