KIRSTEN PENZES

Kirsten Penzes is an artist and art educator who lives and works in Point Lonsdale on Wadawurrung Country. Kirsten is a multidisciplinary artist who explores ceramics and textiles as her preferred mediums and loves to create installations that collaborate with community. Her current body of work explores the concept of womanhood and draws inspiration from her own life experiences as a 50-year-old female and mother.

Kirsten left a career as a Primary School Performing Arts and International Classroom teacher to pursue a BA in Fine Arts, the University of Chester, UK. Graduating with Honours as an installation artist and art educator collaborator with a passion for “Play as a Creative Force for Learning”.

Kirsten returned to Australia in 2018 after a decade of living and working in Sweden and the Isle of Man. This is when she began to connect with the Geelong Art community by becoming a guide at Geelong Gallery in 2019 and part of their LEARN program in 2020. She joined Lighthouse Arts Collective, Point Lonsdale in 2020 assisting with programming and Grant work, participating in Porchlight Storytelling events. One of her proudest moments was facilitating lantern-making workshops within the local primary schools and community for Light Up Country 2022 and Nightide 2023. Kirsten currently works as an art educator for the The Bellarine School of Art (TBSOA ) where she facilitates art classes for kids, adults and artists living with a disability.

Kirsten began her current body of work in 2023 as part of the Bellarine Arts Trail. During the festival, Kirsten presented a series of ceramic vases, abstract paintings and collaborative needlework that were created during a series of group “Women's Circles” that brought small groups of females of all ages together to “yarn and stitch”. Her work for the Bellarine Arts Trail explored women's stories, orgasmic energy and body empowerment.

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