Our Teachers

Karen Christiansen - Soft Pastels

Karen Christiansen is a representational artist, and Accomplished Pastellist of the Pastel Society of Australia. After working in watercolour, she fell in love with the pastel medium 10 years ago, while undertaking a workshop with Tasmanian artist, Leoni Duff. She joined the Pastel Society of Australia and is an active member of the Brisbane group. She is the recipient of many prizes and has had her artwork in the Pastel Magazine.

Karen uses pastel and other media to communicate her experience of the world around her, both in portraits and landscape. She is interested in our humanness, especially how we see each other and the creation around us. She is interested in finding and revealing beauty in the ordinary – to see that nothing and no-one is inconsequential. She loves to share her constant learnings with others through classes, demonstrations and workshops.

You can follow Karen on Instagram @karenchristiansenart

Penelope Gilbert-Ng - Watercolours & Soft Pastels

Penelope Gilbert-Ng ‘s journey as an artist started aged 3, Studied at East Sydney Technical College late teens (Diploma of Painting, 1971) and furthering her development with her painting in isolation in Papua New Guinea (13 years).  On returning to Australia 1986 studied with noted artists in Australia, New York (Pastel Society of America Scholarship), and New Mexico (International Association of Societies Convention).

Penelope believes that continual learning is essential for self-development as an artist. She is Past President of Pastel Society of Australia and Master Pastellist and Life Member with the Pastel Society of Australia, Past President and Fellow of the Royal Qld Art Society and sought-after tutor with Art Societies and Groups Nationally in all mediums. Penelope has been a finalist in the Archibald and Portia Geach Portrait Prizes including commissioned to paint 2 Speakers of the House of Representatives Sir John Guise and Sir Barry Holloway and has had numerous solo and joint exhibitions. Her commissioned paintings are represented in corporate/ private collections worldwide. Winner of many competitions combining knowledge and dedication to her art has enabled her to judge shows since 2002.

Penelope has written 9 articles for The Australian Artist Magazine (Dec 2000, March 2006). Australian Artist July 2009/ April 2011 “How did you do that”. Portrait painting July 2012. May 2013 Acrylic portraiture. October 2013 Acrylic What comes next? May 2016 Keeping it Simple Oil part 1, June 2016 Keeping it Simple Oil part 2, July 2016 Keeping it Simple Oil part 3, Demonstrated (by invitation) at the International Association of Pastel Societies, IAPS (Portraiture) May 2009 Albuquerque, New Mexico USA.

Tutored for Artemis Art Tours Greek Islands October 2012/ May 2014.

Guest Artist/Tutor/Judge at Pastel Society of New Zealand Pastel Convention May 2015

Awarded Champion Portrait Jack Ambler Award EKKA 2009/2016/2017/2018

Tutor demonstrator Inaugural Pastel EXPO Caloundra Australia 2018. Pastel EXPO Caloundra Australia 2022 Australian Watercolour Muster, Cairns 2021 Tutor. Finalist Australian Watercolour Muster 2021/2023 Honorable Mention Internatioal Women in Watercolour 5th Annual Competition 2024

Penelope teaches privately and workshops wherever invited.

 Web: http://www.penelopegilbertng.com.au

Colour in Your Life Plein air session: youtube.com/watch?v=ySllTNA3Nk, Brisbane City Council and Art Shed youtubes

Mark Feiler - Oil Painting & Drawing

Australian artist and educator Mark Feiler grew up in Mackay, Queensland; currently he works from his home Studio in Highgate Hill Brisbane, South-East Queensland.

Feiler attended Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney, where he studied Fine Art from 2007 to 2009, where he was trained as a painter and worked on perfecting his drawing and oil painting skills. He also attended Brisbane Arts Académie Morningside.

From 2014 Mark taught drawing and painting at Atelier Art Classes in Salisbury. Post Covid Feiler now runs his own online and in person art school, Brisbane Art Classes, where he teaches students portraiture, figure drawing, oil painting and landscape painting.

Brisbane Art Classes Instagram can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/brisbaneartclasses/

Beginning in 2023 Mark started teaching Painting Fundamentals classes focusing on Portraiture and Still Life.

Mark is the recipient of the jealous curator’s choice award for The Kennedy Prize, a prestigious Australian art award for artworks that embody, comment on or celebrate beauty.  Mark is greatly inspired by nature, classical art and people in their everyday lives. His work centers around human figures on flat and quiet backgrounds, with an emphasis on characters painted in a crisp way.

Exhibitions

  • 2024 Hans Heysen Landscape Prize Hahndorf Gallery Finalist

  • 2017 Manning Art Prize, Naked and Nude - Finalist, Highly Commended

  • 2015 BUY Art Fair Old Granada Studios Manchester

  • 2015 Manning Art Prize, Naked and Nude – Finalist
    2015 Arusha Gallery, group show Dundas Street, Edinburgh 

  • 2014 Kennedy Art Prize for Beauty Danielle Krysa Jealous Curator’s  Choice Award

  • 2014 Queensland Figurative RQAS Brisbane Finalist

  • 2014 Annual Royal Queensland Arts Society

  • 2014 Harold and Agnes Richardson Memorial Drawing Prize Show, RQAS Finalist

  • 2012 Harold and Agnes Richardson Memorial Drawing Prize Show, RQAS 2nd Prize

  • 2012 Royal Queensland Art Society Annual Exhibition

  • 2012 Atelier Art Classes Summer show

  • 2012 Affordable Art Fair, New York

  • 2012 Assistant Gallery Director RQAS

  • 2011 Three Points of Contact, White Canvas Gallery, Brisbane

  • 2010-2011 "Evolving Traditions" Group Art Exhibition at Redcliffe City Art Gallery, Redcliffe 

  • 2010 Salisbury Studios Queensland Incorporated Inaugural Exhibition

  • 2008-2009 - 'Nine by Five Inches' Exhibition, Julian Ashton Art School

  • 2008 - Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Exhibition

  • 2007-2008  - Teachers and Students Exhibition, Julian Ashton Art School

Wayne Van Eyk - Figure Drawing & Portraits

Wayne Van Eyk is an accomplished and versatile artist whose passion for the creative arts spans multiple disciplines. With a deep appreciation for both traditional and contemporary styles, he seamlessly blends drawing, painting, and woodworking into a cohesive artistic practice. His work is distinguished by a strong aesthetic sensibility, a refined sense of design, and an ever-evolving exploration of form, texture, and composition.

Wayne’s artwork reflects his keen eye for detail and his ability to balance structure with expressive fluidity. Whether working with charcoal on paper, acrylics or oils on canvas, or shaping wood, he brings a thoughtful approach to each piece. His work is often characterized by its appreciation of beauty, harmony, and craftsmanship, making it both visually compelling and deeply resonant.

Beyond his personal art practice, Wayne is committed to education and artistic mentorship. For over a decade, he has been teaching life drawing, helping students refine their techniques and develop a deeper understanding of the human form. His teaching philosophy emphasizes not just technical skill but also observation and intuition and how to accumulate tools and knowledge along the way. Wayne also centers around an appreciation of how each student finds there way through the process of learning and how he can best be a guide on the journey.

As an artist who enjoys a number of artistic arenas, Wayne’s multifaceted approach allows him to push creative boundaries while appreciating tried and tested techniques. Whether through the delicate lines of a figure drawing, the bold strokes of a painting, or the practical craftsmanship of a woodwork piece, his work continues to inspire and engage audiences.

Explore Wayne’s latest artworks and creative projects on Instagram:
🔗 Instagram: @waynevaneykart

Isabella Allis - Open Classes

Practicing artist and art educator, Isabella Allis, runs regular adult open art classes. She tailors her art instruction around each individual student, considering their chosen pathway in art and helping to develop their unique artistic voice. Isabella strongly believes in the benefit of having a strong technical foundation in art, developing skills through practice and observation, and then being able to apply these skills in any chosen way.

Although Isabella specialises in oil painting and charcoal/ graphite drawing, she draws on her knowledge of a broad array of mediums to guide students working in the medium of their choice.

The weekly classes bring together a small art community where art students can socialise with like-minded people, share ideas and resources and paint or draw in a social setting, whilst receiving instruction and mentoring from Isabella.

Isabella also runs specialized art workshops (e.g. portraiture). She has also provided grant-funded private mentoring, private tuition and high school workshops/ vocational talks.

Isabella is excited to launch belArts, her visual arts school, at Chrome Street Studios this year!

As an artist, Isabella works on a commission basis and has entered many competitions. Her portrait of Dr Jeannette Young (now Governor of Queensland) was a finalist in the inaugural 2019 Brisbane Portrait Prize.  Her love of dance is evident in her figurative artworks as can be seen in “Picnic I” which won the 2021 Petite Pieces competition at Aspire Gallery.

If you would like to see more of Isabella’s artworks, visit her website www.isabellaallis.com