‘It is our privilege to be able to support this incredible, curious, thoughtful, direct, pragmatic and good humoured artist to continue her creative life, which is essential to her wellbeing.’
Maeve Butler, Assistant Director, Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts
The previous tagline: Artist, Writer, Puppet Designer. Now: Artist in care. This is my story
Looking back over my (creative) life I realise that my love and need to use my creative mind can be traced back to my early childhood in the Netherlands. In terms of making, the lack of funds for materials or a formal arts education led to freedom of expression as well as not having any constraints in the ‘proper’ use of materials or work methods. I realise that this is evident in my sculptures and puppetry. The love of words also came early. My most cherished places being private or public libraries.
Although trained and working as a care-nurse and social care worker, I became a full time artist after my move to Ireland in 1989. Fantasy Folk Artist Dolls became collectors items and led to private and corporate commissions in Ireland and around the globe.
Illness
The sudden start and rapid decline in health due to the debilitating neurological illness Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) at the age of 36 (1998) changed my creative ability, intensity and output. My previous work a reflection on Irish folklore quickly changed to exploring the internal landscape of illness. This resulted in a visual and written diary of life with illness out of necessity to find a way forward within my utterly changed life. SeeWriting, Art, Puppetry. The ‘diary of illness’ in a way continues to this day..
Long term care
As health continued to deteriorate and care at home was not sufficient to remain living independently I made the incredibly difficult decision to move into full time nursing home care. In late April 2021 I moved aged 59. I needed to do this to keep hold on the narrative of my life.
A wish/need to find creative expression I put out a call for support and am immensely grateful for Waterford Healing Arts (WHA) recognising my need to explore this new chapter in my life. It came in the way of support from Artist Caroline Schofield.
Working with Caroline in my room which I called the Treehouse (I have moved to another home July 2025) was for both of us a big learning experience: to understand our different arts practices as well as finding ways to work together. While I slowly accepted to ‘the use of her hands’ to create my ideas we brought many into being. Our connection often changed the direction of the works, as well as fine tuning them.
My main creative objective was to use whatever materials I had available in my little room. From covers of notebooks, a small sweet tin, buttons, scraps of fabric, to boxes of any kind as well as previously made works, but telling the new story. ‘Use everything – use everything wisely – everything has significance.’ (Ben Okri, Dangerous Love). Just like I did as a child.
Our beautiful collaborative story moved beyond the confined of my little room. With the support of Creative Waterford our exhibition I brought the dream of flying showed at GOMA in Waterford in January/February 2023 and later at Creative Brain Week in Dublin.
‘The team at Creative Waterford are honoured to support Corina’s wonderful work which gives us insight into the necessity of creative expression and her feelings about moving into a care setting.’
Katherine Collins, Creative Waterford
In bed I cut words…
For about a year (between April 2022 and April 2023) I tore/cut and collected words and images from weekend newspapers. While lying or sitting up in bed I collated these, as well as images of the shadow puppetry era, into collages. The spontaneously created ‘illustrated poems’ were an intuitive response to my thoughts on life in care. What is Home.
This activity like all my other art also became extinct due to the deterioration in my hands and brain. However. A year after making the last collage many were compiled for a limited edition (free) book. Published October 2024. Designed in close collaboration with David Murphy of Red Heaven Design in Lismore. My home town. Throughout the book there are written contributions by some extraordinary people. More about the book see ‘In bed I cut words’ .
The book was republished in April 2025 in paperback and won the CAP Award under anthologies for Independent Authors on 10th October 2025 – about a year after the publication of the first .See also Creative Waterford ‘Corina wins prestigious award’
‘Authenticity is at the heart of this collection … These words and images ask for our time and our attention – they identify a woman who lives with an all-consuming, overwhelming illness but who explores her condition and her world with a truly fine articulate mind.’Judges: North Star Collective of Authors
I am so immensely privileged to have received and continue to receive support to create. From people I know to the many people in cyberspace as well as Arts, Health, Puppetry, and Disability organisations. See Also: My Creativity Archived. The various arts grants and purchases, and awards over the years enabled me to create work to share my experiences. Also to the various ways my story has been documented by the media and arts, health, and disability organisation. Including RTE, who recorded at my home studio in 2018, as well as Brendan O’Connor reading out my letter about ‘Home’ : “Artist and writer, Corina Duyn, wrote a very powerful letter to Brendan about her experience living in care since the age of 59. She has lived with M.E. for more than 25 years. Corina’s book of collages “In Bed I Cut Words” is published by Creative Ireland, and distributed by the Irish Hospice Foundation.’
To my great honour my Creative Archive spanning over 30 years can now be explored at Réalta at the Centre of Arts and Health in Waterford. See HERE for more details and how to book an appointment.
Thank you for joining me on my journey through life and I hope you’ll enjoy exploring my website and blog.
Be Well
Corina – Artist in care
October 2025
Read or view my creative journey in more detail
- Writing showcases my various published books and poem.
- Art contains glimpses of three decades of creativity shared via slideshows.
- Puppetry explores how this exciting and accessible medium became an important tool to share my story. Includes: Invisible Octopus poem (2020); Lecture (49 min; 2021). And puppet making course access details.
- I brought the dream of flying (2023) and case study on Arts + Health.ie on the collaboration with Caroline Schofield which led to the exhibition.
- Video page contains links to poetry, documentaries, lectures and puppetry films.
- Contact page; creative CV; my work Cited in
- Social media: Facebook and Instagram although not often there.
* NOTE. To learn more about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) please visit ME Advocates Ireland Blog