Clark Art Institute Williamstown, MA
DEIRDRE FLYNN SULLIVAN ARTIST / TEACHER Interview by Harryet Candee
Photography by Edward Acker
What is it like to balance so many venues in the arts? Also, can you tell me about the meaning of your given name? Deirdre Flynn Sullivan: It’s challenging, exciting, and always stimulating. I am named for the female hero of the Celtic legend Deirdre of the Sorrows. It’s part of the Irish tales out of the Ulster Cycle of legends.
would have been our fifth consecutive year. As a member of the steering committee for the festival I would have been very busy working with our team and directors, Gail and Phil Sellers, to create another glorious year. The only thing the Coronavirus has not affected is my daily practice of making art from photographs and writing either poetry or essays.
and teacher of writing so I identify with the Renaissance.
What are you working on now, and how has your life changed since the Corona Virus began? Deirdre: Some of my work is currently included in a group show at the Whitney Center for the Arts in Pittsfield, MA. but no one can view it due to the state of emergency. I play the part of the Faerie Queen for the Berkshire Mountains Faerie Festival but the festival has been postponed to June 19th, 2021. This
And you are a Renaissance girl? These days we all wear many hats. Deirdre: The Renaissance mind and approach to living refers back to that 15th and 16th century world of exploration and discovery. Artists were not always limited to just one medium. The humanist philosophy embraced all things new and diverse in some ways reflecting later modernism and the 20th century concept that art should be the shock of the new. I am a visual artist, actor, writer,
It’s mind boggling how many things we have scheduled are on hold. When things are back to normal, how will you decide what to do first with your art? I suppose teaching would be the easiest to resume? Deirdre: I just found out that my summer class has been canceled but I am slated for two classes in the fall. I have been an adjunct faculty member at Berkshire Community College for the past 12 years. I was asked if I would like to teach there
20 • JUNE 2020 THE ARTFUL MIND
What do you visualize happening around the world in about a year from now? I can only hope that around the world there is social improvement, a deeper sense of compassion, and a greater respect for the importance of the arts.
