Our ARTISTS
Introducing our incredible and talented artists who facilitate our workshops and classes.
Selena Elniski
Q. What’s your name and creative superpower?
A. Selena Elniski.
Q. How does creativity help your wellbeing?
A. Spending time in my creative space keeps me intrigued, grounded (nature), focused (not distracted from the background noises in daily life), observant, humbled (mistakes are a must to learn) and soulful. It’s a sublime combination of ideas, words (I am a lexophile), shapes, colors, mediums and materials…all waiting to mingle and amuse.
Q. What do you hope women feel when they attend your classes or workshops?
A. I wish to provide an enjoyable and informative learning platform that allows women to explore new processes, feel connection through sharing with others, be encouraged to use their own creative methods and expressive styles, and experience a sense of zen.
Q. Tea, coffee or something stronger?
A. This all depends on the time of day and the weather. (Also, not sure what a coffee with Baileys would classify as 😉)
Q. Messy desk or tidy desk?
A. Uhm…this would be best described as a ‘complex obstacle course of creative materials’ – ha!
Q. A quote or motto you love?
A. Imagine…if feathers tickled birds’ – this quote is witty and cute when first read but it is actually quite profound and has influenced my perspective on life.
Q. Why do you share your skills at the She Shed?
A. People grow through sharing, it allows enhancement for everyone through exchanging ideas and collaboration. I truly enjoy exploring creative processes with others, and seeing students excited with their new skills and finished projects. These new talents can foster further creativity, allow problem solving abilities and inspire new projects. It’s wonderful to see people thrive and bloom. She Shed is a ‘movement’ and I am truly grateful to be a part of it.
Yvonne Rein
Q. What’s your name and creative superpower?
A. My name is Yvonne Rein and I am a Certified Zentangle Teacher. I acquired my certificate in Rhode Island USA in 2015 and have travelled back a few times for continuing education. Zentangle is a meditative art form that is easy to learn and a very satisfying way to create your own beautiful artwork to be proud of.
From the mouths of our founders Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas “The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. We call these patterns, tangles and you create tangles with combinations of dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves and orbs. These simple shapes are the “Elemental Strokes” in all Zentangle art.”
Q. How does creativity help your wellbeing?
A. The meditative powers of Zentangle give my life calm purpose, whether it’s just within my own artwork or when I get the opportunity to share this wonderful art form with others.
Q. What do you hope women feel when they attend your classes or workshops?
A. When you decide to put the time aside just for you, to come along to an Introduction to Zentangle class you will discover how drawing beautiful patterns one stroke at a time, will show you that you can do it with ease and great satisfaction.
Q. Tea, coffee or something stronger?
A. Coffee by day, maybe something stronger occasionally at night.
Q. Messy desk or tidy desk?
A. Must admit my desk is always messy, so many things happening at once. They are all special and important in their own way.
Q. A quote or motto you love?
A. Be kind, be fair, be honest, be true and all of these things will come back to you.
Q. Why do you share your skills at the She Shed?
A. I want everyone to realise they can be an artist, in their own right. Zentangle teaches you that there are no mistakes, just opportunities to try something different, quite often my students create ideas that others (including myself) didn’t see and that makes my day.
Sue Bertuch
Q. What’s your name and creative superpower?
A. My name is Sue Bertuch however my Facebook name is SuzyJane, a name my parents and grandparents called me!
My business name on Facebook and Instagram is Crafty Arts by Sue.
I have been into all sorts of crafts since I was little and will learn how to create things in my own way! I was a Primary/secondary teacher for years specialising in Art and Special Education.
Q. How does creativity help your wellbeing?
A. My stress relief is through my crafts and art.
Q. What do you hope women feel when they attend your classes or workshops?
A. I hope that ladies who join my classes find them stress free and enjoyable; learning in a non judgemental way!
Q. Tea, coffee or something stronger?
A. I enjoy coffee, herbal tea and the odd stronger beverage!
Q. Messy desk or tidy desk?
A. My workspace is what i would call an organised mess!
Q. A quote or motto you love?
A. My Narnie always told me, ‘nothing is impossible if you are willing to give it a try!’ This is something I have always lived by.
Q. Why do you share your skills at the She Shed?
A. I share my skills because I enjoy watching people having a go and seeing the enjoyment on their faces when they say, ‘I made that!
Jean Lapthorne
Q. What’s your name and creative superpower?
A. Jean Lapthorne, floristry, macramé, jewellery making.
Q. How does creativity help your wellbeing?
A. I love how I can switch off from the the busy world around and get lost in whatever project I’m working on.
Q. What do you hope women feel when they attend your classes or workshops?
A. I hope that whoever shares my class will feel the joy found in creating something with their own hands.
Q. Tea, coffee or something stronger?
A. Either is fine; I do enjoy an SA Shiraz or a NZ Sav Blanc!!
Q. Messy desk or tidy desk?
A. HAHA always messy but I know exactly where everything is. If I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, a good tidy up of the creative mess always helps.
Q. A quote or motto you love?
A. “There is no problem without a solution” “No Matter how hard the past, you can always begin again”.
Q. Why do you share your skills at the She Shed?
A. I just love the vibe that the She Shed has; like minded women coming together to support and encourage each other. It is just a blessing to be part of.
Sharon Hine
Q. What’s your name and creative superpower?
A. Sharon Hine. Woodworking, recycling, upcyling, furniture restoration, candle making, sewing, crafting and self publishing.
Q. How does creativity help your wellbeing?
A. It gives me purpose. I am happy expressing myself through woodworking, art and words. I love seeing something and creating my version of it, or just creating from scratch, from my imagination. Whether it’s a bookcase or a table or a miniature picnic table. My items are personalised one offs and made with love.
Q. What do you hope women feel when they attend your classes or workshops?
A. Informed. Empowered. Inspired. Happy and creative.
Q. Tea, coffee or something stronger?
A. I love my coffee. 1 glass of champers.
Q. Messy desk or tidy desk?
A. Both. I’m a total contradiction. I’m organised and know where all my tools are.
Q. A quote or motto you love?
A. I am whatever I choose to be. Today I choose to be awesome. Sharon Hine quote and my motto.
Q. Why do you share your skills at the She Shed?
A. It’s all about community. Sharing is caring. Empowering and supporting women, in a safe, nurturing environment, to achieve their goals and dreams, that is what drives me.
Tricia Garrett
Q. What’s your name and creative superpower?
A. Hello I’m Tricia Garrett, sewing is my compulsion more than super power.
Q. How does creativity help your wellbeing?
A. I simply must sew everyday or I get withdrawal symptoms. 😁 Making and donating my patchwork quilts to local retirement homes, Cairns based cancer centres etc over the last 20 odd years gives me a good feeling of helping someone less fortunate, charity is good for one’s soul. Now with all the charity work through the She Shed I’m more than happy. It’s my life’s work.
Q. What do you hope women feel when they attend your classes or workshops?
A. When the lovely She Shed ladies attend my class on making a quilt, along with my chief offsider Bobbie Rennie, I hope they not only learn sewing skills, patience, and the art of the seam ripper but also to know my technique is taught with kindness first, and if your sewing doesn’t quite fit then to “squeeze the bejesus out of it! “(My first quilt teacher taught me this) . And I make sure each lady is very proud of the quilt she has made.
Q. Tea, coffee or something stronger?
A. Coffee please.
Q. Messy desk or tidy desk?
A. Hmm I start every project with a very tidy sewing area but end messy, but manageable.
Q. A quote or motto you love?
A. I have 2, both learnt from my beautiful Mother. Firstly, she taught us kindness above all else. Don’t just be nice she said, but be kind. There is a big difference.
The 2nd was that in life you simply play the cards you’re dealt and get on with it. Just as she did, widowed at 39 with 3 kids to raise.
Q. Why do you share your skills at the She Shed?
A. I think to pass on my love of sewing and hope the ladies will make more than one quilt after mastering the sewing machine.
But I have to say this….that without fail every woman that comes into our She Shed has a talent or knowledge of some type of craft, and I have been genuinely impressed many times over.