Dan Wilkinson
Onsite Level 6 Mentor and Drawing Tutor
Dip Art & Creativity (Hons), Cert VCD
He encourages a balance of working intuitively and developing skills that help to create works that are aesthetically pleasing. Dan's own work mirrors his teaching style; he is constantly evolving as he explores surface and media to satisfy his creative needs. Most of his work is driven by his love and passion for the environment he is surrounded by - Wellington's harbour, and the west and south coast.
Keri-Mei Zagrobelna
Jewellery Tutor, Mentor
Keri-Mei's iwi affiliations are Te Ati-Āwa and Whānau-ā-Apanui.
Karla Vink
Onsite Level 4 Mentor and Certificate Tutor
Dip Applied Art & Design, Dip Art & Creativity (Hons)
“I feel privileged to be part of our students creativity journey”.
On completing her Honours Diploma Karla become part of The Learning Connexion team as an on-site Certificate tutor and distance delivery mentor. Her own work explores a wide range of media, but oils are her preferred medium.
Leo Semau
Mentor and Tutor
Justine Turnbull
Onsite Level 5 Mentor
MFA
Alan Poole
Digital Art and Design Tutor/Mentor
BA (Hons), MA, Dip Art and Creativity (Hons)
When tutoring students, Alan prefers to discuss with them what their project is and to offer advice and techniques that will help them bring their project to fruition. He believes that this focus on a student’s personal goals motivates them to explore their own creative ideas further, ensuring they don't lose what it is that makes their work unique and novel, especially in a commercial context.
Sophie Saunders
Distance Delivery Mentor, Level 7 Mentor
MFA (Hons)
Always endeavouring to be true to herself, Sophie currently adheres mercilessly to a rather pared-down subject matter in her painting in a desire to get to the nitty gritty. Her view in her teaching and painting is that whatever feels right, one must follow it, leaving all else aside. This is the key to beginning to be what we really are.
Robert Franken
Painting Tutor
BA Applied Art, Dip Art & Creative
“It is my concern to act upon what I really know and screen out that which I have gathered over the years and which is not really mine. This, I guess, will be a continuous journey.”
Iain Watt
Illustration Tutor
BA (Hons), MEd (Hons), PCCE
The Southern Hemisphere beckoned in 1997 with an invitation to tutor 2-dimensional design at Wellington Polytechnic. This led to his current position as a tutor at The Learning Connexion. Iain’s work provides an outlet and exorcism of the expression of anger and joy, and has evolved through perseverance, encouragement from family and friends and a solid Scottish education.
Marci Tackett
Printmaking Tutor
BFA Printmaking, BA Humanities
“I understand that each of us has a unique story and point of departure for the development of our creativity. I value the opportunity to work with people from diverse backgrounds, interests and goals. These differing perspectives and experiences create compelling dialogues, producing even more vital works of art.”
Belinda Hager
Jewellery Tutor
Leigh Mitchell-Anyon
Photography Tutor, Mentor
In his own photography he enjoys hands-on, edgy experiences. In his late teens he photo-documented the Korean and Japanese fishing boats he was working on, and in his 30’s stalked live volcanoes, such as Mt Ruapehu.
Leigh believes in taking this hands-on approach into his teaching practice at The Learning Connexion. For example: making a life size temporary photogram of himself and building a walk-in camera obscura with students. He likes to encourage students to get right in there and explore lots of different photographic techniques to express their creative ideas.
Mel Ford
Ceramics Tutor
BFA
Working with students at The Learning Connexion, Mel enjoys being constantly exposed to new creative challenges as she assists students to explore. Constantly learning, it is also rewarding to watch others begin to trust their own intuition and allow their creative processes to unfold.
Part mad scientist, part obsessive compulsive, Mel’s own art making is all about the exploration of an idea, a concept and a material. She believes that the potential of something includes its limitations. The more you play with something the more you know about it. Doing is indeed thinking and knowing is frequently arrived at after a mistake (or three).
Dennis Berdinner
3D Tutor
BA (Hons), Dip Teaching
The scale of his commissioned work ranges from hand-held netsuke-like pieces (miniature sculptures invented in 17th-century Japan), through to desk sculpture and larger work for outdoor spaces. Pieces that function as family heirlooms, gifts, adornment and indoor/outdoor installations.
Dennis Poole
Mentor
BA (Hons), MA, Dip Art and Creativity (Hons)
At TLC Dennis works as a Distance Delivery Mentor. He understands that the creative journey is a very personal one, and that each student must ultimately decide what their goals are. Once he knows what a student’s goals are, he provides advice and assistance relevant to helping a student achieve their own goals.
Linda Evangaline-Smith
Printmaking Tutor, Mentor
MEd, Diploma of Art and Creativity (Advanced)
Problem solving and learning new things and ways of making are always going to be a focus and motivator in her creative practice. The hands-on, energetic and getting messy way of learning and teaching is an approach that Linda enjoys most.
Linda has a Master’s Degree in Education and is a qualified teacher. She studied with The Learning Connexion from level 4 right through to graduating with Advanced Diploma in Art and Creativity. She is an active maker and shows her work in exhibitions frequently.
