Interview With The Artist Jan O'Sullivan
Intuitive, spontaneous and unapologetically drawn to colour, Jan O'Sullivan's work moves between expressive abstraction, familiar Irish landscapes, interiors and the visual nostalgia of 1970s and 1980s Ireland.
Years approaching in Jan's professional painting career.
Painting instinctively, building in layers and allowing one canvas to influence the next.
Jan O'Sullivan works intuitively and spontaneously. Rather than sketching compositions in advance, she develops them directly on the canvas, often working on as many as three paintings simultaneously in what she describes as a fast-paced “conveyor belt” approach.
Her practice also follows a strict zero-waste philosophy. Paint is rarely discarded and a work that requires a new direction simply becomes the foundation for another layer. The result is a surface rich with physical texture, previous decisions and unexpected turns.
How do you define your artistic style, and how has it evolved?
My style is intuitive and spontaneous with regard to my canvas work. I don't usually sketch layouts in advance. Instead, I build up dynamic compositions directly on the canvas, using a fast-paced “conveyor belt” approach where I work on up to three canvases at once.
My practice has a strict zero-waste approach to paint. If a piece needs a new direction, it becomes a canvas for rich, multi-layered twists and turns, giving the final piece distinct physical texture and depth.
I'm deeply influenced by the colours of my childhood in 1970s Ireland — orange, brown, purple and yellow — alongside Art Deco and Fauvism. My work leans heavily into bold colour contrasts, eclectic concepts and architectural lines. My background in IT and banking also informs a methodical yet fluid execution.
Now, approaching the ten-year milestone of my professional painting career, my practice is evolving in two particular directions.
Theme Mutation & Splicing
Rather than remaining within well-practised “set pieces”, I'm increasingly merging themes — abstracting figures, figurising landscapes and introducing architectural elements into landscape work.
From Fauvism to Quiet Luxury
My love of high-contrast Fauvism remains, but I'm intentionally exploring a more muted and neutral palette too, responding to changing interior trends while retaining my own visual language.
A week in the studio, layer by layer.
Jan's motivation may change, but her working process has developed into a surprisingly structured weekly rhythm.
Surface & Scale
Canvas or paper comes first, followed by size. Canvas works tend to follow standard formats including 20cm, 40cm, 60cm, 100cm and 120cm, while paper works are generally A5.
A Theme for the Week
Landscapes, seascapes, figurative work, interiors or pure abstraction provide a focus, allowing several paintings to develop in conversation with one another.
Building Layers
Canvases are prepared on Sunday evening. Around three layers may be added each day, often covering the entire canvas rather than developing one isolated area at a time.
Step Away & Review
Every layer is photographed. Jan then assesses the image through those photographs, using that distance to decide what the next move should be.
Can you walk us through your creative process?
While my motivation varies, my process is pretty set. I decide which surface I will address — canvas or paper — and then which size. Generally, I work on paper when I'm travelling, on holidays or even in waiting rooms. At home I mostly paint.
I then pick a theme for the week: landscapes, seascapes, figurative work, interiors or pure abstract.
If I'm painting on canvas, I prepare my canvases on Sunday night. Every day I lay down about three layers and, over the week, build them up. By Friday I often have three completed artworks. They will have fed off each other and frequently continue a shared colour theme.
I generally don't sketch. I do “full canvas” painting, meaning each layer will often cover the entire canvas. I don't stop and build things up area by area.
The final step is to micromanage any areas that require definition. I photograph each and every layer so that I can get an objective sense of the piece away from it. I plan my next step based on those photographs rather than the actual painting in front of me.
“I would Fauvize anything! Colour contrasts just resonate with me, lift my mood and spark my creativity.”Jan O'Sullivan
Coastlines, memory and the visual language of home.
Jan never tires of the Poolbeg Chimneys. Increasingly, however, she enjoys removing these iconic Dublin landmarks from their expected coastal setting and allowing them to appear within more abstract or interior-inspired works.
Memories of 1970s and 1980s Ireland have become an important creative trigger — fragments of atmosphere, colour and familiar aesthetics that feel increasingly worth capturing.
What ideas keep finding their way back onto the canvas?
Interiors
A photograph of a room or kitchen in an interiors magazine or on Pinterest can immediately spark an urge to capture the essence of that space.
Fauvism
Strong, unexpected colour relationships remain a constant source of energy, mood and creative momentum.
Vintage Aesthetics
The patterns and decorative language of Art Deco and Art Nouveau repeatedly find their way into Jan's work.
“For me, art is design — and design is all around us.”
Without professional artistic training, Jan doesn't define her influences through a conventional list of favourite artists. A beautifully designed greeting card, wrapping paper, an interiors spread, typography, a carefully crafted document or even the layout of a form can be equally inspiring. What matters is the visual decision-making behind it.
Creativity through limitation rather than endless choice.
For now I'm not one for experimenting. I work best when I limit my scope. I use a few tried and tested materials and use them well.
I'd find it too distracting to experiment at this point in time. By limiting the scope, I don't need to keep making decisions about which medium or method should convey each idea.
I hope viewers see what they want to see. I hope my work brings them joy, sparks a memory, makes them happy and, above all, makes their space feel complete.
How do you hope viewers will respond to your work?
I have long since come to the realisation that what I may see on the canvas may be totally different from what others see. And therein lies the beauty of interpretation.
I hope viewers see what they want to see. I hope my work brings them joy, sparks a memory in them and makes them happy. Above all, I hope it makes their space complete.
Upcoming auctions & projects
Jan is delighted to have work included in a number of upcoming art auctions during autumn 2026.
Irish Artmart Autumn Art Auction
The Arthouse Art Auction — raising funds for Outhouse Dublin
A Community of Hope — Artists for Dublin Simon Community Art Auction
From Jan O'Sullivan's practice
Layered colour, architectural structure, abstraction, landscape and familiar motifs come together across Jan's evolving body of work.
Explore Jan O'Sullivan's work on Irish Artmart
Discover available original artworks and follow Jan's evolving practice through her Irish Artmart artist store.