Meet the Artist: Shauna McAteer from Drumsurn

Local Artist Shauna McAteer talks to Aoife McManus at her recent solo exhibition at the beautiful Roe Valley Resort. She shares how her dream has always been to be a working artist, her influences that inspire her work and her goals for the future. 

WHERE DID IT ALL START FOR YOU AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
I’ve always been a bit of an artist at heart. I have been drawing since I was a small child. Throughout my life I have been delving in and out of my creative process and art. I studied at the college in Limavady and went on to Dundee University and have developed a lot of different skills over the years. It’s really since I turned 40, after I had my two children that I decided I want to do something for myself. It is a dream I always wanted to achieve but life kept getting in the way. I decided to go for what I really wanted. My goal was to get painting again, make my products and hold an exhibition.

The biggest influence for me is my experience of how I see the world, especially here in Northern Ireland. I even use Northern Irish humor when I am naming my pieces too. I have an owl painting called ‘Wise up’ and there is a rooster called ‘Bout ye’. The landscapes we have are so beautiful and abundant. Whenever I am driving throughout the countryside, there is so much
stunning secrecy including the green grass. It inspires me so much.

The shapes and the colours that I see are what inspires my work. I want to turn up the volume on the colour I see in today’s world. I want to make my art functional. Not everybody wants to be a collector or wants to buy expensive pieces of art. I want to bring art to your home in a more affordable way. I want to bring colour back into people’s lives. I have home furnishings like cushions, throws and candles. I also have fashion pieces such as silk scarves and handbags. I design a lot of these myself.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ARTISTIC PROCESS TO ME INCLUDING WHAT TECHNIQUES YOU USE?
While I was a student and throughout the years I picked up a lot of techniques and mediums. I guess I am a jack of all trades. Some water colour and some ink. Gold leaf is also prominent. It is a unique feature to have and I have to use it in every piece going forward. I love the sparkle and the shine of gold leaf. I like how it makes the art pop and makes it look rich. To buy the gold leaf it’s a wee bit more expensive but I like to add it to whatever piece of the canvas that I feel it fits best. It works well on a summer landscape to add a bit of shine. I would use different stitch settings on the sewing machine too and hand stitch too. I use textile work as well including tufting. In Northern Ireland we have a huge collection of pottery as well that has influenced me.

DO YOU EVER GET A CREATIVE BLOCK AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT?
There are a lot of pieces that I really do like but usually whatever piece I am doing at the time becomes my focus. At the minute I feel like I am in a flow state. I feel I am creating a lot. I guess I had a creative block when I was younger. Before I was quite reserved but now I just go for it and want to create.

DO YOU FACE ANY CHALLENGES AS A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER ARTISTS?
It’s like anything really, everything has challenges. I think if you just keep putting your stuff out there hopefully the right people will see it. I would say to other artists keep creating and believe in yourself. Paint what you want to paint. Do it the way you see the world. Be yourself because it will come through in your work. The right people will appreciate your work. 

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?
For this year I’m going to keep creating and do more exhibitions throughout Northern Ireland. I do an annual event called ‘An
afternoon at the Arts’. I usually release the dates for that in January and it’s normally in September time. The charity event will be an expression of the local arts and talent. There are poets, artists and inspirational speakers. It’s all about giving back to the local community too. The funds from the last day went to Termoncanice Primary School. The money went to helping children on the autism spectrum or that have social and emotional needs. They used the money for sensory boxes. This year we are raising funds for RVRA (Roe Valley Residents Association). They help children and young people with different needs. They have a youth club, summer schemes, and different workshops. I’m hoping to revamp my website too. There is a lot in the
making. I will be continuing on with what I’m doing and keep making the products I want to make. I will have more exhibitions coming up in the run up to Christmas too.

Keep up with Shauna and her work here: @shaunamcateerartdesigntextiles