Aoife Dooley

I am really excited to be a judge this year, especially because it’s all different forms of art that can be submitted. I can’t wait to see the variety of stuff that will be entered.

I’m looking forward to submissions where someone really expresses themselves, to see their personality shine through their art. Remember to think outside the box! It doesn’t have to be a portrait or a still life painting of fruit - it can literally be anything you want.

From a very young age, I wanted to create and write. I’ve always wanted to be an artist and when I was a kid, I constantly drew. I had a speech impediment when I was younger, so my drawing was a way to show people what I was trying to say.

Today, I run my own print shop — I print stickers, mugs, t-shirts. I also write and illustrate children’s books, greeting cards, advertisements — I kinda of do a bit of everything!

Everything I create has humour in It, it’s a huge part of my work. I like being autistic, as well as an artist – my brain can visualise it all in my head, so I can plan it out first. It’s like a notebook, I just apply my thoughts to my tablet when I’m drawing. I find drawing really satisfying, it helps me relax and helps me handle my emotions too.

For any young artists out there, I suggest try doing new things! Try things you’d never expect to make art with, like clay, for example. I always experiment with new ideas, and I like to take risks.s

Don’t worry about other people’s artwork. You’re a particular flavour and so is your art, not everyone is going to like what you do, and that’s OK. There’s plenty of other people out there who will like what you create.

There’s so much of my own artwork that I’m not sure about afterwards. I particularly struggle with drawing hands and feet! There are some things I think I’m still not good at it, so I continuously work on getting better at them. It’s important to be kind to yourself - it’s easy to get frustrated by your own artwork. If you got stuck, take a break, and go for a walk to clear your head.

Writing your artist statement can seem a bit daunting – you might think you need to write something fancy. Just write it in your own words, in your voice. Your statement doesn’t have to be something extravagant, just be you!

I’m excited by this year’s theme of This is Inspiration! It’s quite open to interpretation — we are all inspired by something. Plus, it’s really easy to enter — just create, snap, and upload.

Good luck!

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