002: Art education and what Erika Gofton wishes she had known

Erika Gofton is an artist based in Melbourne, and her work is fundamentally about empathy.  She is especially interested in exploring the intersubjective relationship of mother and child, in particular that liminal state of adolescence; the heightened internal fear and anxiety of being close yet distant in the same breath. Erika is also the founder and Director of The Art Room, an independent art school in West Melbourne.  In this episode we discuss art education in depth - from Erika’s challenging experiences at university to creating art classes and sharing what she wishes she’d learned at art school with her students. We also chat about how becoming a mother has positively impacted her practice, community, honesty and being an introvert.   / Erika’s TWS portrait and interview is on our website at thiswildsong.com.au/erika-gofton/ / See Erika’s work at erikagofton.com / Learn more about The Art Room the-art-room.com.au   Music: Rapture by Myfawny Hunter myfanwyhunter.com Editing: Alana Helbig alanahelbig.com   To support TWS and continue the conversation go to patreon.com/thiswildsong If you like what you hear please Subscribe, Review and Share!

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This Wild Song (TWS) celebrates Australian female identifying artists through portraits, interviews, exhibitions and events. This podcast is a series of honest conversations with TWS artists about art, business and life. We address the practicalities and realities of being a professional artist, and the ‘business’ of art. Designed as a resource for artists, we answer your questions such as how do you support your arts practice financially? How important is an arts education? How do you structure your days? Plus we also discuss representation, self promotion, motherhood, self care and share advice for emerging artists. Melbourne artist Ilona Nelson created TWS to support female artists and address gender equality in the arts in a positive way. Although the featured artists are at different stages of their arts career, from varying backgrounds, and use a diverse range of mediums; they are unified by their unique voices and distinct style. The inclusion of so many artistic mediums in TWS offers a broad synopsis of contemporary Australian art. To learn more about This Wild Song please go to www.thiswildsong.com.au and follow us on instagram at @thiswildsong.