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| About artist Sue McDonagh |  | Sue’s joyous appreciation of life is abundantly evident in the vibrant quality of her pictures, yet a less straightforward entry into the world of art couldn’t be imagined.
Sue was a serving policewoman in Essex Police when she was diagnosed with an advanced ovarian cancer. During one of her hospital stays her work colleagues bought her a set of watercolours to distract her from her treatment. She began to draw the staff and other patients and discovered a talent for portraiture.
Having been given the all clear from cancer, she then cycled from John O’Groats to Land’s End and raised £6000 towards a new scanner for Barts Hosp, where she had been treated.
She was invalided from the police and subsequently moved to a small seaside town in South Wales to begin a new life as wife and full time mother to two little boys, whose mother had died of cancer.
She re-trained as a swimming teacher, and helped to train the local surf lifesaving club, qualifying as a volunteer lifeguard herself in the process, and going on to compete at National Level. The many hours spent patrolling the beach proved an endless source of inspiration,and she began to paint in earnest.
Although completely self taught, she continually explored new artistic territories and discovered new means of expressing herself.
She began to teach and demonstrate further and further afield, gaining an adult teaching qualification to aid her progress.
Fine Art Materials manufacturer Winsor & Newton invited her to demonstrate for them, followed by Unison Pastels, Staedtler and others, and she has become well known for her entertaining and informative art demonstrations to societies all over the country.
Her own small gallery with attached studio was opened in Cowbridge in 1993.
Her work has been distributed by Fine Art publishers Washington Green, DeMontfort Fine Art, hand finished frame specialists Frinton Fine Art and she has recently been signed by Artworks Fine Art.
Her delightful and popular brightly coloured pastel studies of children at play feature on greetings cards and calendars, and she has a comprehensive range of over 70 paintings published as limited edition prints.
She is also the resident cartoonist for prestigious publication The Picture Business, and a consultant for Lion Fine Print specialist suppliers, running regular workshops for clients wishing to self publish.
Numerous galleries exhibit her work around the UK, including:
St David’s Hall Cardiff - solo and mixed shows since 1994, also voted Favourite Artist by the visiting public.
Shortlisted for Welsh Artist of the Year 2003,04 ,06 and 08
Westminster Galleries, London - Exhibition of Women Painters
Mall Galleries - several times with the Pastel Society, and finalised twice for the
Laing Landscape Exhibition
Tidal Wave Gallery, Hereford
Forest Gallery, Guildford
Ceri Richards Gallery, Swansea - solo show 07
Albany Gallery, Cardiff regular summer exhibition
Denise Yapp Gallery, Whitebrook, Monmouth summer exhibition
The Room Gallery Llandeilo summer 09
A hip replacement in Nov 04 threatened to slow her down, particularly as she dislocated it within a week of being home, but, rising to a challenge, she completed a gruelling event, walking 45 miles across the Peak District non-stop, in 16 hours and 46 minutes in March 07, and raising over £5000 for MacMillan Cancer Support.
Sue has now found herself now painting largely to commission, enjoying the continual challenges set by her clients, but still finds time to exhibit whenever possible.
Loving strong colour, she works mainly in pastel, acrylic or oil paint, continually seeking to push the boundaries of her artistic vocabulary. |
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