Alumni Stories - Susan Curley Meyer
“The MA in Design History and Material Culture seemed a perfect blend of my research interests. I absolutely loved the course, and highly recommend it to anyone considering applying for it”
Name: Susan Curley Meyer
Current Career: Art History and Cultural Policy
Graduation Year: 2018
Discipline: Visual Culture. Design History. Material Culture.
Location: Wicklow, East coast of Ireland
What career path did you want to follow as a child?
I have been fascinated by art, history, archaeology, and folklore since I can remember. My favourite school projects centred around art and history. I was always getting into trouble for doodling when I should have been doing something else. I finished school in the late 80s during a time when college was not an option for me financially. Instead of studying art, art history and archaeology, I became a florist, a choice that offered me a creative career avenue at the time. My fascination around designed objects continued throughout my floristry career where my interest in the meaning of flowers, and their cultural use, ultimately led me to my current career in academia.
After losing my job as a florist during the recession, someone recommended a local college course to me. From there I was encouraged to apply for a BA programme at UCD, which set me on my current trajectory. It was one of the scariest, yet best things I have ever done.
After completing the BA in Art History and Archaeology, (finally realising my teenage dreams) I applied for the MA in Design History and Material Culture at NCAD.
Why did you decide to study at National College of Art & Design
I chose the MA in Design History and Material Culture as it seemed a perfect blend of my research interests. The fact that NCAD also offers a scholarship for a place on this course cemented my reason for applying. The smaller class numbers made engagement with lecturers, tutors, and peers, an extremely rewarding experience.
I undertook the MA over two years as I was managing a small contemporary gallery at the same time. I absolutely loved the course, and highly recommend it to anyone considering applying for it.
The atmosphere at NCAD is contagious. Surrounded by creativity and design, I looked forward to immersing myself in the programme. Aswell as its central city location, having NIVAL as part of the NCAD campus, made archival research very accessible. The exhibition space there is also a bonus for students, both as practitioners and observers. There was always something interesting happening, which added to the creative experience of engaging in a research-based programme.
I wrote my MA thesis on Dublin’s flower trade, ultimately combining my prior life experience with new opportunities. The supportive atmosphere at NCAD made undertaking an MA a truly joyful experience, for which I am continually grateful.
How did you develop your career towards your current job / practice?
The support provided by all the NCAD lecturers involved with the DHMC MA programme is a huge part of my continued enthusiasm for it as a taught Masters choice. The overarching theme -the importance of Irish research-delivered through a diverse range of topics and cultural site visits, inspired me to continue and expand on my MA topic as part of my current PhD research.
The engagement of permanent and visiting tutors alike underscored the diversity of Irish design and its wider global impact, delivered in a supportive and encouraging environment. Contacts made throughout my MA, have been a huge help throughout my studies, creating a network of experts in their individual fields, generous of their experience, time, and resources, when called upon for help.
Encompassing dress history, photography, architecture and designed objects, this MA is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in visual culture and design history.
Modes of learning I engaged with influenced the methods I use in my current PhD project.
Enjoy the time spent there. Two years flew by for me. It was, without a doubt, one of the best decisions I have made in my life so far.
Briefly, tell us about one specific project or experience you found interesting, or challenging, and/or inspirational while you were studying at NCAD?
One of the best projects I engaged in was the multi-disciplinary study of one specific area of Dublin. Encompassing DHMA and MFA students from NCAD, as well as architecture and environmental/ urban planning students from UCD, this was an engaging and informative collaborative experience which culminated in an exhibition in the Irish Architecture Foundation, Dublin. It was a perfect showcase for the diversity of engagement, reflected through individual interpretations of one location, and delivered through art, design, urban planning and architecture.
If you were chatting with current NCAD students today what is the one piece of advice, you would offer
If you are considering undertaking the MA in Design History and Material Culture at NCAD, I say, do it! It is an unforgettable experience.
What in your opinion are the most meaningful opportunities for those pursuing creative careers today?
As a career choice, it has been one of the best decisions I have made. The contacts I made throughout the MA, and the support I received from both peers and faculty at NCAD strongly influenced my current research and career prospects. Throughout the programme, engagement and involvement in Irish design was introduced through experts in the field. Creating a network of contacts in a tangible way, of which, I am proud to be a part.
