• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Youtube
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin

Flying Arts Alliance

Art for Life

  • About
    • Our History
    • Our Patrons, Board and Team
    • Governance
    • Partners
    • Publications
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Membership
    • Standard Membership
    • Accredited Membership (Includes Insurance)
      • Visual Artists and Practitioners
      • Installers and Conservators
      • Arts Administrators, Arts Project Coordinators
      • Writers
      • Musicians
    • Member Benefits
  • 2023 QRAA
    • 2023 QRAA Entry Brochure
    • 2023 QRAA Entry Form
    • Previous Years QRAA
  • Programs
    • Annual Program
    • By Request
      • For Creative Communities
      • For Artists and Creatives
      • For Schools
    • For Artists + Artsworkers
    • For Educators
    • For Young Artists
  • Exhibitions
    • REFRAME
    • The Mervyn Moriarty Landscape Exhibition 2023
    • QRAA: 2021 – Paint The Town
    • Previous Exhibitions
      • 2020: QRAA – Decadence
      • Our Perfect New World Project
      • The Mervyn Moriarty Landscape Exhibition 2022
      • Iterate | Elaborate
      • Jabu Birriny (land + sea)
  • Funding
    • Regional Arts Fund
    • How to Apply
      • Quick Response Grants
      • Project Grants
      • Cultural Tourism Accelerator
    • If you are Successful
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • RAF Consultations
    • Past Grant Recipients
    • Case Studies
  • News
    • What’s On
    • Flying Arts News
    • Members’ News
    • Email Newsletter Sign-Up
    • Submit Members’ News
  • Support Us
    • Donate Now
    • Become a 500 Club Donor
  • Search

Artist Feature: Tarn McLean

Tarn McLean came from the design world, and has since gone on to found the START gallery and creative space, and co-direct the Raygun Labs ARI. 

Tarn will be presenting an artist talk at our upcoming Young Artist Development program, ArtizPUBLIC@Toowoomba. We sat down with her to ask her about her art.

tarnHow did you get into your art form?

I moved into the design world in the last year of my undergraduate studies in Visual Arts at USQ. I created an Australian fashion and textile label Ocre Designs that focuses on turning art into beautiful designs using colours form the earth. Ocre Designs focuses on botanical flowers as textile inspiration for the lining of luxury leather handbags, fine silk clothing and upholstery textiles for homewares.

What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

I recommend to any aspiring artist to focus on what it is that interests you and every day take steps towards informing that further: either by making and/or acquiring associated knowledge. In addition to tarn1this, and on an artistic level, I would insist on allowing yourself to make mistakes. It’s the only way to truly learn and grow as an artist/designer.

What are some of the challenges you’ve had to overcome to get where you are as a professional artist?

The main challenge I’ve had to overcome in order to be a professional designer is that after all the study I have done and the skills I have acquired, there are very few jobs available for me to work in. Of course I have had to apply some bravado and turn this into a positive (hence developing my label Ocre Designs) but the challenge is very real for me and most Australian artisans/designers.

What plans have you got coming up next?

I plan to work with in with START Student Art Gallery to enable a more inclusive and active environment for students associated with the space.
tarn 2I will keep co-directing my artist run project space RAYGUN PROJECTS with friend and colleague Ali Lawson, and Wall Painting space REFLEX PROJECTS with friend and colleague Kyle Jenkins.

For Ocre Designs I plan to launch a new line of silk clothing and build a body of original botanical paintings for the textiles. I will also complete a project collaborating with an interior stylist on re-decorating her beach house entirely with Ocre Designs home textiles, art and furnishings. I would also like to find stockists for the dresses and handbags.

Finally I would like to find a second studio where I can pursue my other art practice, start on a new body of work and confirm a painting residency in 2017.

Tarn McLean will be presenting an artist talk at our upcoming Young Artist Development program.

event - ArtizPUBLICArtizPUBLIC@Toowoomba

5 Apr @ 5:00 pm – 8 Apr @ 6:00 pm
Flying Arts Alliance and USQ are joining First Coat to bring you ArtizPUBLIC@Toowoomba. Over three days young artists will take part in a program of contemporary street art styles and gain valuable insight into further training, education and career opportunities in the arts.
Bookings close 18 March.

Filed Under: Artist Feature, Flying Arts News, Latest News

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Flying Arts Alliance acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands and seas on which we work, live and create. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Flying Arts Alliance is honoured to acknowledge the Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency Dr Jeanette Young AC PSM as our Patron. We also acknowledge Mr Tim Fairfax AC and Mrs Gina Fairfax AC as our Cultural Patrons.

Flying Arts is a not-for-profit organisation inspiring the appreciation, practice and professional development of the visual and media arts as a lifetime interest or career throughout regional and remote Queensland.

Flying Arts is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. Flying Arts is supported by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation and receives funds from Creative Partnerships Australia through the Australian Cultural Fund. Flying Arts is supported by corporate partners and benefactors.

Flying Arts is the administrator in Queensland of the Regional Arts Fund (RAF), an Australian Government program provided through Regional Arts Australia.

Footer

Quick Links

  • Flying Arts News
  • Terms Of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Touring Team Portal

Contact Us

Ph: +61 7 3216 1322
Email: admin@nullflyingarts.org.au

Support Us

Support Flying Arts Alliance
by donating to the
Art for Life Giving Fund.
Donations above $2
are tax deductible.

Follow Us

  • Youtube
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin

© 2023 · Flying Arts Alliance · Website by Shortie Designs

Cookies help us to deliver our services. By using our services, you consent to our use of cookies. Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

    X
    X