top of page

What We Offer
About
Contact
- FREE Art Class
Blog

Schedule your service

Sat 9th May - includes High Tea...now this is special

Check out our availability and book the date and time that works for you

Our monthly Friday night Sip & Paint was a hit!

Painting this beautiful black cockatoo together made for such a fun night full of laughter, joy and creativity.

Can’t wait to share what we’ve got planned for next month!
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #sipandpaint #whatsonbrisbane #arteducator

Our monthly Friday night Sip & Paint was a hit!

Painting this beautiful black cockatoo together made for such a fun night full of laughter, joy and creativity.

Can’t wait to share what we’ve got planned for next month!
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #sipandpaint #whatsonbrisbane #arteducator

Friday night with a couple of beautiful ladies as we designed and stencilled our own front doormats with “Connect and Create”.

Making their own stencils, using existing stencil designs, while some went completely free-flow, and honestly, that was the whole point — there were no rules, just creativity and a chance to make something uniquely yours.

As the paint dried, the conversations flowed. We chatted about life, family, work, challenges and everything in between. Sometimes the creative project is just the excuse we need to slow down, switch off from the week and spend a few hours in good company.

A perfect end to the week.

#CreateAndConnect #UCreateArtStudio #CreativeConnection #ArtAndFriendship Fri

Friday night with a couple of beautiful ladies as we designed and stencilled our own front doormats with “Connect and Create”.

Making their own stencils, using existing stencil designs, while some went completely free-flow, and honestly, that was the whole point — there were no rules, just creativity and a chance to make something uniquely yours.

As the paint dried, the conversations flowed. We chatted about life, family, work, challenges and everything in between. Sometimes the creative project is just the excuse we need to slow down, switch off from the week and spend a few hours in good company.

A perfect end to the week.

#CreateAndConnect #UCreateArtStudio #CreativeConnection #ArtAndFriendship Fri

Absolutely bursting with pride to share this gorgeous story.

Isabelle is one of our talented Grade 1 artists from Wednesday Drawing Club. Recently she created some beautiful illustrations from the new Children’s book - Sparky the reading bug @sparkychildrensbooks. She fell completely in love with Sparky, the adorable little ladybird character, and poured her creativity into drawing scenes from the book.

We were so proud of her artwork that we sent it to the author, Clare Farrell (who just happens to be my twin sister!), and Clare loved Isabelles drawing so much that she included it in Book Two!

If you look closely inside Sparky’s home, you’ll spot Isabelles artwork proudly displayed in a frame on the wall. How incredible is that? Imagine seeing your artwork featured in a published children’s book!

This is exactly why creativity matters. When artists, authors, children, teachers, families and communities come together, magical things happen. Encouragement grows confidence, confidence sparks creativity, and creativity opens doors.

Congratulations, Isabelle what an amazing achievement and a memory you’ll treasure forever. We couldn’t be prouder of you.

And a huge congratulations to my amazing sister Clare Farrell on the launch of her second Sparky adventure. If you’re in Hartlepool this weekend, pop along to the book launch where Clare will be reading the story, meeting families, and sharing lots of adorable Sparky-themed goodies at Lyla Belles Cafe 9am.

Please jump over and follow Claire’s journey as a children’s author and help support this wonderful new chapter. @sparkychildrensbooks

Books are available to purchase on Amazon.

#UCreateArtStudio #YoungArtist #arteducator #sparkythereadingbug

Absolutely bursting with pride to share this gorgeous story.

Isabelle is one of our talented Grade 1 artists from Wednesday Drawing Club. Recently she created some beautiful illustrations from the new Children’s book - Sparky the reading bug @sparkychildrensbooks. She fell completely in love with Sparky, the adorable little ladybird character, and poured her creativity into drawing scenes from the book.

We were so proud of her artwork that we sent it to the author, Clare Farrell (who just happens to be my twin sister!), and Clare loved Isabelles drawing so much that she included it in Book Two!

If you look closely inside Sparky’s home, you’ll spot Isabelles artwork proudly displayed in a frame on the wall. How incredible is that? Imagine seeing your artwork featured in a published children’s book!

This is exactly why creativity matters. When artists, authors, children, teachers, families and communities come together, magical things happen. Encouragement grows confidence, confidence sparks creativity, and creativity opens doors.

Congratulations, Isabelle what an amazing achievement and a memory you’ll treasure forever. We couldn’t be prouder of you.

And a huge congratulations to my amazing sister Clare Farrell on the launch of her second Sparky adventure. If you’re in Hartlepool this weekend, pop along to the book launch where Clare will be reading the story, meeting families, and sharing lots of adorable Sparky-themed goodies at Lyla Belles Cafe 9am.

Please jump over and follow Claire’s journey as a children’s author and help support this wonderful new chapter. @sparkychildrensbooks

Books are available to purchase on Amazon.

#UCreateArtStudio #YoungArtist #arteducator #sparkythereadingbug

Looking for something fun and creative to do tomorrow night?
Join us for our Sip & Paint class tomorrow evening!

This session we’ll be painting a beautiful black cockatoo — the perfect mix of creativity, good company, and a relaxing night out. No experience needed, just come along ready to unwind and have some fun.

Bring a friend or come solo — everyone is welcome 💛

Book now before spots fill! Link in bio
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #sipandpaint #whatsonbrisbane #arteducator

Looking for something fun and creative to do tomorrow night?
Join us for our Sip & Paint class tomorrow evening!

This session we’ll be painting a beautiful black cockatoo — the perfect mix of creativity, good company, and a relaxing night out. No experience needed, just come along ready to unwind and have some fun.

Bring a friend or come solo — everyone is welcome 💛

Book now before spots fill! Link in bio
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #sipandpaint #whatsonbrisbane #arteducator

Looking for something fun, relaxed and creative to do tonight?
Come join our Create & Connect class!

Tonight we’ll be designing and painting our own doormats

A fun, welcoming space for women to unwind, connect, and create — with no pressure and no structured schedule.

Book now before spots fill! Link in bio 🩵
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #createandconnect #thingstodobrisbane #arteducator

Looking for something fun, relaxed and creative to do tonight?
Come join our Create & Connect class!

Tonight we’ll be designing and painting our own doormats

A fun, welcoming space for women to unwind, connect, and create — with no pressure and no structured schedule.

Book now before spots fill! Link in bio 🩵
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #createandconnect #thingstodobrisbane #arteducator

After a double art class, lots of noise, chatter, paint, questions, laughter and kids everywhere… there’s something really special about the moment the studio finally goes quiet.

The lights go down.
The music goes on.
And for a couple of hours, the studio becomes mine again.

Tonight I’m printing my Aussie-inspired lino cuts — a Brisbane River landscape, cockatoos, and blue fantails — layering lino block prints over soft watercolour washes.

No teaching.
No explaining.
No deadlines.

Just me, ink-covered hands, good music, and the pure joy of creating for myself.

It feels selfish.
It feels indulgent.
And honestly… I think every creative needs moments like this.

#ucreateartstudio #arteducator #artist #artforwellbeing

After a double art class, lots of noise, chatter, paint, questions, laughter and kids everywhere… there’s something really special about the moment the studio finally goes quiet.

The lights go down.
The music goes on.
And for a couple of hours, the studio becomes mine again.

Tonight I’m printing my Aussie-inspired lino cuts — a Brisbane River landscape, cockatoos, and blue fantails — layering lino block prints over soft watercolour washes.

No teaching.
No explaining.
No deadlines.

Just me, ink-covered hands, good music, and the pure joy of creating for myself.

It feels selfish.
It feels indulgent.
And honestly… I think every creative needs moments like this.

#ucreateartstudio #arteducator #artist #artforwellbeing

Last night one of my teenage students looked at me and said,
“Karen… how do you come up with your ideas?”

And honestly?
Creative inspiration is SUCH a personal thing.

Some artists create what sells.
Others experiment and let the process guide them.
Some mainly work on commissions, balancing creativity with client expectations.

Me? My inspiration comes from time, place and energy.

Sometimes it’s a conversation, a memory, a challenge, or even just a colour palette or texture.
That’s why my work changes constantly. Different materials and subjects bring out different parts of me.

My style isn’t fixed — it evolves with the materials, the subject and whatever energy I’m carrying at the time.

And honestly… I think that’s what keeps creativity exciting.

So now I’m curious…
- Where does YOUR inspiration come from?
- What are you working on right now?

Share and comment below and let’s open the debate to inspire others

Last night one of my teenage students looked at me and said,
“Karen… how do you come up with your ideas?”

And honestly?
Creative inspiration is SUCH a personal thing.

Some artists create what sells.
Others experiment and let the process guide them.
Some mainly work on commissions, balancing creativity with client expectations.

Me? My inspiration comes from time, place and energy.

Sometimes it’s a conversation, a memory, a challenge, or even just a colour palette or texture.
That’s why my work changes constantly. Different materials and subjects bring out different parts of me.

My style isn’t fixed — it evolves with the materials, the subject and whatever energy I’m carrying at the time.

And honestly… I think that’s what keeps creativity exciting.

So now I’m curious…
- Where does YOUR inspiration come from?
- What are you working on right now?

Share and comment below and let’s open the debate to inspire others

WINTER HOLIDAY ART CLUB BOOKINGS ARE NOW OPEN!

And oh my goodness… we’ve got some seriously FUN classes lined up these holidays and we are going to get so creative.

NEW classes include:
Monster Mayhem
Sweet Dreams
Pusheen Puss
Star Wars Day

PLUS… some of our most requested SOLD OUT favourites are BACK by popular demand
Link in bio
Or book online - www.ucreateart.com.au/book-online

WINTER HOLIDAY ART CLUB BOOKINGS ARE NOW OPEN!

And oh my goodness… we’ve got some seriously FUN classes lined up these holidays and we are going to get so creative.

NEW classes include:
Monster Mayhem
Sweet Dreams
Pusheen Puss
Star Wars Day

PLUS… some of our most requested SOLD OUT favourites are BACK by popular demand
Link in bio
Or book online - www.ucreateart.com.au/book-online

This week’s Throwback Thursday takes me back to my final year of high school, creating my final artwork

A season full of creativity, inspiration, and unforgettable memories with the coolest art teachers and classmates. Such a special time that shaped so much of who I am today.

I’d also like to add a special mention to my head of art Jim Crouch and my fantastic art teacher remembering ‘Robbo’ Mr Robertson.

Best days ever at Bodmin College

@jimcrouchartist @bodmin_college @jayneartsmith

#ucreateartstudio #throwbackthursday #arteducator #artforwellness #ucreate

This week’s Throwback Thursday takes me back to my final year of high school, creating my final artwork

A season full of creativity, inspiration, and unforgettable memories with the coolest art teachers and classmates. Such a special time that shaped so much of who I am today.

I’d also like to add a special mention to my head of art Jim Crouch and my fantastic art teacher remembering ‘Robbo’ Mr Robertson.

Best days ever at Bodmin College

@jimcrouchartist @bodmin_college @jayneartsmith

#ucreateartstudio #throwbackthursday #arteducator #artforwellness #ucreate

This week at Create Club we made STORY STONES... and oh my goodness, the imagination in the room was incredible

We started by closing our eyes and listening to a descriptive story challenge. described a mystery object using words only... tall, strong, stripy, shining light near crashing waves... and slowly the guesses started coming in — “A lighthouse!”

From there, the kids chose five stones and painted them bright yellow to make their illustrations POP.

Then came the fun part... creating five completely random drawings with absolutely NO rules. Weird, wonderful, unrelated ideas encouraged

We outlined our designs with fine liners, coloured them with Sharpies, glued them onto the stones and sealed them with varnish before making tiny little air clay dice to go with them.
The magic? You roll the dice, pick the matching numbered stone and build a story as you go. Simple. Creative. Imaginative. And SUCH a brilliant way to encourage storytelling through art.

Honestly... the stories they came up with were wild
#ucreateartstudio #createclub #artforwellbeing #arteducator #artist

This week at Create Club we made STORY STONES... and oh my goodness, the imagination in the room was incredible

We started by closing our eyes and listening to a descriptive story challenge. described a mystery object using words only... tall, strong, stripy, shining light near crashing waves... and slowly the guesses started coming in — “A lighthouse!”

From there, the kids chose five stones and painted them bright yellow to make their illustrations POP.

Then came the fun part... creating five completely random drawings with absolutely NO rules. Weird, wonderful, unrelated ideas encouraged

We outlined our designs with fine liners, coloured them with Sharpies, glued them onto the stones and sealed them with varnish before making tiny little air clay dice to go with them.
The magic? You roll the dice, pick the matching numbered stone and build a story as you go. Simple. Creative. Imaginative. And SUCH a brilliant way to encourage storytelling through art.

Honestly... the stories they came up with were wild
#ucreateartstudio #createclub #artforwellbeing #arteducator #artist

Rubbers - it makes a difference

Stop blaming yourself it might be your rubber.
Seriously though — if your eraser feels super smooth and plasticky, chances are it’ll smudge more than it lifts. A good rubber should shed little crumbs when you use it. That means it actually contains rubber and will lift graphite properly.

And here’s the other BIG mistake… pressing too hard.

When you grind the pencil into the paper, you literally crush the paper fibres and carve grooves into the surface. No rubber in the world is fixing that.

So light pressure as you sketch
Build layers slowly
Use a quality rubber / eraser
Give yourself permission to edit and redraw

Drawing isn’t about getting it perfect first time. It’s about adjusting, refining and learning as you go.

What’s one drawing struggle you want help with next?
Drop it below

#DrawingTips
#BeginnerArtist
#LearnToDraw
#ucreateartstudio

Rubbers - it makes a difference

Stop blaming yourself it might be your rubber.
Seriously though — if your eraser feels super smooth and plasticky, chances are it’ll smudge more than it lifts. A good rubber should shed little crumbs when you use it. That means it actually contains rubber and will lift graphite properly.

And here’s the other BIG mistake… pressing too hard.

When you grind the pencil into the paper, you literally crush the paper fibres and carve grooves into the surface. No rubber in the world is fixing that.

So light pressure as you sketch
Build layers slowly
Use a quality rubber / eraser
Give yourself permission to edit and redraw

Drawing isn’t about getting it perfect first time. It’s about adjusting, refining and learning as you go.

What’s one drawing struggle you want help with next?
Drop it below

#DrawingTips
#BeginnerArtist
#LearnToDraw
#ucreateartstudio

Painting Lassie has been the perfect reminder that black and white are never just black and white.

In order to create depth, texture and movement in fur, you have to build layers of colour first. Ochres, blues, browns, reds... all sitting underneath before the final highlights and darks go on top.

Because straight black is flat.
Straight white is flat.

The magic happens in the layers, the tones, the warmth, the cool shadows and all the messy “ugly stage” bits in between.
That’s the part people often don’t see.

But trust me... the ugly stage creates the beautiful stage.
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #arteducator #paintingtutorial #artist

Painting Lassie has been the perfect reminder that black and white are never just black and white.

In order to create depth, texture and movement in fur, you have to build layers of colour first. Ochres, blues, browns, reds... all sitting underneath before the final highlights and darks go on top.

Because straight black is flat.
Straight white is flat.

The magic happens in the layers, the tones, the warmth, the cool shadows and all the messy “ugly stage” bits in between.
That’s the part people often don’t see.

But trust me... the ugly stage creates the beautiful stage.
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #arteducator #paintingtutorial #artist

Well… apparently you lot REALLY like art tips

The skin tone mixing reel and face contouring reel absolutely popped off this week — and the comments honestly made my day.

“This is exactly the sort of teaching I want.”

So let’s do more of it

After 20+ years of teaching art, I’ve got thousands of tiny tricks, shortcuts, confidence boosters and “why did nobody explain that before?!” moments tucked away in my brain

But I don’t want to create content just guessing what you want.

I want YOU to tell me 👇 drop me a comment below

✨ What do you struggle with most in art?
✨ What technique confuses you?
✨ What have you always wanted to learn?
✨ What do you wish art teachers explained better?
✨ What tiny tip would help your art improve instantly?

Faces? Colour mixing? Shading? Watercolour? Composition? Confidence? Loose painting? Supplies worth buying?

Drop your ideas, questions and frustrations below because I’m building these reels FOR YOU

No gatekeeping.
No fancy art-school waffle.
Just real, honest art teaching from someone who’s been in the classroom for over 20 years

Honestly I’m a no bullshit kinda gal you’ll get it raw honest with a side of crazy!!

#ucreateartstudio #arteducator #artist #thenookpodcast

Well… apparently you lot REALLY like art tips

The skin tone mixing reel and face contouring reel absolutely popped off this week — and the comments honestly made my day.

“This is exactly the sort of teaching I want.”

So let’s do more of it

After 20+ years of teaching art, I’ve got thousands of tiny tricks, shortcuts, confidence boosters and “why did nobody explain that before?!” moments tucked away in my brain

But I don’t want to create content just guessing what you want.

I want YOU to tell me 👇 drop me a comment below

✨ What do you struggle with most in art?
✨ What technique confuses you?
✨ What have you always wanted to learn?
✨ What do you wish art teachers explained better?
✨ What tiny tip would help your art improve instantly?

Faces? Colour mixing? Shading? Watercolour? Composition? Confidence? Loose painting? Supplies worth buying?

Drop your ideas, questions and frustrations below because I’m building these reels FOR YOU

No gatekeeping.
No fancy art-school waffle.
Just real, honest art teaching from someone who’s been in the classroom for over 20 years

Honestly I’m a no bullshit kinda gal you’ll get it raw honest with a side of crazy!!

#ucreateartstudio #arteducator #artist #thenookpodcast

This week’s Creative Spotlight shines on the incredible community initiative and creative hub, Creative Hearts Co, located out at Brookwater near Ipswich.

Founded by husband-and-wife team Marie and Sean Ferguson alongside my dear friend Hue, this beautiful space has grown from a pop-up gallery launched in late 2024 into a permanent creative home nestled amongst stunning parkland surroundings.

I first met Marie and Hue through the Mums in Business networking community, and from the moment we connected, it was obvious we shared the same passion — making creativity accessible, building connection through art, and creating welcoming spaces where people feel inspired to have a go.

Creative Hearts Co provides a gallery space, offering workshops, artist talks, after-school programs, exhibitions, and opportunities for the community to connect through creativity. It’s more than a gallery — it’s a genuine creative community built with heart, passion, and purpose.

Small creative businesses like this matter so much. They bring people together, champion local artists, support wellbeing, and remind us all how important creativity is in everyday life.

If you’re out Ipswich way, make sure you go and check them out, support local, and soak up the inspiration.

#CreativeSpotlight #CreativeHeartsCo #SupportLocal #ArtsCommunity

This week’s Creative Spotlight shines on the incredible community initiative and creative hub, Creative Hearts Co, located out at Brookwater near Ipswich.

Founded by husband-and-wife team Marie and Sean Ferguson alongside my dear friend Hue, this beautiful space has grown from a pop-up gallery launched in late 2024 into a permanent creative home nestled amongst stunning parkland surroundings.

I first met Marie and Hue through the Mums in Business networking community, and from the moment we connected, it was obvious we shared the same passion — making creativity accessible, building connection through art, and creating welcoming spaces where people feel inspired to have a go.

Creative Hearts Co provides a gallery space, offering workshops, artist talks, after-school programs, exhibitions, and opportunities for the community to connect through creativity. It’s more than a gallery — it’s a genuine creative community built with heart, passion, and purpose.

Small creative businesses like this matter so much. They bring people together, champion local artists, support wellbeing, and remind us all how important creativity is in everyday life.

If you’re out Ipswich way, make sure you go and check them out, support local, and soak up the inspiration.

#CreativeSpotlight #CreativeHeartsCo #SupportLocal #ArtsCommunity

Part 2: How to paint a face without it looking flat

One of the biggest mistakes I see kids make when painting portraits is using too much paint. You only need a tiny amount — let the water do the work

Start with your base skin tone, then mix a slightly darker shade of that same colour. Use it to add your shadows: along one side of the nose, under the eyes, on the eyelids, ears, under the jawline, around the nostrils, above the lip and in the chin crease.

Then grab a damp brush and softly blend those shadows into the base colour. That blending is what creates shape and makes the face feel 3D instead of flat

Portrait painting is all about layering slowly and building depth little by little.

Did you catch part 1 on mixing skin tones? Go watch that first!!
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #arteducator #paintingtutorial #artforwellness

Part 2: How to paint a face without it looking flat

One of the biggest mistakes I see kids make when painting portraits is using too much paint. You only need a tiny amount — let the water do the work

Start with your base skin tone, then mix a slightly darker shade of that same colour. Use it to add your shadows: along one side of the nose, under the eyes, on the eyelids, ears, under the jawline, around the nostrils, above the lip and in the chin crease.

Then grab a damp brush and softly blend those shadows into the base colour. That blending is what creates shape and makes the face feel 3D instead of flat

Portrait painting is all about layering slowly and building depth little by little.

Did you catch part 1 on mixing skin tones? Go watch that first!!
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #arteducator #paintingtutorial #artforwellness

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Follow us on Instagram

@ucreateartstudio

New UCARTStudio Final.png

The U Create Art Studio in Brisbane offers; kids art classes, kids arty birthday parties, online art classes, adult art classes, private parties, sip & paint nights and community art projects.

Site Map

For Kids
For Adults

About The Studio

The Studio is located in the beautiful leafy Brisbane Suburb of The Gap.

The Basement,

The Gap Baptist Church,

1125 Waterworks Rd,

The Gap, QLD, 4061

T: 0435 765 607

E: karen@ucreateart.com.au

@ucreateartstudio

UCreateArt is a registered business name of Point382 Pty Ltd ACN 661 995 482

© 2020 by U Create Art Studio

bottom of page