Caitlin is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Ulster University and continues to stay creative through publishing her digital art. She’s an alumna of The Belfast Computer Clubhouse in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Share a fond memory of time spent in your Clubhouse:
The Computer Clubhouse was how I met some of my best friends through my teen years. It was the first place I learned about digital art and the first place I ever used a graphics tablet or Photoshop. I met so many wonderful people from both sides of the community in Belfast and I cherish the memories greatly.
How has The Clubhouse contributed to where you are today?
Through The Clubhouse, I learnt how to use Adobe Photoshop and how to use a graphics tablet. This has since launched me into a successful part-time art career doing custom illustrations. In addition, I have made several scientific diagrams for publication which have been published in high impact factor journals and have contributed to my acceptance to a Ph.D. scholarship programme. The skills and techniques I learnt in my time at The Clubhouse are used daily and have directly contributed to my career.
The skills and techniques I learnt in my time at The Clubhouse are used daily and have directly contributed to my career.
The Clubhouse being a cross-community project between Protestant and Catholic areas in my country allowed myself and other kids to grow up learning that the political divide between our communities did not dictate our opinions and actions and that our generation can hopefully change Northern Ireland and not have it be so divided by religion.
What have you been up to since you became an alumna of the Clubhouse?
I recently started my Ph.D. at Ulster University in the “Role of B-Vitamins in Epigenetic Modulation of Hypertension” and I’ve been accepted as an artist onto an independent, small circulation art book which is being made to raise money for the Black Lives Travel Fund. Most of my art is done digitally through Photoshop and similar programs which I learned as a Clubhouse member. Without The Clubhouse, I would almost certainly not be as interested in digital art as I am and I have fond memories of hogging their old Wacom graphics tablet back in the day which is quite different to the iPad I work on now!
Without The Clubhouse, I would almost certainly not be as interested in digital art as I am.
If you’re a Clubhouse alumna, tell us what you’re up to!