Maralyn Nash

Maralyn Nash

Australia

I have travelled extensively through India, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Philippines and Japan in S.E Asia; Europe, British Isles, Middle East and Mediterranean countries as well as to countries in the African continent such as South Africa, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali, Gambia and Senegal.

My professional visual arts practice and knowledge of art history have been significantly influenced by my travel experiences. This has also contributed to the development of my skills and knowledge as a tutor in teaching visual arts subjects.

The longest time I have travelled and worked overseas was in India from 1980-81 and West Africa for six months from 1986-87.

• 1997 – Registered Art Therapist (Australian and New Zealand Art Therapy Association)
• 1996 – Master of Arts, Art Therapy (University of Western Sydney)
• 1992 – Adult Education; TAFE Teacher Training, National Teaching and Learning Program (Sydney Institute of Technology)
• 1991 – Textile and Design, Commercial Advanced Certificate; mixed media and fibre (Dover Heights College of TAFE)
• 1980 – Diploma of Arts; Fine Arts, Photography and Painting (La Trobe University, College of Northern Victoria)

Art Exhibitions -

Group Exhibitions:
* 1996 - ‘This Magic of the Ordinary Kind’ (Mary Place Gallery – Paddington, NSW)
* 1994 - ‘Kaleidoscope’ (Travelling Exhibition, Creative Embroiders Guild)
* 1993 – Friends of the Earth ‘Art for our Sake’ (Ken Taylor Street Gallery – Darlinghurst, NSW)
* 1992 – Australian Craft Show (Sydney, NSW)
* 1988 - ‘Double and Divided’ Women’s Exhibition (Bondi Pavillion – NSW)

Solo Exhibitions:

• 1995 - ‘Fetish’ (Holdsworth Gallery – Woollahra, NSW)
• 1991 - ‘A Transitory World’ (Holdsworth Gallery – Woollahra, NSW)
• 1989 - ‘Journey Through a Small Planet’ (Holdsworth Contemporary Gallery – East Sydney, NSW)

Awards/Acquisitions/Publications -

• 1998/1999 – Acquisition and publication of photographic work (Random House – Australia)
• 1997 – Max Germaine’s Artists and Galleries of Australia CD-ROM
• 1990 – Heritage Permanent Collection (Toowoomba Arts Festival Photographic Awards)

My teaching style -

I enjoy teaching visual arts especially drawing and creative mixed media, as I am passionate about inspiring students' creativity and encouraging the development of their artistic skills.

I hope that my students learn to be enthusiastic, open and relaxed as they experiment with different art media and develop their own unique style of art making as they gradually acquire drawing and design skills.

Both the ‘Drawing For Beginners’ classes and ‘Creative Mixed Media’ workshops are very practical, hands-on and experientially based, even though I do incorporate aspects of art history and art theory into all my courses.

My method of teaching and professional arts practice has been influenced by my additional training at post-graduate level as an art therapist.

Combined with my love of travelling, especially in Asia and Africa, my experience as an art therapist has encouraged me to focus more on the ‘grass roots’ of creative expression and the inner world of the imagination.

My preferred mediums as an artist are collage, drawing and photography and most of the imagery and symbols in my work are directly influenced by my travels. For example, there is a strong African influence in my art work in the way I use colour, texture and pattern as well as recurrent zebra symbols and imagery. Many of my own travel photographs form the basis for my paintings and collages.