'Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could just miss it.'
- Ferris Bueller
About me
I’m Sue Nelson, a self-taught artist, photographer, and creative entrepreneur based in Ballygarvan, Cork. With over twenty years in engineering and supply chain management, I made the courageous pivot after the pandemic to pursue my long-held passion: creating art that celebrates our emotional connections to place, heritage, and memory.
My inspiration began much earlier, when I studied geology and developed a fascination for our stories written in stone, coastline, and sky. That fascination evolved into a desire to share the beauty of our landscapes through visual storytelling
Creative Practice
I spend my days exploring Cork and beyond, camera in hand, waiting for moments that stop me in my tracks — a shimmering sky over the Marina, an old city street veined with history, or a quiet coastal path after rain. These are the moments I capture and later reimagine combining photography with digital illustration and painting techniques. The result is art that’s layered and emotional — designed to trigger memory, evoke emotion, and feel deeply personal.
Through Sue Nelson Designs, I offer two creative pathways:
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Original fine art, often in oil or acrylic, crafted to complement home, office, or hospitality spaces with Irish character and charm.
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Fine art photography prints, created from iconic Cork and Irish landscapes. These are digitally enhanced to become meaningful, giftable pieces. Framed locally in solid wood in Cork before reaching their new homes.
Collaboration & Community
Working alongside organisations like Adare Manor, Cork City Hall, University College Cork, and Cork University Hospital, I’ve created bespoke corporate gifts and curated artworks for office interiors that resonate with place, identity, and wellbeing.
More than just commercial success, what fuels me most is collaboration — working with thoughtful clients and organisations who value creativity and connection. It’s about building relationships that lead to art that matters.
I’m proud to be recognised with awards like Network Cork Business Woman of the Year (Creative Professional) and to represent Cork at the National Awards in September 2025 — a reflection of the journey and belief in the power of Irish creativity.
What I Believe
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Place shapes identity — and seeing familiar locations through art can reconnect us to our roots, especially when we’re far from home.
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Emotion is beauty — the magic isn’t just in what you see, but what you feel.
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Art builds bridges — across communities, memories, and emotions.
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Supporting Local — everything I offer is made, framed, and curated right here in Cork.
Let’s Bring Your Space to Life
Whether you’re looking for a heartfelt gift, a signature piece for your home, or a meaningful artwork for your company, I’d love to connect. Every piece I create is an invitation — to pause, reflect, and bring a little piece of Ireland into your world.
In Press
Echolive.ie - 2019
"My paintings are like my babies"
Echolive.ie - 2022
"Cork artist: "I’m now doing what I was always meant to do"
Echolive.ie - 2024
"Cork business women"
Echolive.ie - 2025
"Cork twins: ‘We’re best friends and each other’s biggest fan’"
Irish Examiner - 2024
"Meet the Cork woman who wants
to put joy in the picture"
