Introducing our June 2025 Demonstrator - Stephanie Macfarlane - Mixed Media
Stephanie is a local Wangi artist who works from her studio in her home. She studied at East Sydney Technical College before it became the National Art School, then put her paints aside to raise a family. Stephanie picked up her brushes again about 12 years ago, and has since had a successful selling career, as well as receiving a number of awards. She has works hanging overseas, as well as in collections in Australia. Stephanie is an active member of Art Lovers Movement which meets monthly at Cooranbong.
Stephanie primarily paints landscapes in an impressionistic style. She uses acrylic, oil or watercolour - or sometimes all three, as she also works in mixed media, adding ink or pastel to her compositions depending on the subject and her mood at the time. Stephanie has painted a number of portraits, and usually likes to work in watercolour for portraits. She also paints abstract works.
Stephanie has participated in a number of exhibitions in the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle areas. She has shown in a number of Newcastle galleries.
Stephanie is a local Wangi artist who works from her studio in her home. She studied at East Sydney Technical College before it became the National Art School, then put her paints aside to raise a family. Stephanie picked up her brushes again about 12 years ago, and has since had a successful selling career, as well as receiving a number of awards. She has works hanging overseas, as well as in collections in Australia. Stephanie is an active member of Art Lovers Movement which meets monthly at Cooranbong.
Stephanie primarily paints landscapes in an impressionistic style. She uses acrylic, oil or watercolour - or sometimes all three, as she also works in mixed media, adding ink or pastel to her compositions depending on the subject and her mood at the time. Stephanie has painted a number of portraits, and usually likes to work in watercolour for portraits. She also paints abstract works.
Stephanie has participated in a number of exhibitions in the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle areas. She has shown in a number of Newcastle galleries.
Introducing our July 2025 Demonstrator - Tony White - Watercolour
Tony's approach to art becomes apparent when you read this quote from his website:
"Too often we become paralysed with some kind of strange fear when it comes to painting with watercolour. We feel that, because we "can't fix it" if we mess up, we paint with trepidation and it quickly shows. Our work becomes clumsy and weak and we become frustrated. It is only paper! It is only paint! They are only brushes! Splash it on with confidence. Life is too short!"
Tony's approach to art becomes apparent when you read this quote from his website:
"Too often we become paralysed with some kind of strange fear when it comes to painting with watercolour. We feel that, because we "can't fix it" if we mess up, we paint with trepidation and it quickly shows. Our work becomes clumsy and weak and we become frustrated. It is only paper! It is only paint! They are only brushes! Splash it on with confidence. Life is too short!"
Introducing our August 2025 Demonstrator - Elizabeth Fox - Botanicals
Liz is a multimedia artist living in the Coastal city of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. She paints with a strong focus on Nature, Flora and Fauna.
Her work is innately intuitive and her inspiration comes in waves, an ebb and flow, until something floats distinctly to the surface and she can no longer ignore it.
Liz also dreams of painting and commonly wakes with a clear image, composition or simply the solution she has been searching for whilst working on a current art piece.
"Walking in nature and taking a deep long hard look at my surrounds, the light, the sculptural and textual elements, the tonal palettes of it all, gives me an abundant source of inspiration.'
Liz’s works are a combination of charcoal, inks, acrylics, watercolour and pastels. The ‘Bark’ series of her works was very much a creative outpouring of emotion and discovery. Whereas the ‘Botanical’ series is a manipulation of media until she discovered a new way to interpret Mother Nature.
Liz has worked in a diverse range of roles all enabling her to have a creative input including Interior Design, Property Staging and assisting with the development of a local fashion label. Besides being a keen Folk Artist way back in 90’s she also produced a full market stall of products to sell every month and taught weekly classes. She completed an Associate Diploma in Graphic Design n 1997 through Northern Sydney Institute. It is here she obtaining a strong cross section of skills which become the building blocks of her work today.
Liz is a multimedia artist living in the Coastal city of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. She paints with a strong focus on Nature, Flora and Fauna.
Her work is innately intuitive and her inspiration comes in waves, an ebb and flow, until something floats distinctly to the surface and she can no longer ignore it.
Liz also dreams of painting and commonly wakes with a clear image, composition or simply the solution she has been searching for whilst working on a current art piece.
"Walking in nature and taking a deep long hard look at my surrounds, the light, the sculptural and textual elements, the tonal palettes of it all, gives me an abundant source of inspiration.'
Liz’s works are a combination of charcoal, inks, acrylics, watercolour and pastels. The ‘Bark’ series of her works was very much a creative outpouring of emotion and discovery. Whereas the ‘Botanical’ series is a manipulation of media until she discovered a new way to interpret Mother Nature.
Liz has worked in a diverse range of roles all enabling her to have a creative input including Interior Design, Property Staging and assisting with the development of a local fashion label. Besides being a keen Folk Artist way back in 90’s she also produced a full market stall of products to sell every month and taught weekly classes. She completed an Associate Diploma in Graphic Design n 1997 through Northern Sydney Institute. It is here she obtaining a strong cross section of skills which become the building blocks of her work today.
Introducing our September 2025 Demonstrator - Jess Murphy - Mixed Media
Playful palette knife artworks to feel good about! Jess is an emerging artist in Melbourne. With over 20 years of private artistic exploration, Jesslyn has sought to understand a diverse range of painting, printmaking and drawing techniques. Ready to show her work to the community, she took up a studio at an artist collective in 2023 to begin work on a cohesive collection featuring thickened layers of acrylic paint, applied with palette knives to tell a colour-filled impasto story.
Jesslyn’s work transforms special visited places and often-overlooked local treasures into pop-art landscapes. Each piece reflects meticulous planning of colour combinations, favouring split complementary colour palettes and fluorescent underpainting. Modern illustration and printmaking artists have been a source of inspiration and influence on Jesslyn’s emerging work.
As a professional Medical Sonographer in a Melbourne hospital, her daily experience provides opportunities for detailed images and thought. As an artist however, she seeks to shed those details and finds beauty in simplifying the colours, shapes and shadows of the natural world. Her lively, vibrant and bold style has garnered recognition, including winning the 2D category at Artz Blitz 2016 and People’s Choice in 2017. Her paintings have found homes in private collections across Australia.
With group and solo exhibitions in 2024, Jesslyn is on a mission to explore ever crisper and more joyful colour combinations, while celebrating the beauty of her neighbourhood.
Playful palette knife artworks to feel good about! Jess is an emerging artist in Melbourne. With over 20 years of private artistic exploration, Jesslyn has sought to understand a diverse range of painting, printmaking and drawing techniques. Ready to show her work to the community, she took up a studio at an artist collective in 2023 to begin work on a cohesive collection featuring thickened layers of acrylic paint, applied with palette knives to tell a colour-filled impasto story.
Jesslyn’s work transforms special visited places and often-overlooked local treasures into pop-art landscapes. Each piece reflects meticulous planning of colour combinations, favouring split complementary colour palettes and fluorescent underpainting. Modern illustration and printmaking artists have been a source of inspiration and influence on Jesslyn’s emerging work.
As a professional Medical Sonographer in a Melbourne hospital, her daily experience provides opportunities for detailed images and thought. As an artist however, she seeks to shed those details and finds beauty in simplifying the colours, shapes and shadows of the natural world. Her lively, vibrant and bold style has garnered recognition, including winning the 2D category at Artz Blitz 2016 and People’s Choice in 2017. Her paintings have found homes in private collections across Australia.
With group and solo exhibitions in 2024, Jesslyn is on a mission to explore ever crisper and more joyful colour combinations, while celebrating the beauty of her neighbourhood.
Introducing our October 2025 Demonstrator - Donna Gilbertson - Acrylics
Never say 'can’t' was the maxim which most influenced Donna Gilbertson in her early years.
Born into a theatrical family, she studied ballet and stage production from the age of five. After becoming a mother, Donna’s artistic tendencies began by meticulously painting war-game figures for collectors. Encouragement from her family and artist friends led her through a progression of various painting mediums including oils, pencils and watercolour, however, it was her determination to work with pastels that led to her distinctive style of painting.
With no formal training in art, her vivid imagination, combined with a curiosity for something new, has produced appealing subjects ranging from cuddly teddies and colourful clowns to theatrical fantasy.
Her first major exhibition held in November 1990 was a sellout success, and she has since exhibited and sold in private shows all over Australia.
Never say 'can’t' was the maxim which most influenced Donna Gilbertson in her early years.
Born into a theatrical family, she studied ballet and stage production from the age of five. After becoming a mother, Donna’s artistic tendencies began by meticulously painting war-game figures for collectors. Encouragement from her family and artist friends led her through a progression of various painting mediums including oils, pencils and watercolour, however, it was her determination to work with pastels that led to her distinctive style of painting.
With no formal training in art, her vivid imagination, combined with a curiosity for something new, has produced appealing subjects ranging from cuddly teddies and colourful clowns to theatrical fantasy.
Her first major exhibition held in November 1990 was a sellout success, and she has since exhibited and sold in private shows all over Australia.
Introducing our November 2025 Demonstrator - Kathryn deBoer - Christmas
Kathryn has been painting and teaching Acrylic Art for over 25 years. Always finding new inspiration every day, from our beautiful Lake Macquarie with never ending sunsets, boats and birds, to the amazing array of flowers that we grow in Australia. She has travelled to teach around Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, recently living in the USA where she had the pleasure of teaching and had a studio in down town Wilmington North Carolina for 12 months.
Kathryn mainly paints scenery and florals on canvas, wooden doors, fabric and furniture. She is now living at Bolton Point near the water once again, so will never run out of inspiration to paint.
Kathryn has been painting and teaching Acrylic Art for over 25 years. Always finding new inspiration every day, from our beautiful Lake Macquarie with never ending sunsets, boats and birds, to the amazing array of flowers that we grow in Australia. She has travelled to teach around Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, recently living in the USA where she had the pleasure of teaching and had a studio in down town Wilmington North Carolina for 12 months.
Kathryn mainly paints scenery and florals on canvas, wooden doors, fabric and furniture. She is now living at Bolton Point near the water once again, so will never run out of inspiration to paint.