Meet Deirdre Sullivan-Beeman

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Deirdre Sullivan-Beeman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Deirdre, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
This is an important question to me because sometimes, maintaining my confidence and self-esteem while working as an artist is hard. I’ve learned that I have to build deliberate practices around positive self-talk and other stress management techniques in order to stay most open to self-expression.

I believe strongly in goal setting and try my best to set realistic goals. Achieving realistic goals really helps set my flow with task management. Even though I still seem to take too much on, my modus operandi is “progress, not perfection.”

I also love tapping (EFT). One of my best friends for 20+ years introduced it to me, and at first, it seemed silly, but I found it super helpful. I like that it’s simple enough to be utilized at home and when you’re by yourself.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a figurative surrealist painter and curator based in the US and Canada. I paint using a Renaissance-era technique that mixes oil paint and egg tempera, made with egg yokes. My subject matter explores femininity through the history and lore of girlhood. I often use my dream journal as inspiration for my work, exploring both the collective unconscious and pieces of my own identity.

This year, in 2024, I am working on a large body of work for a solo show. I have a few group shows coming up at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco in February and March. Wow x Wow, based in Inverness, Scotland, in June, and Musonium Gallery, Tampa, FL, the date is still to be decided.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
When talking to young artists, what I try to encourage most is learning how to develop and protect your artistic vision. Learn how to listen to your inner creative compass and remaining true to what you hear from it. Spend as long as it takes to establish and clarify that voice.

I am stubborn, assertive, and a very hard worker. I think that these traits have helped me be relentless, both with searching to improve my work and to stay true to my artistic vision.

Over the years, some influences in my sphere have tried to advise me to be more “heavy-handed” with the point of view behind my work. I’ve been told that my work seems “sweet” and that its feminist themes should be more “in your face.” I’m proud that I’ve had the backbone to fight this urge. I work hard to convey messages subliminally, with iconography and symbolism that send subject matter below the surface of perception. I feel strongly that this is the clearest expression of my artistic vision and I’m glad to be able to share it.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The book that most impacted my life is Paul Foster Case’s “The Tarot.” Case goes through the 22 cards in the Major Arcana, connecting the dots between each card’s number and its association within the Hebrew alphabet. That connection is the mystical Qabalistic root of both ancient Judaism and Christianity. I like to meditate regularly on each card of the Major Arcana. This practice aims at the art of healing and balancing the personality by using image, colour and sound, which Case believed led to the opening of spiritual unfoldment.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photo of Deirdre Sullivan-Beeman headshot by Jeffrey Sklan

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