Inspirational Offaly artist and designer reflects on her passion for painting
A passion for art, design and teaching inspires Daingean based artist Olive Cuskelly
Artist, designer and teacher Olive Cuskelly has been passionate about painting, colouring and design for as long as she can remember.
The talented Daingean native grew up on a farm with parents Sean and Maureen and nine siblings.
"I developed a good appreciation for rural living, hard work and great freedom of the outdoors. I remember my childhood as a happy and carefree time and I always had company around."
A home bird, Olive now lives just up the road from her original home with her husband and five children.
She studied graphic design in college and initially set up her own business in Tullamore in 1997 after returning from working in design in Sydney.
After a number of years running the business and with a young family, Olive transitioned to being a full time artist and teacher, though still keeping a toe told in graphic design with some loyal customers. She opened own own art studio ‘The Green Haven’ at her home once the children had started in school, giving her a creative space and a teaching environment to work from.
Since then has clients scattered across Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Australia, America and Portugal.
Olive has mounted numerous exhibitions throughout the midlands and regions of Ireland and also worked in tandem with various bodies such as Cloghan House at Tullamore Hospital and Ballinagar National School.
The Daingean native credits her older sister Josephine, who is also very talented in art, with inspiring her in her formative years in painting.
"Every Christmas on my Santa list I would ask for colouring books, crayons and paints. I wasn’t really as interested in toys or new style - if I got a sketchpad and large set of felt tip markers, I was made up. I loved to create, make things, draw things, paint things and that continued right up through primary school and by the time I was in secondary school and was lucky enough to have the guidance of both Sean Gilligan and Mona Cleary as my art teachers. I knew there was no other path I would take."
Mona Cleary really inspired and encouraged Olive with her art and she remembers how Mona would give up her lunch-times to meet her in the art room when she was building her portfolio for post Leaving Certificate.
Around 1993 Olive developed an interest in teaching art when she was still in college studying Graphic Design Communications.
She now recalls: "I was asked by a member of the Tullamore Art Society if I would come into Riada House where they used to meet on a Monday night to paint and do some painting demonstrations. I remember being so nervous as most of these adults could all paint pretty well, but I was able to bring a new perspective to their practice and show them ways to enhance their paintings individually.
"I looked forward to meeting them each week and I really enjoyed sharing creative time together." The following year Olive was asked to come into Clochan House in Tullamore Hospital to work with physically challenged adults of varying ages and abilities through art.
"This was such a rewarding experience and I made some great friendships with both patients and staff alike. I suppose looking back I continued working with students with their art subjects or portfolio preparation and did that for a number of years. I loved working with children and adults, it was a way of encouraging self-expression and nurturing their creativity."
Asked about the inspiration for her work, Olive elaborates: " I am inspired by everything around me, my natural surroundings, the rural setting where I live, the people I meet, the animals in the fields, books I read - my last exhibition was based on the writings of Scottish poet Donna Ashworth.
"Other artists inspire me too – my contemporaries and local artists, the likes of Emma Barone, Ann Mitchell, Maura Fahy, Paula Finlay as well as renowned artists Kenneth Webb and Jane French. I take inspiration from the music I hear and from the lyrics of songs; there’s inspiration everywhere really, once your mind is open to it."
Olive explains she is drawn to themes of hope, love, loss, grief and human relationships in her work. "I try to create art that is relatable and that resonates with the viewer. In my paintings, I try to capture particular moments which celebrate the joys and accept the sorrows life throws at us."
"Some may find some pieces emotional, depending on where they are at in their own lives. I’d like to think of my paintings as uplifting and empowering and all with an undercurrent of hope going through them. I think it's great when people feel something relatable to a piece and I believe art should evoke an emotional response, leave a connection with the viewer."
Since 2003, Olive has participated in numerous collaborative/solo exhibitions across the Midlands and throughout various regions of Ireland. "There’s an excitement that comes with showcasing your work to a wider audience."
She says one project that was particularly meaningful was completing the "percent for art scheme" art project for Ballinagar National School back in 2013. "This was my own primary school as well as my children, and it's nice to think my work will always be a part of it."
And what does the future hold for Olive.
"I have an eagerness to continue creating, teaching and engaging with the art community. I am very passionate and committed to my craft and I appreciate how fortunate I am to work in a field I love. I’m currently pulling some ideas together for new works for later this year. Commissioned orders take up a lot of my working week and coming up with new projects to work in schools and communities is always on the agenda. I’ll be including some pieces in upcoming summer shows around the country and updates will be shared on my social platforms."
She is particularly delighted to be involved in Incognito 2026, an annual anonymous art sale supporting The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, featuring thousands of artworks for a fixed price, where the artists’ identities are only revealed after purchase.