Shana James
Course Facilitator and Printmaking Specialist
Shana James is an award winning West Australian artist and printmaker with 30 years experience making and exhibiting art. She has had seven solo exhibitions and been involved in many group shows over this time. Her artwork is in numerous recognised collections including: Monash University, The WA Department of Culture and the Arts and the Kerry Stokes collection. Shana is experienced at teaching classes that cater to all levels of ability from absloute beginners to professional artists and everything in between, having taught adults for over 20 years.
At the Ubud workshop, while many people may wish to work from Balinese imagery and the course will be structured that way, there is also flexibility for those who wish to follow their own theme or ideas. Shana regularly teaches classes at the Fremantle Arts Centre in drawing and many different types of printmaking including linocut. In the past she has taught university level (ECU & UWA) as well as Tafe and has also been involed in special workshops and residencies in schools.
About her classes Shana says, “When teaching I start with looking to understand where people are at, what level they are working at in terms of both skills and ideas. I see my role as helping students realise more of their potential. For more advanced students it may be just providing the environment where they can get out of their own way and allow their own creativity to flourish. For beginners it will be more step by step. I like to assertain what kind of artwork resonates with each person and what direction they wish to go in. Once this has been discovered I help them to follow their own path. This way, my students don’t all finish a course making work like me, they make work that is a reflection of their own essence. Which I think, is the way it should be.”
Shana is currently studying a masters by reasearch in Visual Art at Edith Cowan University in Perth, where she is continuing her narrative practice, in printmaking and drawing.
Ebony Russell
Ebony Russell is an award winning visual artist who lives in Sydney. Since graduating as a specialist art teacher she has worked in several colleges as Head of Department in Victoria and Queensland while continuing to exhibit and maintain her art practice. While she is primarily a sculptor working in the ceramic medium, Ebony has a sound understanding of linocut and her knowledge regarding linocut in the classroom, is a great asset. Ebony is currently studying a Masters Degree in ceramics at the National Art School in Sydney. In addition to being an outstanding teacher, Ebony is a frequent visitor to Ubud and has a good knowlege of things to see and do in the area outside of class time including local jewellery classes, shopping and resturants.
Image below shows Shana James Linocuts on a Series of Wine Lables. Commissioned to make a series of six images telling the story of wine maker Damian North for Journey Wines.
See shana’s Alice linocuts on her website http://shanajames.com/understanding-alice-images-2/
