Surrounded by mountains in the secluded countryside of Drummin, Co Mayo, is Ireland’s best kept crafting secret. The Derryaun Crafts workshop, owned by Suzie Sullivan, is like a fairy tale situated in a small white cottage surrounded by mountains, fields and the quiet bliss. Suzie’s school is unique. Upon opening the door and stepping into the cottage a new world of felting, beading and glass work greets the curious student. Felted creations including pixies, the characters of The Wind In The Willows and an array of animals sit on the shelves around the room.

Suzie took an interest in crafts before moving to Ireland. While living in Cheshire, Stradford, she began classes in spinning.

“I had a lesson in spinning from a lady. I was hopeless but I persevered. Then she taught me felt. When we moved over here I used that knowledge and began dyeing,” says Suzie.

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Both Suzie and her husband, Steve, found a strong attachment to Westport as they both love the culture, seashore and enjoy playing traditional Irish music. They moved to Ireland in 2001 and once in their new home, Suzie began to experiment with different crafts, including glass and felting.

Over ten years later and completely self taught, Suzie refers to herself as a glass and fibre artist and is now famous for her felted needlework, winning both first and second prize in the felting category at the prestigious 2013 RDS National Crafts Competition.

“I’ve been told that winning both awards in a category is a rare event,” she says. “This is obviously a thrilling personal achievement and justified the commitment and hard work involved in participating in the RDS National Craft Competition.”

Along with making beautiful garments and creatures from felt, Suzie also makes large pictures that explore her world of imagination. Her work Songs, Rhymes And Tales depicts the cow that jumped over the moon and an Alice In Wonderland tea party. Suzie has the ability to look at any image and make it into a felted portrait.

“I am very inspired by The Wind In The Willows and the works of Arthur Rackham, Harry Clarke and Alice In Wonderland.”

Suzie’s work is whimsical and inspired by the nature surrounding her which can be seen in not just her, felt work but also her glass art.

“Working with glass is so different from fibres, it is like comparing chalk and cheese,” says Suzie.

Working with felt art includes poking a needle through a bundle of yarn fibres to entangle them into a solid piece, whereas Suzie’s glass art involves working over a flame while melting long sticks of coloured glass into certain shapes.

The use of glass art has inspired Suzie in many ways. Much of her work includes making intricately decorated glass beads, often taking inspiration from the swirling carving found in Newgrange. When not making beads, Suzie makes glass animals, which she incorporates into larger pieces of art. One interesting project is a large piece of bog oak which has been dyed and decorated with glass sea life and plants.

“I call it The Gallery beneath. We heaved up the bog oak from the bog, dried it, dyed it, waxed it and incorporated glass,” says Suzie.

With such a large amount of self taught skills, Suzie gives workshops throughout the year.

“It enriches my life when people come here because they want to learn, they love the environment and I love to show my skills,” says Suzie.

When first starting the workshops it was difficult to attract people to the secluded area, but since then, all of Suzie’s workshops are full.

“Now people come from all over like Dublin, Cork and Donegal. I also have regulars that keep me going,” says Suzie.

Classes range over a selection of crafts including rag rug making, weaving, silk paper making, spinning, jewellery and much more. For Suzie, bringing people into her studio gives her inspiration.

“People come and bring energy into my space. They go away and they are so delighted with their work. It is the joy of giving, sharing and receiving their work,” says Suzie.

Suzie provides an area to buy supplies after attending one of her workshops. She hand dyes her own yarns and also provides a large amount of crafting supplies including beads, wires, felting needles and everything else needed to create something beautiful.

Suzie’s ambition for the future is clear.

“I would like to keep teaching and sharing skills. It’s the thrill of making somebody happy.” CL