#HerWork

Regional Arts WA

#HerWork

In the lead up to International Women’s Day 2019, we asked you to celebrate #HerWork – nominating the volunteers, artists, facilitators, arts teachers and arts workers who help make the arts happen in regional WA. Thank you for your support – read about the inspiring women from all across the state below.

Barbara Bynder (nominated by Philippa Maughan)

Barbara is a practising artist but also uses art to educate the wider community to the richness and diversity of contemporary Aboriginal people. She offers a suite of workshops focusing on communication but using art as the communication tool to create conversation in an enjoyable supportive way. Examples
• Commission Art works for your home or office
• Understand Aboriginal culture workshops using art as the communication tool
• Community canvas workshops for team building and leadership for your staff
• Murals painted in collaboration with you
• Lectures tailored to suit your needs
• Mentoring for non-Aboriginal people working with Aboriginal people
• Mentoring in the arts for Aboriginal people
• Public community art programs for events, schools and universities

Julie Outram (nominated by Maree Gooch)

For her own unique and engaging style which can be seen as a mural at Bremer Beach – and she runs art classes at the Bremer Bay Community Resource Centre.

Karen Keally (nominated by Patricia House)

Karen is an accomplished artist in her own right, who has worked tirelessly over decades to deliver quality arts programs and events in the Narrogin region; that are accessible to all sectors of the community. She has generously delivered visual arts programs and mentored emerging artists in a climate that has seen the gradual erosion of support for the arts industry. Karen has championed the arts as a vital aspect of the community and has fostered community operated art spaces and arts projects of a high calibre.

There is no praise sufficient to capture Karen’s depth of passion and dedication to keeping the arts alive in the community: thoroughly deserving of recognition. Karen is truly one of Narrogin’s unsung heroines.

Leanne Young (nominated by Simone Mahoney)

For finally chasing her lifelong dream and accepting a creative grid mentorship to write and illustrate her first children’s book in 2019.

Monique Le Lievre (nominated by Rebekah Ledingham)

Monique is an essential part of the thriving arts scene in Broome who shares her love of music as a specialist Music teacher at Broome Primary School where her initiatives support not only learning music but leadership skills, language and increasing school attendance.

Some of Monique’s initiatives and achievements in her role include. forming a primary school band each year that performs both cover songs and also writes their own songs, performing at Broome Primary special occasions. Kids in the band are aged between 9-12 and Monique helps guitarists, ukulele players, drummers, keyboard and vocalists improve their skills. She also coordinates a talent show each year Broome Primary’s Got Talent where kids of all ages audition and perform on stage everything from stand-up comedy, circus skills, dancing and singing. It’s a great way to celebrate and increase their confidence and performing skills and celebrate the talent in the Broome Primary kids.

Monique had an idea for some new leadership positions, announced with student councillors and faction captains and has nominated Roadies each year. They are often kids who don’t find themselves in the limelight and may even have attendance issues but they learn valuable skills in setting up and packing away stages and performing equipment, as well as a leader badge with their name on it and kudos in the school yard. Similarly Monique has run a drum group called Drumbeatz which is often with kids who would otherwise not be enthusiastic school attenders or have much confidence in themselves as scholars.

Monique’s contacts as a long-term Kimberley performer in several bands often benefits the school. Missy Higgins was a guest a choir practice sharing some songs with Broome Primary choir in 2017 and she subsequently asked for some of the choir members to join her on stage for her two concerts in Broome. The 11 kids got to experience sound checks, the green room and the thrill of being on a big stage. She has also had visitors such as Caravana Sun come and help the band writing their original songs. She has a passion for Aboriginal language and using the arts to celebrate it and preserve it and was instrumental in bringing together the school choir and the entire school’s performance that featured in an ABC ad.

She also helped co-ordinate the choir’s involvement in a Niykina language song for the soundtrack of a local puppetry performance A Song for the Mardoowarra Puppet Show” directed by Gwen Knox. Her energy and talent seems endless and she is one of the people who contributes to the heart beat of our vibrant arts scene. It’s great to see her recognised.

Sabrina Dowling Giudici (nominated by Irene Jarzabek)

Sabrina is an inspiring advocate as a regional ambassador for Black Swan State Theatre Company in the Gascoyne region. Her international practice ‘Aartworks’, is based in Carnarvon where she facilitates the creative community to showcase their stories of Country and Culture. In 2019, Sabrina with Anton Blume were invited to bring their unique creative collaboration and vision to the Passagen Design Fair in Cologne, Germany where they were awarded as finalists for their public art interpretations of the Space and Maritime histories of Carnarvon. Her current projects include paintings, fashion textiles, street art, dance, writing and art-based merchandising.

Sadie James (nominated by Matthew Barber)

Sadie is a talented artist who has worked so hard to maintain a creative business in such a remote place as Coral Bay. She is a huge advocate for the region and has helped bring cultural experiences and performances to this area as the creative director of Festival of the Reef as part of the Gascoyne in May for several years. It’s about time she receives some recognition for her efforts!

Jody Quadrio (nominated by Julian Canny)

Inspiring young lady who works tirelessly to develop performing artists young and old through cocaching, directing, producing and friendship. As a creative coach with Euphorium Creative and co-director of the company, Jody plays a strong leadership role in performing arts and community development in the region.

Reena Harwood (nominated by Monique van Vliet)

Reena is a phenomenal needle felter who is very passionate about our endangered and extinct Australian Fauna. Her lifelike creatures are truly amazing. One of her other passions is to bring the art of needle felting to a broader audience in Australia. She does this with a series of 12 needle felting projects, her ‘Sleeping Aussie Baby’ series. Each creature increases your level of needle felting skill while simultaneously making you aware of the precious life that we are losing.

Annette Carmichael (nominated by Talitha Maslin)

For creating opportunities for community members to be fit and active and have access to performance opportunity. Soft her advocacy and support of emerging artists and community arts.

Ainsley Foulds (nominated by Talitha Maslin)

Her tireless energy and passion for bringing arts programs and performances to the Ravensthorpe region. For offering her time for free and running the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council.

Jane Mulcock (nominated by Kim Maslin)

Jane works tirelessly as the Executive Officer of Esperance Community Arts. Her passion and dedication has seen over $500,000 in project funding raised in the past three years alone, to support a number of partner projects. You will see Jane at the Community Arts Space almost every day of the week, not to mention the monthly fundraiser BBQs held at Bunnings. No matter how busy she is, Jane always finds time to stop for a chat with the local artists or newcomers to the space. The Esperance community is so grateful for the work that Esperance Community Arts does, and for the important role Jane plays in this.

Vivienne Robertson (nominated by Adrian Baer)

Dedication and commitment to the development and growth of community arts for over 10 years in regional WA.

Tania Jackson (nominated by Maree Ellis)

Tania is an artist and community leader who has a passion for the arts. In her role as Shire President in the Shire of Harvey, she has been instrumental in encouraging, supporting and participating in a diverse range of arts projects and programs. This includes being the driving force behind a bushfire recovery arts program in 2017/18, chairing meetings, attending workshops, making sculptures to promote the Recovery and Regrowth exhibition and participating as an artist in her own right. As president of the Harvey Arts Society, Tania has this year coordinated a project which included a mural program involving local youth and the highly successful Harvey Art Prize Exhibition. She has a passion to see the Shire of Harvey become a cultural hub that is supportive of artists, arts workers and innovative arts programs. She is also a talented artist and crafts person turning her hand to carpentry to make all of the plinths for the recent exhibition so that the project stayed within budget, then once again creating a series of sculptures for the foyer of the exhibition facility. She not only drives and supports the arts in her role as Shire President but is also a hands-on participant.

Sammy Wyborn (nominated by Leann Wyborn)

Because she is amazing, always there for her community, volunteering her time and artistic Indigenous knowledge.

Caroline Marks (nominated by Alana Grant)

All round legend, goes above and beyond with patience. Grace and kindness.

Fiona Wilkie (nominated by Amy Sobol)

I wish to nominate Fiona Wilkie for her continued dedication to the promotion of art creation, practice & education. Her passion for pursuing her own creative endeavours as well as sharing her talent & knowledge with her fellow art community, students & friends is inspiring to me.

Thank you to everyone who nominated #HerWork for International Women’s Day – we hope you continue to support the arts teachers, volunteers, artists and arts workers who make the arts happen in regional WA.

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