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Art teachers reuniting with students for full circle exhibition

Six Australian art scholars will exhibit work from their steadfast careers alongside their former students for a new exhibition series at Australian Catholic University (ACU).

Visual arts scholars who have taught at ACU, Sydney’s National Art School, University of Wollongong and University of New South Wales will reunite with their former arts students for the inaugural Mixed Dozen exhibition at McGlade Gallery in Strathfield.

All twelve artists - the Mixed Dozen - will exhibit drawings from their long and emerging practices. From traditional graphite on paper, to digital manipulations, and even embroidered drawings, the exhibition is a first for ACU’s McGlade Gallery.

Gallery director Dr Tracey Clement, who has taught visual arts for 29 years, said the exhibition would explore the evolving and reciprocal relationship between student and master.

“For me, the best thing about teaching is that you are always learning at the same time,” Dr Clement, who lectures in Visual Art at ACU Strathfield, said.

“I learn things so that I can teach my students, but I also learn things from my students.

“It’s a reciprocal and ongoing relationship, and hopefully this creative dialogue will be evident in Mixed Dozen.”

While Dr Clement will exhibit 3D drawings alongside her former ACU student, emerging Sydney-based artist Elaina Kazouris, she also invited two of her former teachers to join the series.

“We often tell students that we are training are our future colleagues,” Dr Clement said.

“I’m not sure they believe us but in this first version of Mixed Dozen, two of the other senior artists were my teachers a long time ago, so it does happen.”

Artists joining Clement and Kazouris include former National Art School lecturer Peter Burgess pairing up with Sydney-based still life artist Mirra Whale, collaborative duo Julia Davis and Lisa Jones with Charlotte Simpson, and Annelies Jahn together with Marnie Tomczyk.

Former University of Wollongong lecturer Kendal Heyes will present work with former student and artist Danny Ivanovski, and UNSW’s Kurt Schranzer with showcase art with Riley Stafford.

Mixed Dozen: Drawing is the first of a new exhibition series highlighting visual arts disciplines being taught at ACU Strathfield.

The exhibition will open on 16 April until 14 May.