Collage artist Claire Siobhan Walsh quit the London smog (and her job as a fashion designer for Zandra Rhodes and Burberry) for life in rural Mayo with her husband Tommy, a furniture designer, and her youngest children Rufus (8) and Maebh (6). Her eldest daughter Robyn (23), a fine artist, lives in Glasgow.
“When I worked in London I’d do lots of interesting things. I once found myself designing the fairy for the royal family’s Christmas tree. I was a confident young woman with a designer boutique in a trendy part of London. I enjoyed front row seats at the fashion shows and hobnobbed with the celebs. All this changed once the kids came along. But not in a bad way, my life took a different direction. Having a family definitely made me a better person.
Five words to sum up my current work: creative, unique, enjoyable, contemporary and (I hope) interesting to others.
Tom and I both had our own businesses in London, we were doing well and enjoyed living in the city, but the pull to come back to Ireland and live near family became too great once the children were born. Against everyone’s advice we moved to Ireland at a time when there was no work and everyone else was leaving.
I was naively confident that we’d be able to find work. Instead we found ourselves fighting against the tide along with everyone else, Tom was doing whatever came his way to support us and for two years I was a full time stay at home mum. It was probably the hardest job I’ve ever done.
I started doing fashion illustrations and pictures, for myself mainly, just doodling to keep me sane when the kids were sleeping. In a small village, word quickly gets out that somebody who used to design clothes for Kylie is living nearby and about three years ago I was persuaded to put a couple of my pictures in a local craft shop. Long story short, the fashion editor of The Irish Times Deirdre McQuillan has a holiday home here and got very excited about them. She interviewed me over the phone while I was pushing a pushchair up a hill in a torrent of hailstones and dragging a screaming toddler behind me.
The day after the feature went out, I had 15 orders. I was in shock! All the other pictures in the craft shop sold within days and a gallery who’d seen the article offered me a solo exhibition within six months time. I had no idea what I was getting myself or my family into. I was up at 6am and juggled family life until 8pm, then after dinner when I should have been putting my feet up with a glass of wine, I sat down to start work at 9pm until 2am. I was worried I wouldn’t get the work finished in time, but miraculously and with the help of friends, family and neighbours, I did. On the night the gallery was packed. I sold half the collection within the first two hours.
A photo posted by Claire Siobhan Walsh (@clairesiobhan) on
Shortly after this, I was asked by the Irish poet John F. Deane to illustrate the Ireland Poetry Review and suddenly found myself with 11 private commissions to do…. that’s how I started my current business as a collage artist.
My work is planned around the children’s school hours. I make collages, I use vintage newspapers, antique stamps, bus tickets, maps, magazines, labels, bank statement anything that I come across and find interesting. I didn’t plan on being an artist, I didn’t expect the level of success that I’ve had so far and every day I’m thankful and humbled by it.
Living in a city I depended on childcare a lot and worked set days. When our circumstances changed I depended on friends and family. You do feel guilty but I think a little bit of separation is good for everyone. You can all miss each other and appreciate each other. I never work at weekends now, or school holidays. Everything is much more relaxed.
I need time to have head space, to be able to organise my week. When the kids have gone off on on Monday morning I grab a coffee and my organiser and I plan. It means I can enjoy my time with them and my time without them.
Having children made me less selfish and materialistic, but fashion is still in my blood and I’ll always be influenced by it.
I enjoy the flexibility of working for myself. The first two years, when the children were at nursery age and I was building a name for myself, were the most hectic and stressful. The lack of sleep, the weight gain, the emotions, the days I found myself in a cab thinking have I even brushed my teeth today? The days of turning up to meetings with baby sick down my back and a dirty wet wipe stuck to my shoe are over. No more wet patches on my blouse.
To anyone going through those years I’d say stick with it, it’s just a stage. It does get easier and you will reclaim your life. The kids will sleep eventually and they will eat at some point, whatever you are worrying about, don’t! I just wish someone had reassured me from time to time. Motherhood and being self employed is still a challenge at times, but the good times far outweigh the bad. I’m no Wonder Woman but if I can do it anyone can. I’ve got a new career into the bargain and I didn’t expect that either.
Check out more of Claire Siobhan Walsh’s work here.
