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Where do you draw the line?
This week a huge controversy in the Australian art world has reignited an age-old debate: when does inspiration become imitation following the painting that won a the 20,000 Doyle’s art prize last year has been revealed as a “blatant copy” of a 2011 painting by Archibald prize-winner.

As artists, we are all influenced by the work of others. We visit galleries, scroll social media, save Pinterest boards, study techniques and admire artists whose work resonates with us. That’s how we learn.

But surely there’s a difference between being inspired by an artist and reproducing their creative solution.

Nobody owns the idea of a landscape, a portrait, or a sunflower. But what about composition, concept, arrangement and execution? At what point does borrowing become copying?

As an art teacher, I encourage my students to study other artist BUT then I challenge them to add themselves to the work.
Their voice.
Their story.
Their perspective.
Because that’s where originality lives.

For me, influence is part of being an artist. But presenting somebody else’s idea as your own? That’s a very different conversation.

So I’d love to know…

Where do YOU think the line is?

#TheNookPodcast #ArtistLife #ArtDebate #CreativeConversation

Where do you draw the line?
This week a huge controversy in the Australian art world has reignited an age-old debate: when does inspiration become imitation following the painting that won a the 20,000 Doyle’s art prize last year has been revealed as a “blatant copy” of a 2011 painting by Archibald prize-winner.

As artists, we are all influenced by the work of others. We visit galleries, scroll social media, save Pinterest boards, study techniques and admire artists whose work resonates with us. That’s how we learn.

But surely there’s a difference between being inspired by an artist and reproducing their creative solution.

Nobody owns the idea of a landscape, a portrait, or a sunflower. But what about composition, concept, arrangement and execution? At what point does borrowing become copying?

As an art teacher, I encourage my students to study other artist BUT then I challenge them to add themselves to the work.
Their voice.
Their story.
Their perspective.
Because that’s where originality lives.

For me, influence is part of being an artist. But presenting somebody else’s idea as your own? That’s a very different conversation.

So I’d love to know…

Where do YOU think the line is?

#TheNookPodcast #ArtistLife #ArtDebate #CreativeConversation

Inspiration vs imitation — where should the line be drawn? New on the U Create art studio BLOG: a deep dive into a recent Australian art controversy and what it means for artists and educators. Link in Bio #ArtDebate #InspirationVsImitation #ArtEthics #UCreateArt

Inspiration vs imitation — where should the line be drawn? New on the U Create art studio BLOG: a deep dive into a recent Australian art controversy and what it means for artists and educators. Link in Bio #ArtDebate #InspirationVsImitation #ArtEthics #UCreateArt

Clay Hack!
Want your clay pieces to stay attached instead of snapping off when they dry? Here’s the simple trick we teach all our students:

Scrath – Score both surfaces to create little “clay Velcro.”

Wet– Add a tiny drop of water before joining the pieces.

Smooth – Press firmly together and smooth out all the cracks to remove any trapped air.

We call it Scratch. Wet. Smooth. It’s an easy technique that makes a huge difference and saves so many broken creations!

Follow for more art tips, tricks and classroom hacks!

Clay Hack!
Want your clay pieces to stay attached instead of snapping off when they dry? Here’s the simple trick we teach all our students:

Scrath – Score both surfaces to create little “clay Velcro.”

Wet– Add a tiny drop of water before joining the pieces.

Smooth – Press firmly together and smooth out all the cracks to remove any trapped air.

We call it Scratch. Wet. Smooth. It’s an easy technique that makes a huge difference and saves so many broken creations!

Follow for more art tips, tricks and classroom hacks!

A little behind-the-scenes progress update from the studio today.

Harry, Daisy and I rolled up our sleeves and completely rearranged the back section of the studio—the space where my desk lives and where a lot of my online filming happens. We’re giving it a fresh purpose and a bit of a facelift as we work towards creating The Nook podcast corner.

This idea actually had a little trial run about 12 months ago, but now it’s time to do it properly. Furniture is being moved, new pieces are coming in, and we’re slowly transforming the space into a warm, welcoming corner for creative conversations, stories and all things art and wellbeing.

It’s amazing how much work goes into the bits people never see, but I can’t wait to show you how it all comes together.

#TheNookPodcast #BehindTheScenes #ArtStudioLife #CreativeBusiness

A little behind-the-scenes progress update from the studio today.

Harry, Daisy and I rolled up our sleeves and completely rearranged the back section of the studio—the space where my desk lives and where a lot of my online filming happens. We’re giving it a fresh purpose and a bit of a facelift as we work towards creating The Nook podcast corner.

This idea actually had a little trial run about 12 months ago, but now it’s time to do it properly. Furniture is being moved, new pieces are coming in, and we’re slowly transforming the space into a warm, welcoming corner for creative conversations, stories and all things art and wellbeing.

It’s amazing how much work goes into the bits people never see, but I can’t wait to show you how it all comes together.

#TheNookPodcast #BehindTheScenes #ArtStudioLife #CreativeBusiness

Sometimes even the best-prepared art teacher gets caught out.

Today’s challenge? I forgot the clay wire.

When you’re teaching, it only takes one missing piece of equipment to throw a spanner in the works, and for a moment I thought clay prep was going to be a lot harder than planned.

Enter Harry.

His solution? A simple ruler.

Not only did it work, it worked surprisingly well! A perfect reminder that creativity isn’t just about making art—it’s about problem-solving, adapting, and finding a way forward when Plan A disappears.

A little lesson in resilience, resourcefulness, and thinking outside the box.

Well done, Hazza. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones.

#ArtTeacherLife #CreativeProblemSolving #ArtStudioLife #TeachingCreativity

Sometimes even the best-prepared art teacher gets caught out.

Today’s challenge? I forgot the clay wire.

When you’re teaching, it only takes one missing piece of equipment to throw a spanner in the works, and for a moment I thought clay prep was going to be a lot harder than planned.

Enter Harry.

His solution? A simple ruler.

Not only did it work, it worked surprisingly well! A perfect reminder that creativity isn’t just about making art—it’s about problem-solving, adapting, and finding a way forward when Plan A disappears.

A little lesson in resilience, resourcefulness, and thinking outside the box.

Well done, Hazza. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones.

#ArtTeacherLife #CreativeProblemSolving #ArtStudioLife #TeachingCreativity

My dirty little secret - The part of art teaching that rarely makes the highlight reel…

For every hour spent teaching, demonstrating, creating and inspiring, there’s usually an hour of prep beforehand and often even longer spent packing away, washing brushes, sorting materials, wiping tables and resetting the studio for the next group.

It’s not all standing at the front of the room, fun craft projects and colourful creations. There’s plenty of behind-the-scenes work that comes with the job too.

But honestly, I’ve never really minded it.

Pop on a podcast, work through the mess, wash the paint palettes, sort the clay, sharpen the pencils, and slowly bring the studio back to order. It’s a chance to process the busyness of the class, reflect on the conversations, celebrate the little wins, and prepare for the next creative adventure.

It’s messy. It’s unglamorous. It’s part of the job.

And strangely enough, I quite enjoy it.
What jobs do you secretly quite enjoy? Let’s share our dirty secrets! 😂

#ucreateartstudio #arteducator #behindthescenes #dirtysecrets

My dirty little secret - The part of art teaching that rarely makes the highlight reel…

For every hour spent teaching, demonstrating, creating and inspiring, there’s usually an hour of prep beforehand and often even longer spent packing away, washing brushes, sorting materials, wiping tables and resetting the studio for the next group.

It’s not all standing at the front of the room, fun craft projects and colourful creations. There’s plenty of behind-the-scenes work that comes with the job too.

But honestly, I’ve never really minded it.

Pop on a podcast, work through the mess, wash the paint palettes, sort the clay, sharpen the pencils, and slowly bring the studio back to order. It’s a chance to process the busyness of the class, reflect on the conversations, celebrate the little wins, and prepare for the next creative adventure.

It’s messy. It’s unglamorous. It’s part of the job.

And strangely enough, I quite enjoy it.
What jobs do you secretly quite enjoy? Let’s share our dirty secrets! 😂

#ucreateartstudio #arteducator #behindthescenes #dirtysecrets

Sometimes art prep can feel a little mundane… but there’s something oddly therapeutic about portioning clay.

The cool, damp texture. The weight of it in your hands. The satisfying slice of the clay wire gliding through like a hot knife through butter. Chunk after chunk, ready for eager little hands to transform into something wonderful.

Pop on a podcast, settle into the rhythm, and get lost in the moment. No rush. No pressure. Just the simple joy of working with your hands and preparing for creativity to happen.

Honestly, it’s one of my favourite quiet jobs in the studio.

#ArtStudioLife #ClayDay #ArtTeacherLife #CreativeProcess

Sometimes art prep can feel a little mundane… but there’s something oddly therapeutic about portioning clay.

The cool, damp texture. The weight of it in your hands. The satisfying slice of the clay wire gliding through like a hot knife through butter. Chunk after chunk, ready for eager little hands to transform into something wonderful.

Pop on a podcast, settle into the rhythm, and get lost in the moment. No rush. No pressure. Just the simple joy of working with your hands and preparing for creativity to happen.

Honestly, it’s one of my favourite quiet jobs in the studio.

#ArtStudioLife #ClayDay #ArtTeacherLife #CreativeProcess

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make with coloured pencils is pressing too hard too soon.

The magic doesn’t come from force — it comes from patience.

Beautiful coloured pencil work is built through multiple soft, semi-transparent layers. Each layer adds depth, richness and luminosity, allowing the colours to blend and glow in a way that a single heavy layer never can.

By keeping a light touch, you preserve the tooth of the paper and give yourself room to build, blend and refine.

Layer by layer. Colour by colour. Trust the process.

#ColouredPencil #ArtTips #DrawingTips #LearnToDraw

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make with coloured pencils is pressing too hard too soon.

The magic doesn’t come from force — it comes from patience.

Beautiful coloured pencil work is built through multiple soft, semi-transparent layers. Each layer adds depth, richness and luminosity, allowing the colours to blend and glow in a way that a single heavy layer never can.

By keeping a light touch, you preserve the tooth of the paper and give yourself room to build, blend and refine.

Layer by layer. Colour by colour. Trust the process.

#ColouredPencil #ArtTips #DrawingTips #LearnToDraw

What an incredible afternoon at the Tula Gallery for The Gap Creative’s Local Matters Art Exhibition. The gallery was packed for the Youth Art Spark Awards presentation, celebrating the amazing creativity of young artists from across our community.

I was absolutely thrilled to see three UCreate students take home prizes today – congratulations to Sophie George - 1st in age 4 - 9 years, Navreen Panesarf Winner of the people’s choice award age 15 - 19 and Emily Boge 2nd in age 15-19
What a fantastic achievement!

A huge shout-out also to our finalists Luna, William, Theo, AJ and Diya. You should all be incredibly proud of yourselves xx

With almost 30 entries from U Create students alone, I couldn’t be prouder. The standard was exceptional, with everything from pencil drawings and paintings through to mosaics and 3D artworks. The creativity, imagination and skill on display were outstanding, and the judges certainly had a difficult job.

Congratulations to every young artist who entered. Today was a wonderful reminder of just how much talent we have in our local community.

If you have a young person who loves to create and would like to develop their artistic skills, I’d love to help. Send me a message and come along to U Create Art Studio for a free trial class.

You never know where a little creativity might lead.
#ucreateartstudio #youthart #kidsart #arteducator

What an incredible afternoon at the Tula Gallery for The Gap Creative’s Local Matters Art Exhibition. The gallery was packed for the Youth Art Spark Awards presentation, celebrating the amazing creativity of young artists from across our community.

I was absolutely thrilled to see three UCreate students take home prizes today – congratulations to Sophie George - 1st in age 4 - 9 years, Navreen Panesarf Winner of the people’s choice award age 15 - 19 and Emily Boge 2nd in age 15-19
What a fantastic achievement!

A huge shout-out also to our finalists Luna, William, Theo, AJ and Diya. You should all be incredibly proud of yourselves xx

With almost 30 entries from U Create students alone, I couldn’t be prouder. The standard was exceptional, with everything from pencil drawings and paintings through to mosaics and 3D artworks. The creativity, imagination and skill on display were outstanding, and the judges certainly had a difficult job.

Congratulations to every young artist who entered. Today was a wonderful reminder of just how much talent we have in our local community.

If you have a young person who loves to create and would like to develop their artistic skills, I’d love to help. Send me a message and come along to U Create Art Studio for a free trial class.

You never know where a little creativity might lead.
#ucreateartstudio #youthart #kidsart #arteducator

A little early heads-up from me.

I’ve been battling a pretty nasty chest infection for the last week and, despite a course of antibiotics and steroids, I’m not bouncing back as quickly as I’d hoped. Those who know me know that cancelling classes is always an absolute last resort, but I’m at the point where I may need some further medical assessment over the next day or two.

At this stage, all classes and events are continuing as planned, and I’m hopeful that will remain the case. However, I wanted to give families and clients a little advance notice that there is a possibility some classes next week may need to be adjusted if my recovery doesn’t head in the right direction.

I’ll keep everyone updated as soon as I know more.

Thank you for your patience, your kindness, and all the lovely messages of support this week. They have genuinely meant a lot.

Karen x

A little early heads-up from me.

I’ve been battling a pretty nasty chest infection for the last week and, despite a course of antibiotics and steroids, I’m not bouncing back as quickly as I’d hoped. Those who know me know that cancelling classes is always an absolute last resort, but I’m at the point where I may need some further medical assessment over the next day or two.

At this stage, all classes and events are continuing as planned, and I’m hopeful that will remain the case. However, I wanted to give families and clients a little advance notice that there is a possibility some classes next week may need to be adjusted if my recovery doesn’t head in the right direction.

I’ll keep everyone updated as soon as I know more.

Thank you for your patience, your kindness, and all the lovely messages of support this week. They have genuinely meant a lot.

Karen x

This week at Create Club, we tackled one of our biggest drawing challenges yet... forced perspective!

Using multiple vanishing points (simpler for junior primary), our students learnt how to draw objects from different angles and create the illusion of depth and space. It definitely had everyone thinking, but with a little perseverance, they absolutely got there in the end!

Watching their confidence grow as they wrapped their heads around such a tricky concept was so rewarding. We love challenging our students with new techniques that stretch their creativity and show them they’re capable of so much more.
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #arteducator #illusion #arthacks

This week at Create Club, we tackled one of our biggest drawing challenges yet... forced perspective!

Using multiple vanishing points (simpler for junior primary), our students learnt how to draw objects from different angles and create the illusion of depth and space. It definitely had everyone thinking, but with a little perseverance, they absolutely got there in the end!

Watching their confidence grow as they wrapped their heads around such a tricky concept was so rewarding. We love challenging our students with new techniques that stretch their creativity and show them they’re capable of so much more.
#ucreateartstudio #artforwellbeing #arteducator #illusion #arthacks

What a beautiful Friday night at UCreate Art Studio.

Nineteen wonderful women came together to celebrate twin sisters turning 40, surrounded by their gorgeous mum and a fantastic group of friends. The studio was filled with laughter, delicious food, great conversation, and plenty of creativity.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was guiding everyone through the dry-brush blending techniques we used to create the soft clouds in our sunset painting. Many of the ladies were complete beginners, and watching their faces light up when they realised, “Hang on… I can actually do this!” never gets old.

The finished artworks were stunning—peaceful, colourful sunset scenes that each reflected their own personality and style. But more than that, it was a night of connection, celebration, and making memories together.

If you’re looking for a warm, welcoming and intimate space to celebrate a birthday, special occasion, or simply gather with friends, UCreate Art Studio offers exactly that. Make the space your own, bring your favourite people, and let us take care of the creative fun.

Send me a message to find out more.

#sipandpaint #ucreateartstudio #birthdaycelebration #intimatevenue

What a beautiful Friday night at UCreate Art Studio.

Nineteen wonderful women came together to celebrate twin sisters turning 40, surrounded by their gorgeous mum and a fantastic group of friends. The studio was filled with laughter, delicious food, great conversation, and plenty of creativity.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was guiding everyone through the dry-brush blending techniques we used to create the soft clouds in our sunset painting. Many of the ladies were complete beginners, and watching their faces light up when they realised, “Hang on… I can actually do this!” never gets old.

The finished artworks were stunning—peaceful, colourful sunset scenes that each reflected their own personality and style. But more than that, it was a night of connection, celebration, and making memories together.

If you’re looking for a warm, welcoming and intimate space to celebrate a birthday, special occasion, or simply gather with friends, UCreate Art Studio offers exactly that. Make the space your own, bring your favourite people, and let us take care of the creative fun.

Send me a message to find out more.

#sipandpaint #ucreateartstudio #birthdaycelebration #intimatevenue

When you’ve got back-to-back classes, sometimes dinner has to come along for the ride!

Tonight it was straight from Just Draw into Sip & Paint, which means a little bit of teaching, a little bit of eating, a little bit more teaching, and then another quick bite in between. While my lovely Sip & Paint guests are enjoying their beautiful shared platters, I’m tucked away behind the scenes with last night’s leftover butter chicken and curry.

Not exactly glamorous, but definitely tasty!

Small business life isn’t always fancy. Sometimes it’s reheated leftovers eaten between paint demonstrations and topping up water jars. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Full tummy, happy students, and a studio buzzing with creativity. That’s a pretty good Friday night if you ask me.

Follow for more Behind the scenes - real stories- no filters!!
#ucreateartstudio #sipandpaint #behindthescenes #backstage

When you’ve got back-to-back classes, sometimes dinner has to come along for the ride!

Tonight it was straight from Just Draw into Sip & Paint, which means a little bit of teaching, a little bit of eating, a little bit more teaching, and then another quick bite in between. While my lovely Sip & Paint guests are enjoying their beautiful shared platters, I’m tucked away behind the scenes with last night’s leftover butter chicken and curry.

Not exactly glamorous, but definitely tasty!

Small business life isn’t always fancy. Sometimes it’s reheated leftovers eaten between paint demonstrations and topping up water jars. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Full tummy, happy students, and a studio buzzing with creativity. That’s a pretty good Friday night if you ask me.

Follow for more Behind the scenes - real stories- no filters!!
#ucreateartstudio #sipandpaint #behindthescenes #backstage

Prepping clay is always so oddly satisfying. There’s something about running the clay wire through a fresh block and watching it slice cleanly into perfect portions that never gets old.

I’ve always loved the tactile nature of clay. It’s one of those materials that instantly invites you to slow down, squish, roll, shape and create. And the kids absolutely love it too. There’s something magical about turning a lump of clay into something completely their own.

So here I am this afternoon, slicing up a mountain of clay ready for tomorrow’s two arty parties. Simple job, but strangely satisfying.

Anyone else find this kind of thing ridiculously satisfying to watch?

#ucreateartstudio #artist #artforwellness #Artyparty

Prepping clay is always so oddly satisfying. There’s something about running the clay wire through a fresh block and watching it slice cleanly into perfect portions that never gets old.

I’ve always loved the tactile nature of clay. It’s one of those materials that instantly invites you to slow down, squish, roll, shape and create. And the kids absolutely love it too. There’s something magical about turning a lump of clay into something completely their own.

So here I am this afternoon, slicing up a mountain of clay ready for tomorrow’s two arty parties. Simple job, but strangely satisfying.

Anyone else find this kind of thing ridiculously satisfying to watch?

#ucreateartstudio #artist #artforwellness #Artyparty

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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.

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For Kids
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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

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