Peeking Inside Creative Minds: How did your classes and workshops come to be? Why do you teach? (Part 1)

Foreword

I have a confession to make: I get extremely excited every time I come across a creative person, or a person that holds within them such exuberance that it often manifests itself in a delicious cacophony of quirky character traits, unique stylistic choices, tangential thought patterns and behaviors, and an uncanny knack for seeing the world in a way that most do not, that when all combined, I find equally intoxicating and endearing.

For me, it’s the creatives that push the boundaries of what we collectively believe is possible. They dare to imagine, dare to dream, dare to believe, and in their own process of creation, create the world as they see it.

In this editorial series, I reach out to a curated list of creators who not only live and breathe the art of creation but undertake to pass on their learnings to the next generation of creatives. I find this combination of creativity and education noble, and use this editorial series as a way to delve deeper into these minds in the hopes that we too, can get a voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of such noble creatives. Who knows, perhaps we will learn something along the way too.

How did your classes and workshops come to be? Why do you teach?

I didn’t anticipate that students would want to continue after the course ended. I never intended to continue Fitzroy Painting long-term but here we are

Adriane Strampp, Founder at Fitzroy Painting. Melbourne, Australia.

Fitzroy Painting started in early 2009 as a small 8-week beginners’ course in oil painting. The Great Financial Crisis was in full swing, and my art classes were a means of keeping the studio, and the proverbial wolf from the door, until the art market picked up again. As a painter with previous teaching experience, it was a no-brainer to hold a class in my studio. What I didn’t anticipate, however, was that students would want to continue after the course ended. I never intended to continue Fitzroy Painting long-term but here we are!

The students had other ideas, and so the original Monday night painters became an ongoing weekly class (many of whom are still with us today), and another beginner’s class was added. That soon filled too and demand for more classes continued as our reputation spread, and more people wanted to join. It's been a slow and very organic growth, growing with demand. More classes have been added, along with more tutors, each of us professional practicing artists foremost, with a passion for teaching and sharing our knowledge.

The power of food to bring people together is both so simple and natural and yet so surprisingly wonderful

Angie Chong, Founder at The Humble Dumpling. Melbourne, Australia.

I had worked in the world of commercial cookery for multiple decades and was feeling burnt out. I took a few years off to really give myself time to think about what was important to me, what inspired me, and what brought me joy. I knew it was something to do with food and with people.

I was fortunate enough to have learned so much about food and food culture from my family and in particular from my mum. I grew up in a very large extended family and every weekend we gathered in the kitchen to cook and eat together. Sometimes that would mean 40-50 kids, aunties and uncles gathered around the kitchen, sharing a meal!

It was the memories of these times; of laughing, cooking, sharing stories, and eating together that inspired my classes at The Humble Dumpling. The power of food to bring people together is both so simple and natural and yet so surprisingly wonderful. Setting the classes in my home felt more like inviting friends over for a fun family lunch. Really, I didn’t so much create these classes as much as I just provided a canvas for people to do what comes naturally.

I hope that everyone who comes to a class will be inspired to continue to bring people together through food in their own homes.

Bree, Sarah, and I established The Windsor Workshop to help us unleash our unexplored inner creativity and to help us slow down and team up.

Belinda Galloway and Bree Hankinson, Founders at The Windsor Workshop. Melbourne, Australia.

Bree, Sarah, and I established The Windsor Workshop to help us unleash our unexplored inner creativity and to help us slow down and team up.

We wanted to bring together like-minded people to partake in artistic pursuits that nurture our wellbeing. The promotion of local artists was also at the forefront of our minds in addition to being able to provide a talking point and a sensory experience for those who attend.

We all have backgrounds in artistic industries so when the opportunity to fuse our creativity and education arose, we simply could not refuse!

I asked my grandma to show me how to sew. At that time I was also bought a sewing machine as a gift. I was immediately smitten.

Danielle Francis, Director at Thread Den. Melbourne, Australia.

I have always had numerous creative hobbies, and in my early 20s, I dove deep into vintage style, mid-century furniture and décor, and 40s/50s fashion. So that I could reproduce patterns from that era, I asked my grandma to show me how to sew. At that time I was also bought a sewing machine as a gift. I was immediately smitten.

From that time until 15 years later, I never put my sewing machine away. It was always out on the dining table, or a desk, or now a dedicated space.

I was working in a corporate job and I had this dream of one day owning a haberdashery store. The job I was employed for had evolved over the years into that of training, and I discovered a joy for teaching people.

In an effort to balance work and life, I had a habit of participating in creative workshops, and one of those was a knitting workshop at Thread Den. Through that knitting workshop, I subscribed to the mailing list and attended other workshops as well.

One day an email popped into my inbox saying that they were looking for a new owner for Thread Den. It was my dream. It was about 15 years ahead of time but I decided to take the plunge i.e., leave the corporate world and run a business teaching people creative endeavors.

I’ve never looked back. I love it.

As a deaf person, with training on how to teach Auslan and develop a curriculum, l sought to combine the passion l have for Auslan, my deafness, and the opportunity to work from home

Darren Roberts, Founder, and Director at The Auslan Company. Melbourne, Australia.

The Auslan Company came about for two reasons: (1) l wanted to work for myself in my own time and with my own hours so that l could look after my young children following separation from their mum; and (2) l was finishing my Bachelor of Education (Auslan) Languages Other Than English course at La Trobe University and was considering what the next step was.

As a deaf person, with training on how to teach Auslan and develop a curriculum, l sought to combine the passion l have for Auslan, my deafness, and the opportunity to work from home. Thus I created The Auslan Company in 2004.

Today my children have all grown up and l still have the passion and love delivering Auslan to workplaces, to families of deaf children through the NDIS program, to childcare centers, and in schools as an Auslan Languages Other Than English subject.

I really see it as my responsibility to inspire and mentor the next generation of coffee professionals

David Seng, Director at The Espresso School, Board of Directors and Head at Barista Guild for Australian Specialty Coffee Association, World Certified Judge WCE WBC. Melbourne, Australia.

The Espresso School was born out of the back of a cafe I was working in more than a decade ago. The owner graciously allowed me to run classes after hours which was how The Espresso School got its start.

There are plenty of reasons why I love teaching people about coffee, and one of my biggest motivations is I really see it as my responsibility to inspire and mentor the next generation of coffee professionals.

This is my way of giving back to an industry from which I have gained so much. I love seeing my students make their mark on the coffee world. Nothing makes me prouder.

There is nothing quite like putting your hands in the mud and creating something completely new from the earth

Denholm Lappas, Studio Manager at Clay Talk @ Montsalvat. Melbourne, Australia.

Clay Talk's creation is a natural extension of Montsalvat's already rich history as a place where art is made, taught, shown, and experienced. What started as a humble studio to reinvigorate the love of clay at Montsalvat has grown to include some 80 students and studio artists, and 6 kilns including gas, electric, and wood firing.

There is nothing quite like putting your hands in the mud and creating something completely new from the earth. The final process of transforming your material through the process of heat permanently solidifies your artwork and is an incredible experience. Nothing quite compares.

Clay Talk's goal is to provide a place to engage with the art of ceramics and provide a holistic learning experience to a complex and multifaceted art form by providing regular classes, studio time, and advanced workshops taught by practicing artists who are experts in their field.

I take inspiration from others and I hope that my students can come away from my workshops confident and full of enthusiasm

Frosa Katsis, Founder at The Early Settler Aromatherapy. Melbourne, Australia

I love science and how understanding it can explain processes and why things work. When I started making and teaching candle making it made sense to me that if I explained the science of my "cool" method, students would get it.

As to how we got started, I found a love for teaching and sharing my knowledge. I love to see other candle makers succeed in hobbies and small businesses.

I take inspiration from others and I hope that my students can come away from my workshops confident and full of enthusiasm. Most of my students are women who seek a hobby or seek to start their own business, and we have a growing number of men entering the industry.

One day, my students asked if they could see my studio which was located in those days inside a nearby warehouse. They saw it and immediately they wanted to move the classes there!

Graham Hay, Expert Ceramics Educator. Perth, Australia.

Soon after graduating from Edith Cowan University with a BVA majoring in ceramics and then a BFA honors (also ceramics) from Curtin University I was receiving more and more requests to give workshops with artist groups, art teacher associations etc. (now over 300 in a dozen countries).

So I decided to set up flexible adult pottery and sculpture classes at a local community center which proved to be very popular. One day, my students asked if they could see my studio which was located in those days inside a nearby warehouse. They saw it and immediately they wanted to move the classes there!

A few years later we moved the classes to a light-filled building in a nearby inner-city park. That was 20 years ago!

What do you think?

Do you agree or violently disagree with anything shared in this article? Or do you have any of your own stories that you want to share? Pop them in the comments and I will personally reply.

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