By Charlene Gatt
A YARRAVILLE artist is putting her money where her mouth is by opening her own art studio in the West.
Llael Shannon-McDonald has been painting since she was seven years old and is keen to hone the artistic instincts of little ones while providing an art space for adult artists to exhibit with her studio Arthouse Ink, which opens this Saturday.
The art house will offer after school art classes for kids and art parties, plus adult evening classes.
Ms Shannon-McDonald has previously offered private art tuition, but was keen to do more for up-and-coming artists.
“I’ve heard a lot of parents say that a lot of art has been taken off the curriculum,” she said.
“My husband said to me ‘why don’t we just open up an art house for kids and adults?’
“There’s some on the other side of town, but there’s none around here, and this is a really artsy place. It’s a very creative area.
“We found this place and it had such great wall space and I thought this was a chance to exhibit my work and let other artists exhibit.”
All the Hall St premises needed, ironically, was a lick of paint.
Ms Shannon-McDonald will charge exhibiting artists a flat rate to show their work in Arthouse Ink, rather than charge a commission. She also hopes to run a couple of shows a year with free wall space to help expand the art scene in Yarraville.
Ms Shannon-McDonald has been painting the West for years, with the Yarraville bus terminal the backdrop for one of her pieces.
She said her work was often described as “gossip on canvas”.
“It’s like you’re peering into someone else’s private moment,” she said.
Arthouse Ink will open this Saturday from 9am at 16 Hall St, Yarraville. Fellow artists Julia Dunn, Zoe Elms, Larissa MacFarlane and Mandy McCarthy will have their work on display, while kids arts and crafts will also run.
