From award-winning Indigenous student artist to art teacher in one year at TAFE, N Qld.

Cairns resident Kevin Edmondstone, a 38 year-old, originally from Yarrabah, has gone from award-winning Indigenous student artist to art teacher in the space of a year.

Kevin is now working as a tutor for the Visual Arts team at the Tropical North Queensland TAFE Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies after completing Certificate IV and Diploma of Visual Arts qualifications through the Institute.

“I commenced the Advanced Diploma in ATSI Visual Arts in 2004 and midway through the year I was offered a tutoring position at Kowanyama Aboriginal Community…..I suppose my teachers saw some potential and recommended I take on the role” he says.

Kevin now supervises and assists Indigenous visual arts students in the classroom and art studio, providing technical advice, guidance and mentoring, as well as overseeing Occupational Health and Safety.

“I love it, I really enjoy it. My aim is to get enough knowledge and experience to be able to go back to Yarrabah to set-up and teach art programs there,” he says.

FOR MORE INFO: Call 1300 308 233 or visit www.tafe.qld.gov.au