Irene Sparks
Irene completed her Diploma in Fine Art and Education at the Natal School of Art in Durban, South Africa.
After her studies she spent many years teaching art at different schools in Zimbabwe.
Her passion for design became a reality when she started a business on her farm with a friend, called Burnt Earth Designs. Together they made and decorated tiles. Their tiles were used to decorate hotels, safari lodges, swimming pools and walkways in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Irene continued to paint and have had exhibitions in London, Johannesburburg, Gaberones, Zimbabwe, Harare and Australia.
Her work has featured in Conde Nast Traveller Magazine as well as Getaway Magazine (South Africa).
Irene has been actively involved in the art community since arriving in Australia. Currently she is involved at ART MATTERS CREATIVE Gladstone Region Inc where she has been tutoring, arranging workshops and arranging fundraising markets and festivals in the Gladstone region.
In 2020 she was awarded the Local Artist Prize for her mixed media work on paper "After the Rain" at the Martin Hanson Memorial Awards Exhibition in Gladstone