ANDY GAZEY

Art is in Ann’s blood. The Glencoe resident, who was born in New Zealand to Dutch parents, moving to Australia in 1983, can’t remember a time art wasn’t part of her life. “I always loved art as a child,” Ann said. “My father’s family in Holland were all artistic and he, himself, found a late art career in his senior years.”

And Ann also turned to art once she had raised her family, studying at the, then, South East Institute of TAFE, with Claire Souter and Ian Winter as her mentors.

Before she knew it, the student became the teacher, taking art classes for Adult Community Education (ACE) for a couple of years and eventually taking on the role of drawing facilitator for the Certificates IV, III and II for more than a decade until the closure of the art department in 2013.

Ann cherishes her time in art education and still runs classes at her Glencoe studio – The Artshed – moulding her teaching career around the philosophy of Nicolaides, which is ‘the job of the teacher, as I see it, is to teach students, not how to draw, but how to learn to draw’.

“I have loved being able to facilitate the art journeys of art students, helping them to ‘see and observe’, providing techniques and discipline, but also freedom and experimentation,” Ann said. “You can always go back to what you know at home, but taking the opportunity to explore as many new marks, techniques, mediums, workshops and critiques as you can is the most important part of the art journey.”

And Ann knows how important mentors can be as you look to develop your own artistic style and a body of work.

“Claire Souter was a very supporting mentor and artist and Deborah Rogers was pivotal in her tenet believing in the importance of the role of the artist in society,” Ann said. “And, of course, my students and colleagues along the art journey have taught me so much.”

In fact, Ann, despite having spent so much time teaching others, also continues to learn and thrives on workshops from artists including Denis Clarke, Jody Graham, Vida Pearson, Suzie Riley and Ron Penrose, forcing Ann outside her comfort zone and encouraging experimentation.

She has also highly valued being part of Gallery 54, the Penola based member run gallery. Ann started as an associate member in 2006 and moved into full time membership and served as secretary.

“It is for me a very important outlet for the display and promotion of myself as an artist, as well as being the impetus and driving force to produce new work for the gallery walls, website and exhibitions such as the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival each year,” Ann said. “Working as part of a collective with other members reinforces for me the important role of the fine arts within our society and the Limestone Coast.”

Having her own studio space has also been critical in Ann’s career.

“Absolutely fabulous to have my own space, which was built by my husband who supports me in my artistic career,” Ann said.

“I started a small class teaching from the Artshed in 2002, with two of the students attending for 14 years in their retirement.

“Eventually I have added a second class, which allows for the gathering of like minds and experimentation with new ideas, as well as students working on their own projects. This is essential.

“Working on your own is good but limiting – always important is the stimulus of the group, encouraging, testing, exploring, laughing.”

Kirsten Johnston

“My style sits between realism and abstractism.” That is how Kirsten views her body of work, which is dominated by paintings of trees and Australian landscapes, with a strong commitment to bright, bold colours. Art has been a part of Kristen’s life for just over a decade. Just as it did for Andrea, Kirsten’s foray into art started with Ann Carpenter TAFE classes.

That was in 2008 and five years later painting found its way into her repertoire with Kirsten taking her work seriously last year. “I had always been interested in art but never really had the opportunity to do it,” Kirsten said. “Once I had my family I did have the time and I needed some sort of outlet.” Now she treats her art practice as a job. “I do try and do it every day,” Kirsten said. “I can often only do it for an hour or so as my work needs time to dry and I certainly want to make sure I don’t stop enjoying it. I always have three or four things on the go. I am not a full time artist but it is on my mind all the time.”

About seven years ago, Kirsten held her first exhibition, opened by Ann and held at Gallery 54, but by her own admission she has evolved as an artist since her early days as a TAFE student. “I was scared of colour and everything was black and white and all very safe,” Kirsten said. “Now as I work with ink on canvas I find it so inspiring – a lot more fun and a lot less science involved.” Kirsten is no stranger to SALA exhibition, previously showcasing her work in Kingston, and also having had her work as part of an Adelaide SALA event at Gallery M, in Oaklands Park.

Andrea Bartetzko

For Andrea, the toughest thing about her art career is finding the time to devote to a pursuit that has become her passion for the past 11 years. She came to art when she was looking for an outlet that was just for her as she juggled motherhood and full time work and it has been her sanctuary ever since.

“I needed to find something that I could do for me,” Andrea said. “I started with the art classes at TAFE where Ann (Carpenter) was the lecturer and it has been a bit of a slow burn for me over this past decade.”

Grampians Brushes, the Halls Gap event she attends with Ann and Kirsten each year, has been a big part of that slow burn and it is where her love affair with acrylics began, a medium that allows Andrea to be true to her artistic style.

“Big and bold – that really is the best way to describe my work,” Andrea said. “Working with acrylics really grabbed me. It allows me to work big, to work fast and that really suits me.”

The corner of her garage is Andrea’s workspace but the majority of her painting happens in class. “That’s the time I have to work – the two hours of my class at Ann’s at Glencoe,” Andrea said.

She has created a number of new works for the Millicent exhibition, while she will also be showing work from earlier in her career.

“About half the pieces are relatively new and haven’t been seen out and about and the other half of the collection are bits and pieces from over the years,” Andrea, who is not new to showcasing her works, said.

Andrea was a member of the South East Art Society (SEAS) and had works at the Old Courthouse when it was the home of the SEAS, as well as exhibiting at Caroline Hills Winery and entering the Wattle Range Art Prize last year.

Andrea’s creative outlet used to be craft but she has thrived since becoming a painter.

“I was much more of a craft person, following the pattern or the instructions,” Andrea said. “I now love the challenge of creating my own art, my own interpretation of things.”

Andrea comes from an artistic family – her mother is a botanical floral artist based in Melbourne – but while that is a discipline about fine detail and replicating, Andrea loves the freedom her more contemporary style allows. “My work is an impression.”

An avid gardener, another shared passion with her mother, Andrea does still draw her inspiration from the natural world, while this exhibition also sees her experimenting with portraiture.