LOST: Art Est

Art Est. Art School and Gallery has been around for less than a decade, but their contribution to the community is great, especially in fostering talent and love for art in local youths. Here Ciao talks to Jennifer and Lisa, director and curator respectively, to find their thoughts on the local art scene and its future…

Why is it important for Sydney to run and endorse programs like LOST/MOST and Sydney Art Month?
It’s a fantastic way to reveal how vibrant and diverse the Inner West art world is and visitors and residents get to see the community spirit at its best. So often we only see finished work on display in a gallery setting so it’s nice to reduce some of the distance between the artist and the work they produce. We love having a nosey around artist studios so this the best time to see who and what’s behind the work and help us spot some new artists who may wish to teach or exhibit at Art Est.
Can you tell us a little about your main exhibition for LOST?
Our exhibition is called Scientia with seven artists (James Blackwell – courtesy of Janet Clayton Gallery, Rachael McCallum, Nicola Moss, Claude Jones – courtesy of Artereal Gallery, Laura Jade Hindes, Meaghan Potter, and Jane Theau) who make work that is influenced by one or more of the sciences and comprises of work on paper, sculpture, ceramics and mixed media. We’re also running a beginners acrylic painting workshop on Sunday 15th March with Ochre Lawson.
With institutions like the Sydney College of the Arts gaining traction, do you think the art scene, especially in the Inner West, will get inundated with artists? Do you think this is purely a good thing or could it be a problem?
The more artists and art the better, we just need more studio and exhibition space to ensure their art practice continues to thrive long after art school. Likewise, Art Est. continues to attract more students every year, so there is definitely a huge interest in connecting with art.
What inspired you to work in the art world?
Lisa: I don’t think that there was any one thing – I just knew it was something that I
always wanted to do!
Jen: I’ve mostly worked in the arts and have always been passionate about working in a creative realm that inspires others and myself. Art has always been my go-to thing and when I founded Art Est., I had a hunch that others were looking for a new go-to place to
learn art as well.
Art Est. Studio 4, 67-69 Lyons Rd, Leichhardt. For more information,
visit www.artest.com.au