'I didn’t want the next 20 years to fly by and to wonder ‘what if’...’

Jodie O’Donoghue has been drawing and painting all her life, but it’s only in recent months that she decided ‘the time is now’, and she had the courage to leave her reliable, full-time job and declare herself an artist.

And that’s why New Beginnings is the aptly named title of her debut exhibition in the beautiful Kinsale Library.

Jodie and her family moved from just north of London to Kinsale just before she turned 10.

“From when I can remember, I was always drawing and wanted to do something in the creative world,” she said.

“My grandmother was a great artist, and she had studied art before she got married. My mum is also very artistic and discovered painting in later years, going back as a mature student to study art. I would have seen her creativity through food and interiors as a kid.

“For me, art is something I’ve always adored, how it has brought me tranquillity, calmness and happiness from day dot,” says Jodie.

During college, she started working locally in the hospitality sector in her home town and continued for several years.

“I was very shy and it was a great way to get out of my comfort zone – in fact now I don’t shut up now! Then I went on to work in facilities management and spent the last eight years working with US multi-national CBRE.”

But, all the time in the background, Jodie was painting.

“At one point I set up a Facebook page to showcase my work called ‘a mish mash of colour’, mainly so no-one would know it was me – I was shy about it. Then I changed the name to ‘Jodie’s Mish Mash’ to reflect how I worked with charcoal, pastels and acrylic creating various different styles of work; abstract or portrait – depending on the mood, and not to hide by putting my name in there.”

But abstract is the genre that makes her happiest and what she has been concentrating on for the last few years.

“I love that sense of creating. What I create is part of my story, it’s personal to me, but it can become something for someone else. I might see the sea in what I create, someone else might see the forest.

“A piece I did a few years ago, during covid, called Ember, to me evoked the warmth of a fire and I had an image of people around a campfire, chatting to friends, being social in times when we couldn’t. But I was talking to someone who saw it and it reminded them of diving off the cliffs in Clare. Polar opposites!

“Also, I don’t sign the front of my pieces as I might see it as in landscape style, whereas someone else will see something in it as a portrait style or upside down and I don’t want to dictate what they see.”

She still clearly recalls her first website sale.

“It was probably around four or five years ago – one random Saturday night in October. I heard a beep on my phone and I thought ‘what’s that?’ and it just kept growing online from there.”

Operating from her home studio, she could be working on up to 10 pieces at a time and gets her inspiration from memories, music, and the landscape.

“I love the beach and I get quite antsy if I’m away from the sea for too long. I enjoy traveling and find it inspiring. I spent six months traveling around India exploring and absorbing the colours and culture when I turned 30.

“And when I was younger, I did stints in Italy, Spain and France. No matter where I go I love to absorb the atmosphere, architecture, and colours of the place.”

What made her take the plunge from the corporate world to become a full-time artist?

“I think when you’re a kid, you sort of think it will never be Christmas or your birthday or holidays from school, time goes on forever, but as an adult, it’s so different. The last 20 years went so fast, and I didn’t want the next 20 to fly by even faster and wonder ‘what if?’ At least I can say I tried; either it works or it doesn’t but I’ll have tried and I’ll have no regrets.”

The death of her dad almost eight years ago, to whom she was close, also forced Jodie to realise how fleeting and precious life is.

“We all assume we’ll live long lives, but it’s not always the case. The time is now. If you really want something, go for it, then you can’t argue with yourself afterwards.

“I wasn’t sure how people would react to me giving up the perks of the corporate world, paid holidays and regular pay, and I shouldn’t care but every single person was so supportive that I was following my dream.”

She especially name checks her sister Clodagh who is her ‘biggest cheerleader’ and her ever supportive partner Liam.

“The people I have around me are incredibly supportive and for this I am so fortunate. There’s always an element of fear. It’s an imposter, Irish female thing, thinking I shouldn’t be here, and you do feel quite exposed initially as each piece of work has a piece of my soul, but I’ve not had a single moment of regret.”

• New Beginnings runs at Kinsale Library until April 24.