Host Ilona Nelson introduces The Artier Side and interviews Erika Gofton, founder of The Art Room, about moving from Hobart to Melbourne’s west, her early creative life, art-school experiences, and the shift from identifying mainly as a painter to a multidisciplinary practice centered on drawing, the human body, and motherhood.
Erika explains how teaching began after having her son and evolved into The Art Room, which grew from community classes to a large Cowper Street studio with galleries (Parallel Projects and Conduit), a maker shop, library, and dedicated teaching spaces for drawing, ceramics, painting, open studio, and printmaking. She outlines the philosophy: artist-led, kind teachers; a safe, non-assessed environment; and programs designed to build skills toward autonomous, sustainable practice. The episode closes with local favorites in Melbourne’s west.