Canberra facilitators
Each session using the TPwP program held at the Botanic Gardens in Canberra is conducted by one or more of the following experienced program facilitators:
NANCY TINGEY - Program Founder, Program Coordinator and Facilitator
Nancy Tingey was born in England where where she qualified with an Honours Degree in Fine Art and the Museums Diploma also in Fine Art. She worked as an art curator and lectured in art schools while developing her art practice. She is a Churchill Fellow and Accredited Professional Member of Craft ACT. Nancy migrated to Australia in 1971. She lives in Canberra and has a studio at Strathnairn. Nancy has had many solo exhibitions, the most recent being NeTlines in January 2012.
JOHN PRATT - Program Coordinator and Facilitator
John Pratt is an established Canberra printmaker, with a Bachelor of Arts from Sydney University and a Diploma of Visual Arts from the Canberra School of Art. He is a lecturer in the Printmedia and Drawing workshop at the National Institute of the Arts, and has frequently exhibited interstate and in Europe. In 2002, he participated in the exhibition “The Sleep of Reason” at the Canberra Museum And Gallery, which received the Canberra Critics’ Circle Award. John is represented in many public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia; Australian National University, Canberra School of Art Collection; State Library of NSW; Queensland Art Gallery; Print Council of Australia; KPMG; University of WA; Sydney College of the Arts; Fremantle Art Centre, WA; Central Queensland University and Latrobe University Art Gallery, Vic.
ROBERTA TURNER - Facilitator
Roberta Turner calls herself a facilitator and a learner, not a teacher, or an art therapist or a counsellor. Although she has acquired the necessary university credentials, with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Sciences, a Community Counselling post-graduate degree, a Design Studies degree, and 12 year study training using Initiatic Art Therapy, she feels that life is a constant study platform. For Roberta, it is an ongoing experience in using the knowledge and resources that she has acquired to do the most good for as many people as she possibly can - and to do no harm, if at all possible.
CHERYL JOBSZ - Facilitator
With a background in community arts, community development and small group work, Cheryl Jobsz formalised her arts training at the Australian National University, graduating with a BA (Visual) and Honours in 2000. Since then Cheryl has been exhibiting 3D work or installation. A lifetime interest in creative process has motivated further studies in art as therapy.
LEO LOOMANS - Facilitator
Leo Loomans studied art at East Sydney Tech in the 1980's, and had his first solo show in sculpture and drawing in 1989. While taking time out to study at the ANU, receiving a BA in Philosophy and Linguistics in 2004 he continued with sculpture, exhibiting in the ACT and in Sydney during that time. Leo is also developing the visual impacts of this (3-dimensional) interest into printmaking. Leo shows at Watters Gallery in Sydney.
ISHA BAE - Facilitator
Isha Bae is well versed in the many fields of creative expression having grown up playing the piano, cello and clarinet; she also trained in classical ballet. She then moved onto study a Bachelor of Visual Art/Honours majoring in photography and moving image, and she most recently has been writing poetry and short prose.Isha attained a Graduate Diploma from the Melbourne Institute of Experiential & Creative Arts Therapy and a Certificate from the Center for Digital Storytelling in Berkeley, California. She has since worked with children with autism, adults who live with mental illness, physical disabilities and cancer survivors. Isha loves helping people connect back to themselves through enhancing what is already within them, to discover their own natural creative process and their own innate wisdom. She currently runs workshops in Expressive Arts & Healing, and also works in Sound Preservation at one of Australia’s National Cultural Institutions.
IAN BIGNALL - Facilitator
Ian Bignall trained as an art teacher at the University of Technology, Queensland. He also holds postgraduate qualifications in linguistics, aboriginal studies and international diplomacy and has worked on international aid programs in Asia, Africa and the South Pacific. He is currently painting with pastels, watercolours and acrylics with the Art Society of Canberra and the Queanbeyan Art Society.
SUSAN HEY - Facilitator
Susan is a local Canberra artist who regularly exhibits. Susan works from her studio in the ACT and has won several local art prizes. Susan has works in private and institutional collections in Australia. Susan has a Diploma of Applied Arts in Graphic Design from Canberra Institute of Technology, a Bachelor of Art: Fine Art from Curtin University and is currently studying a Masters of Art Therapy at Western Sydney University. Susan has a background as a nurse and midwife and is interested in the idea of helping people heal themselves through the arts. Susan has experience facilitating classes for art as therapy to people with Alzheimer’s Disease and women with Endometriosis.
JOCELYN CAMPBELL - Facilitator
Growing up in a creative family of musicians and painters, Jocelyn has always loved making. Living and travelling in Canada let to a passion for quilt making and Jocelyn returned to Canberra to exhibit her innovative work and teach patchwork and quilting. Jocelyn’s work is held in the Powerhouse Museum collection and has been published in Australian Quilt books and magazines. Having completed a BA in Visual Art with Honours Jocelyn undertook a Diploma in Education and later a Diploma in Sensorimotor Art Therapy. Tactility and using the hands to touch are the links between Jocelyn’s studies, her love of gardening, her interest in working creatively with textured papers, clay therapy and paint. This approach is apparent when working with participants at Painting with Parkinsons where natural objects are used to stimulate memories or given imaginative interpretations that are then conveyed through bright paints on to the wet page, resulting in joyous outcomes and storytelling.
JUDI POWER THOMSON - Facilitator
Judi is a local Canberra artist, tutor, curator and invited judge of many art exhibitions both in Canberra and interstate and is a past president of the Artists Society of Canberra. Her work is represented in collections in Australia, UK, USA, Canada and Norway. Judi studied art at St.George Tech and the National Art School in Sydney before moving to Canberra to continue her studies at the National Institute of the Arts, ANU. She also has a Secretarial Diploma and holds a Diploma of Interior Design from C.I.T. Judi has worked as a legal secretary, graphic designer, interior designer, (running her own business for 10 years) lecturer to architectural and design students and taught drawing and painting locally through BelcoArts for 9 years. These art classes regularly included vulnerable adult students with physical and/or mental disabilities, including Parkinson’s, which resulted in learning how to manage, encourage and instil confidence in these wonderful people with patience and compassion.
KATE STERRENBERG - Occupational Therapist and Website Coordinator
Kate Sterrenberg graduated with an Honours degree in Computer Science in South Africa and after living in Hong Kong and England for many years, migrated to Australia in 1999. Kate is self-taught in art, has participated in group exhibitions and currently enjoys art as a creative pastime. Kate is a qualified Occupational Therapist after graduating the Masters Occupational Therapy from the University of Canberra. She now works as a Parkinson's-specific occupational therapist across all age ranges. Kate attributes her new career in Occupational Therapy to Nancy Tingey and the TPwP program.
Canberra volunteers
The TPwP group has been running continuously for over 20 years. This would not have been possible without the dedication of a large group of volunteers who are respectful of the TPwP methodology and who bring warmth and compassion to the program. Home baked cakes are provided with cups of tea and coffee prior to sessions, and help is always on hand during sessions and after sessions, to make sure that the room is left neat and tidy.
