Ann Carpenter

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.”