It’s time to meet another one of our talented artists working on our Ignite Community Art project – Kirby Polglase.
Kirby has worked in the disability and education field for 14 years in various roles, from disability support worker to teacher aide, then teacher before a promotion to Head of Special Education Services and Indigenous Support Coordinator. It’s safe to say her biggest passion has been working with and advocating for young people. However, in 2016, Kirby took leave from her role to give birth to her first born and it was not long after she found another passion – creating art with epoxy resin.
“My love for the ocean inspires a great deal of my work. It has also provided a creative outlet that has helped with my own mental health, having had my own challenges with depression and anxiety since my teen years”, she said.
Taking extended leave from teaching, Kirby continues to build her business and her abilities as an artist and teaches epoxy resin workshops at Art Matters Creative Gladstone and attends markets, participate in pop-up shops, all whilst continuing to make commission pieces from her art for clients.
“I feel extremely grateful to be a part of the Ignite Community Art project,” Kirby said.
“It’s a very unique way to bring communities together, sharing stories of background, culture and experiences in order to better understand each other as people.”
As part of the Ignite Community Art project, each community participant created their own unique art piece and creates something special and spectacular.
“Art is a universal form of expression that we all perceive and interpret differently. My hope is that the installation provides opportunity for conversation, the sharing of cultural knowledge and experience and creates understanding inspires inclusion.”
The Ignite Community Art project is more than art – it’s the story of people from all over the world who now call our wonderful region their home. The story is told through their art to be fashioned to an architectural designed mobile art installation which will ultimately travel throughout Central Queensland and be available for festivals, events, and local exhibitions.
The ‘Ignite Community Art – A multi-cultural mobile art installation’ will be unveiled at Integreat Queensland’s Flourish Festival on May 28 at 1 Manning Street, Gladstone..
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Office for the Arts Festivals Australia Program.
