Whitley Bay artist overcomes PTSD to earn master's degree from University of Sunderland and land dream gallery job

The 52-year-old has made mental health a central theme of her work after being diagnosed with PTSD after a work-related incident in 2017.

She did not leave the house for months after the incident, but has since recovered to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in fine art from the University of Sunderland in 2021 and continue studying to complete her master’s in visual practice.

She is now gallery coordinator at Breeze Creatives Moving Gallery in Sunderland.

Su said: “I would not be able to do any of this if it had not been for the University of Sunderland and their amazing staff.

“They have supported me throughout my time here, through my BA and then my MA.

“The staff are understanding of all students but for me the support and encouragement has got me where I am today. It is not only the lecturers but also the technicians.

“I have gone from being afraid to leave the house to now coordinating a gallery and it is the university that has made this journey possible.”

Su’s job involves liaising with local artists and organising exhibitions, while she continues creating her own art in the gallery’s studio space.

An exhibition of her work called New Beginnings, inspired by the new chapter in her life, opened last weekend at the University of Sunderland’s Priestman Building.