An Interview with Nurture Participant Bethany Millican
As our Nuture incubation programme finishes at the end of this month we wanted to take the opportunity to ask our participants about themselves, their creative practice and what they have learnt.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your creative work?
I’m a Belfast-based illustrator and artist working in both traditional and digital mediums. I completed my Foundation at Belfast School of Art in 2015, specialising in Printmaking, and graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 2020 with a 2.1 degree in Communication Design, specialising in Illustration. Finishing art school during lockdown, without the degree show, left me feeling discouraged at the time. There were no final pieces or moments of completion that year, and I felt as if I had finished my education without having found the direction I should go in. But I kept drawing and designing and creating, and I have been following this in the years since leaving art school, just as I had in the years before it.
I came to find that narrative and symbolism are key to my work. I am motivated by personal imagery and poetic connotation – this played a big part in the work I have completed over the course of the Nurture Programme – namely with the series on different water forms that I illustrated for my exhibition and my 2025 calendar, and also with the collage workshop that I designed and facilitated for Pollen Studios, based on personal symbolism. My goal is to create moments of connection with my viewers through my words and drawings, and share an understanding with them that life is full of magic and that meaning can be found in everything when looked at with attention. The underlying poetry of everyday things is accessible to everyone. My work is seeking to portray this sense of the mystical – it’s oftentimes whimsical, and it’s always hopeful.
Can you tell us about any projects you are currently working on?
I’m working on a new series of illustrations based on Irish ruins. I was really inspired coming across The Irish Aesthete, a book by Robert O’Byrne, which is a collection of photographs of Irish ruins, curated from his blog. After spending most of my twenties in Scotland, my return home 2 years ago set off a renewed curiosity and appreciation for my country. I’m drawn to the old stone buildings, still standing, or half standing, and all the gaps in them – the missing bits and negative spaces. I’m interested in our fascination to ruins themselves, and the strong pull to this sense of place and this sense of time that sits there. I’m exploring the textural possibilities for illustrations of these ruins, and planning to refresh my printmaking skills with Collograph print classes at Belfast Print Workshop.
I am also currently preparing for Belfast’s Zine Fair on 8th June at the Crescent Arts Centre. I’m gathering drawings, photos, and words to compile into a body of different personal zines.
How has your creative idea evolved over the duration of this project?
My plan for the programme was really to receive (and give myself) a big push in the direction I need to go as an illustrator. I wanted to put myself out there, give myself reasons to create new work, and accept the accountability that the Nurture Programme would give me. My plan didn’t change over the programme – I’m proud to say I’ve been able to accomplish a lot of the goals I set out. I created new work to exhibit at my first solo exhibition; I created a 2025 calendar and sold out; I produced prints and cards of my illustrations and sold them on my online shop, as well as getting stocked in a retail shop for the first time; I hosted my first workshop with success; I gave my branding a makeover; I grew my online following; and I met a lot of creative people in Belfast, building up my network and community. It’s been really fruitful and exciting!
What have you learnt about yourself and your creative idea?
Being on the programme forced me to make decisions, create goals, and give myself deadlines to work towards- I’ve learnt that this is how I get things done! The programme brought me the accountability and support that I needed – it inspired me to sign up for events, work hard and say YES.
Creatively, I came to learn that written word is more integral that to my work than I had thought. The water illustrations naturally brought words to my mind, and they became part of the the calendar itself. The encouragement I received from Blick on this has really influenced how I see my approach to my creative work in the future.
I learnt a lot about my process, not just creatively, but also in relation to the business and logistical aspects of the job of a freelance illustrator.
Ultimately, the programme made me take myself more seriously – and in a way gave me the ‘permission’ I needed in order to do what I’ve wanted to for a long time – put myself out there, invite people to see my work, and sell pieces that speak to people.
What are your plans for the future?
Next up, I have Belfast Zine Festival in June! I’m excited to make use of the original DIY format, create zines, and meet new people at this event.
I also plan to release new prints of my Irish ruin series this summer, and get stocked in more retailers throughout the country.
I plan to incorporate my own writing into my work more, and to see where these words and stories may lead.
I plan to keep experimenting in both a digital practice, and a tactile approach.
I plan to exhibit work in Belfast again – and beyond.
I plan to keep creating, to keep experimenting, and to committing to drawing and storytelling as my lifelong practices.
Where can people find you online?
You can follow me on instagram at @bethanysmillican or keep up to date with my work on my website : bethanysmillican.myportfolio.com
