Hi I'm Gimara 

As a British Australian artist, my practice spans across countries; exhibiting works and teaching art internationally. My studio is now based in Australia. My art moves between observation and imagination.

Through a multi-disciplinary visual arts practice and storytelling, I investigate subjects and ‘scapes that affect me — sometimes serious, sometimes playful. Well-being and balance are important to me as we are multifaceted creatures, so  my creations reflect that.

My work embraces a variety of diverse themes. Inherently, my art is autobiographical. My art contains traces existence: my relationships, my curiosity, my life between two continents, my heritage, my experiences and my scientific background. Drawing is seeing and the way she visualises the world has been influenced by her career in within a variety of physical & biological scientific organisations: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, FSA, Kings College London, University of Queensland, CSIRO etc.

I’m also the founder of an Art Book Club that brings creatives across the globe together to reflect, connect, and exchange ideas through conversation and shared reading. As an arts consultant, I have contributed to national museum programmes, supporting inclusive, innovative approaches to audience engagement and institutional change.

Whether I’m leading workshops, consulting, or creating new works, I value connection, exploration, and play.  Enjoy exploring my
website.

Journey

Gimara's artistic journey began in earnest while working on research project at Kings College London (KCL, UK), where she took anatomical photos with a microscope and made visual notes. As her art practice developed, she was sponsored by the Creative Industries Development Agency (CIDA). This sponsorship included the opportunity to study a tailored visual arts programme at Artworks (UK):  a structured drawing and painting curriculum of work that dealt comprehensively with the creative, analytical and observational act of drawing and painting under the mentorship of Peter Stanyer MA (RCA).

She received instruction in sculpture at City Lit, London. Gimara was also awarded an opportunity to train (and exhibit) in sand sculpture techniques funded by The Sand House, the Arts Council England Lottery, Invest in Doncaster, Success Doncaster. She views her work with fabrics as another sculptural form. Gimara studied Draping and Patternmaking at University Arts London (UAL): Central St Martins (Granary Square, London, UK).

Her interested in printmaking started at school. She received training in etching at the Royal Drawing School, Japanese woodcut printmaking at Morley College and wood engraving at Slade (UAL).

She was awarded an Undergraduate Certificate in Creative Non-Fiction Writing from Cambridge University (UK).

Selected Grants, Awards & Professional Development

2024 | Monotype-Monoprint Workshop  (AUS)

Funding: Regional Arts Development Fund (Queensland), Rockhampton City Council, Capricornia Printmakers Inc.
Outcome: Developed and delivered a sold-out regional workshop series for beginners.

2021–2022 | Metal Artist Programme (UK)
Funding: Metal (Artists' Network)
Outcome: Funding towards practice with professional mentoring by K. Genever.

2021 | Storytelling for Artists (UK)
Funding: Axis Art
Outcome: Published work and specialized training in narrative techniques for visual practice.

2019 | Digital Skills for Museums (Erasmus+) (EU)
Funding: Erasmus+ Programme (EU) & Mu.SA an EU-wide Network of museums, universities, training providers and cultural organizations
Outcome: Received digital literacy training designed for museum professionals.

2018 | Arts Award Advisor Training (UK)
Funding: The Royal Opera House Bridge & Hertfordshire Music Service
Outcome: Certified Advisor for 'Discover and Explore' & 'Bronze and Silver' levels; http://www.artsaward.org.uk

2012 | Sculpture Techniques & Exhibition (UK)
Funding: The Sand House, Art’s Council England Lottery, Invest in Doncaster, Success in Doncaster
Outcome: Technical training culminating in a public exhibition in South Yorkshire.

2008–2010 | Professional Art Development (UK)
Funding: CIDA (Creativity and Innovation Company)
Outcome: Intensive mentorship in drawing and painting with P. Stanyer (MA, RCA; The Artworks) and marketing with M. Cameron.
Endorsement: "Gimara has been an excellent student. She responds well to teaching and is always enthusiastic about learning, and the creative processes. She is a committed proactive student who can generate and work independently on her own ideas developing and expanding her own creative practice whilst following a brief. Gimara is very versatile when it comes to using materials she has a very open, deliberate, and methodical approach to her work, which allows her to explore, and reflect upon her ideas with inventiveness..." - PW Stanyer MA (Royal College of Art) - 2010

Cultural leadership through peer reviews of artistic and cultural exhibtions

As a selected contributor to the Arts Council England's Impact and Insight Programme, Gimara has served as a peer reviewer. Her expertise has been recognized by invitation to assess exhibitions at institutions, such as the Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge, UK).

Demonstrations, workshops & lectures

Like many professional artists, Gimara designs and delivers creative workshops tailored to adults. She landed her first job as an arts educator with Derbyshire County Council's Adult Community Education programme, teaching 'Drawing and Painting Techniques', in Ashbourne in 2010. To date, she has held over 100+ art workshops for many different types of clients - from her local community college to musuems, councils etc. She also teaches privately through DuncanRice Studios. She was a lecturer of drawing and painting at the Hitchin Campus at North Hertfordshire College (NHC via Hart's Protocol) since 2019 until her move to Australia. These non-accrediated workshops form part of NHC's Adult Education Course programme. Gimara introduced beginners to art techniques related to line, shape, form, negative space, chiaroscuro, mark making, colour theory and perspective. For details on the beginners and improvers workshops, please visit: NHC website. Aside from 'drawing and painting' workshops, she has developed printmaking and other bespoke workshops, e.g., drawing and painting with watercolour pencils. Selected clients include:

• North Hertfordfordshire College, Hitchin Campus, Hertfordshire, UK:
  • Jan 2019 to date; Drawing and painting, two levels: beginners and improvers
• Lowewood Museum, Broxbourne, UK (while under managment of Epping Forest District Council)
  • Dec 2019, Printmaking; March 2020, Drawing and Painting with Watercolour Pencils
• Derbyshire County Council, Adult Community Education (ACE)

Further information can be found here.

Professional Affiliations & Networks

Australia (current)

• Capricornia Printmakers Inc. – Active member of a regional printmaking collective based in Rockhampton
  
• Art Matters – Active member of a local artists collective based in the Gladstone Region.

United Kingdom (former)

• a-n (The Artists Information Company) – Former member of the UK's primary professional body for artists, providing access to industry resources, legal advice, and policy advocacy: https://www.a-n.co.uk/about/about-a-n/
• International Association of Art (IAA/AIAP) – Past member of UNESCO-affiliated global network, connecting practice across borders and cultures: http://www.aiap-iaa.org/
• The Museum Association – Former member of UK's leading professional body for museum practitioners, reflecting expertise in curation and public engagemen: https://www.museumsassociation.org/
• Digswell Arts Trust – Print Group – Past member of a specialist collective dedicated to the advancement of printmaking techniques and exhibition opportunities: https://digswellarts.org/

Selected media

• Hybrid by the Arts Council England, Creativity in Business (2009)
• Creativity in Business E-Bulletin (Issue 4 2009)
• Creative Hertfordshire: Received 'Top Rated Business' (14th June 2017) for Koala Courses