Penny Eamer

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I cannot remember a time when I have not had an intense interest in art and a strong drive to create. I was encouraged as a child to paint, draw, sculpt, and learn the basics of photography and pottery.

After leaving art school, I went on to train for 2 years (full time) in photography at Gloucestershire College of Art. After qualifying, I worked in a variety of commercial photographic situations. I then moved on into fields that combined both photography and art and specialised in medical photography and medical illustration at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. This opened many avenues of experience: book illustration, anatomical work, teaching materials, operating theatre work, scientific illustration, travelling displays and exhibitions and social photography. I then gained experience on a newspaper and later, as a freelance photographer and illustrator. Other courses/experience included Sumingashi, leather work, book binding, box making, printing, puppetry, paper making (from plants), botanical illustration, book illustration and anatomy and physiology.

Moving to the bush was the catalyst for a major change and I turned full time to painting, exhibiting and selling. During this period I cemented much of the vitally important knowledge of the fundamental physical and aesthetic 'laws' of art: colour, composition, tonal values, unity and the like. I have utilised and built on these same skills in everything I have done since. Although much of my work tends to be representative, my interest extends into surrealism and abstraction.

As a person who becomes very easily bored with repetition, the stage was now set for a life of constant change and new challenges. After many years, painting began to feel like a dead end and it was obviously time to move on to new pastures. I moved first into paper crafts, books, boxes and then from there, into a multitude of different mediums and skills including polymer clay and fabric. Both polymer clay and fabric can not only be used together, but combined with such a variety of other skills, that they have held my interest for many years. I also enjoy writing, both creative writing and poetry.

A natural progression led to obtaining teaching skills and qualifications. I started teaching creative photography and then, a wide variety of arts and crafts. It has long been my aim to pass on skills and encourage skill sharing, especially in rural /remote areas. I thoroughly enjoy teaching and consider it to be a vital aspect of my life. If you are fortunate enough to have been given a gift, I feel you are morally bound not only to use it to the best of your ability, but even more so, to share your knowledge with others. I like to see workshop participants 'catch the ball and run with it'. I like to see their increasing self esteem as they display, exhibit and, if they so choose, sell their work. Teaching is the sharing of knowledge and skills, for we are all both teachers and students. I owe my students a great deal.

I have work in publications and both public and private collections. My latest exhibition, 'Omni', covered a wide variety of skills and materials and was held in October 2007. It was very well received and I am planning to take it to other galleries.

Inspiration? It comes from every aspect of life, it comes through me, not from me. It comes, I believe, from an infinite creative source, far beyond my limited understanding. I try not to make it happen, merely to flow with what is there, a method that works so well, that I have not had a period of 'artistic block' since I adopted that approach, some 25 years ago.

More examples of my work can be seen on

 
Photo of Penny: Scott Murray.
All other photos by the artist, unless otherwise labelled.