Ever since I was a very little child, I have had the dream of becoming an artist. Anything creative arose my curiosity; pencils, paints, fabrics, yarns… brought me comfort and were my escape.
Coming from a traditional background where creative impulses were something to be pursued ‘on the side’, I spent decades working as an administrator. Throughout the years I was really passionate about my job, even had worked my way up and somewhere along the line, that intense desire to create, to make, was put on a side-track to remain what it was: a hobby. Somehow along the line, I forgot how much that dream of becoming an artist meant to me.
It wasn’t until 2005, when I moved from Belgium to Ireland, that I slowly began to realise how deep I had repressed my genuine passions and how I longed to recapture and fulfil that childhood dream. In 2009 I decided to stop waiting for the ‘right time’ and set off on an incredible journey, studying an Arts, Crafts and Design course at McEgan College Macroom, followed by a Professional Painting course at St. John’s College in Cork, to finally graduate in 2015 in Applied Arts – Textiles at the Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork. The first graduate in that direction ever!
I am extremely grateful for these years as they allowed me to finally figure out what I wanted and needed to do in my life: to make, to create. I worked really hard for this and the fact that it came to me quite late in life – I was 51 – made me treasure the past and present and embrace the future.
In 2017 I continued my creative journey by becoming a self-employed artist. Since then, my work has been exhibited in Ireland and abroad as far as Ukraine and Japan.
My classes and workshops enable me to find a wonderful balance between the isolated studio time and meeting other creatives with whom I can share my knowledge and skills. They are my way of showing gratitude and giving back to the community for the opportunities I was given.
My work is a visual translation of my personal, emotional experiences. I hope it will empower and inspire you.
Ann
