ABOUT ELZINGA COLLECTIVE AND THE ART HUB GYMPIE

Hello and welcome. My name is Karen Elzinga and l am the creative director/ artist/ educator here at Elzinga Collective and the Art Hub Gympie. With over 30 years experience in the artistic landscape including a Bachelor of Art with double major (Fine Art and Visual Culture), l continue to practice as a professional artist whilst also teaching art skills to students and adults in the Art Hub in Gympie, QLD. 

I very much enjoy painting and my art is now purchased by collectors Australia wide, and internationally sent to both England and the USA. My forte lies in extra large scale acrylic paintings of abstract whimsical beach settings and movie mash up paintings. 

Elzinga Collective is not all about selling art, it was born out of a desire to give back to the art community through art education and childhood education.

Elzinga Collective and the Art Hub Gympie's aim is to provide an educational and artistic experience where both art lessons and art education come together in a therapeutically creative space.

Elzinga Collective and the Art Hub Gympie hopes to grow and expand in time to become an extensive resource for the Fine Arts and Craft creative community and to provide Art Therapy to Children and Young people who have or are experiencing trauma, developmental delays, anxiety and social issues. 

Karen Elzinga has experience working with both Primary and secondary students being an art educator within the schools of Noosa and surrounds. Karen along with being Bachelor trained in Fine art and Visual Culture also holds university credentials with a Post Graduate Certificate in Human Services (contemporary issues of children and families)  a Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling, a Post Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Education, a Diploma of Journalism, and a Masters in English Language Teaching. Karen is also extensively trained in Trauma Informed Practices and Therapeutic crisis interventions. 

One of Karen's passions is putting together educational learnings on the heath, develop and wellbeing of children and art education which you can find and read free of charge under the Education Hub heading or blog page.