The Beragh woman who followed her dreams and became an artist

INSPIRED by nature and astronomy, Erin Conway is a self-taught macrame artist from Beragh who produces work under the pseudonym ‘Celestial Lily’.

Macramé is a form of textile produced using knotting techniques. Having previously worked as a data scientist, Erin discovered her passion for the craft in December 2023 whilst organising her wedding.

Having grown up with a love for art, Erin said she was always happiest when creating something; whether it was painting, drawing or poetry.

“When anyone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always something art-related,” she recalled.

“In school though, I was encourage to go down the STEM route, and I ended up studying BSc Maths and MSc Data Analytics at university.

“After graduating in 2020, I worked for four years in a start-up as a data scientist, but I never felt truly passionate about it.”

Erin said that she decided to give macrame a go in order to try and add a personal touch to the décor at her wedding.

“I dove in at the deep end, using YouTube tutorials and a lot of trial-and-error to create a backdrop for the arch that my dad built for us.”

For Erin, creating her own arch backdrop for her big day was what she described as ‘the project that started everything’.

“I instantly fell in love and haven’t stopped knotting since.

“By August 2024, I had launched Celestial Lily part-time, and I moved to full-time a few months later.”

Erin said that growing up in the countryside played a major role in influencing her work.

“I have always loved the grounding and meditative effects of being outdoors, and stargazing makes my worries feel so much smaller,” she explained.

“Because of this, my work features a lot of colour, flowers, greenery, moons and other celestial elements.

“Additionally, I like to include bohemian and Whimsigoth styles in my art.”

Having recently launched her own online Etsy shop, Erin said she has been ‘blown away’ by the support she has received over the last few months.

“I’m so pleasantly surprised everything I get a lovely review, with quite a few customers even returning for more,” she said.

“I’m passionate about making macrame more accessible, not just as a finished piece but also as a craft.

“I’m currently working on beginner-friendly patterns and tutorials so others can experience the joy and calm that knotting brings.”

Erin has since released a number of pixel macrame tutorials for beginners on her Etsy shop, with more planned for the future.

You can find her work on Etsy by searching ‘CelestialLilyIreland’.

Erin also shares her creations of Instaram (@celestial.lil.ireland) and Facebook (Celestial Lily).