Eleanor Swan, Ceramic Artist

Eleanor is a ceramic artist working from her studio at Russborough House since 2011. When Eleanor left school in the 1970’s, she was told it wasn’t possible to go to art college. Instead she had to get a proper job. After training as a nurse in Dublin’s Mater Hospital, Eleanor worked in a hospital in Germany, before returning to the Mater to gain a Theatre Nursing qualification. She subsequently got a job in Temple Street Hospital, and ended up running the hospital’s emergency theatre. But, in all that time Eleanor was always involved in some way with the art world. At the age of 42 she decided she was going to start over. She applied to the National College of Art and Design, graduating a few years later with her Masters degree in Ceramic Design. Eleanor exhibits her work nationally, and internationally, and has a collection of ‘tactile’ pieces on permanent display in the Yingge Ceramic Museum in Taiwan. In 2016, I exhibited at the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, winning a bronze medal. Her ceramic practice covers a variety of issues, from a current social commentary to an exploration of ceramics for our senses. For Eleanor, clay provides endless possibilities to explore how we exist, react and live in our world today.

Being a strong woman is not something I set out to be. It’s just who I am. I think it comes from having a natural curiosity about everything, being adventurous and not afraid to take a risk. I was never afraid of failure. I think being strong is being able to be very free. And that is very liberating.

Photo: Beta Bajgart