Welcome to ISLAND Arts' #VirtualArtistoftheWeek Sue Cathcart @MrHoracePapers.  Sue has been working in mixed media for 30 years. She works primarily with paper, particularly papier mâché, and makes collages and 3D pieces.  A self-taught practitioner, Sue regards herself as a ‘Folk’ or ‘Outsider Artist’. Her work is very colourful, quirky, unpretentious and full of life!  Enjoy this short snap shot. 

Many of the artist’s creations are fashioned out of found and recycled materials combining with the written word to create pieces that tell or are the story.

With her collages using the character Mr Papers (who is made from the Belfast Telegraph), Sue wants to entertain but also wants to make people think and question things.

Mr Papers is a satirical rabbit made from discarded materials who comments on society and highlights its decline.  Mr Papers has been phenomenally successful, and there is now a ‘Mr Papers Corporation’.  The latter is run by a small group of people who contribute to the Mr Papers output by various means, though Sue does most of the creative bit.  As a result, Mr Papers has now moved on to creating installations and dioramas of different papier mâché characters dealing with unusual scenarios.

Sue completed an English Degree in 1986 from Lancaster University and has taught creative studies for many years before training as a literacy teacher and working as a community tutor. She currently works for National Museums Northern Ireland creating and delivering programmes which engage and interpret the museum collections to diverse audiences.  Sue combines this with her own creative practice.

Discover more about the artist and her work HERE.