As an artist and educator working on Bundjalung Country, my workshops are focused on creative exploration where I guide children to explore the colours, shapes and textures of the natural environment and learn how natural foraged items and recycled materials can be used to make beautiful pieces of art. Utilising resources and materials in new and refreshing ways encourages originality, creative thinking, curiosity and imagination.
My classes encourage children to go beyond traditional drawing and expand their creativity by incorporating elements of the natural world. These activities not only enhance creativity but also foster problem-solving skills and resilience along with improving fine motor skills, physical strength, and coordination. I also promote and support a community of learners through collaborative art projects, where children work together to create something greater than what they could achieve individually. Gaining valuable teamwork skills students also learn to converse and share their ideas, appreciating differences in opinions whilst cultivating their own unique understanding of the arts.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, I bring a wide range of artistic knowledge, specialising in sculptural techniques such as casting, moulding, and construction, along with Natural Dying techniques using foraged flora and fauna and food scraps as well as mark-making mediums like watercolour, acrylic paint, charcoal, and pastels. This vast array of artistic techniques and materials helps children build a diverse repertoire of techniques and ideas to express themselves and demonstrates that art can be created anywhere, anytime, with any material.
Furthermore, my current Masters of education provides me with practical, academic and professional skills, whilst instilling a deep understanding of children’s extraordinary capacity to learn and create. My classes promote meaningful and authentic engagement through a cross discipline approach as I feel art transcends disciplinary limitations.
Promoting reflection through discussion, empowerment through agency and connection through the natural world my classes are exciting, dynamic and inspire a deep love for the arts.
Clay is beneficial in so many ways for children and is super fun! It Encourages sensory development and can strengthen sensory skills as they learn to manipulate the material into different objects and shapes.
Develops coordination and motor skills, improving eye/hand coordination and build both gross and fine motor skills, including the small muscles in hands and fingers. This helps with dexterity and is beneficial for children colouring, cutting and writing in a school setting.
It’s therapeutic and can be a very invigorating, yet soothing activity. Working the clay is a positive way to express emotions, a good stress-reliever and, since it’s generally an unhurried activity, also a calming pastime for kids.
Extends attention span, because clay is so adaptable, mistakes can usually be repaired so kids don’t feel frustrated. In fact, clay can be so engaging they may play for long periods of time without any adult involvement!
Builds imagination, clay stimulates curiosity, motivates them to problem-solve as they work on their project, and ultimately leads them to craft unique three-dimensional art.
Dyeing with plants and food waste can provide an intriguing lens for exploring the local environment, learning science concepts, conducting experiments, learning about history and other cultures, and creating compelling crafts.
In this hands on and nature based Workshop the kids discover the art of Mandalas and their place in nature. Crafting nature mandalas can be an excellent way to explore artistic composition, mindfulness, and the great outdoors – all at the same time! These temporary art installations create beauty from foraged natural objects. In addition to being a really fun art project, making nature mandalas also serves as an educational activity. Children will love scouring the ground for specific items, just like a scavenger hunt, and their natural curiosity will create an opportunity for learning. Have fun answering their questions, and seeing what they discover while poking around in nature.
