Mirra Whale is a studio assistant. What does that mean?
Mirra Whale is a painter – a still life painter. She is also a sessional teacher at the National Art School. And, recently, she became a new mum. This alone can be a juggle for any professional artist. However, Whale has another string to her bow. For many years, she has been Studio Assistant to the celebrated Australian artist Ben Quilty.
ArtsHub caught up with Whale to find out exactly what that entails, and how to balance your own practice when you are an assistant to another artist.
Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's Senior Contributor, after 12 years in the role as National Visual Arts Editor. She has worked for extended periods in America and Southeast Asia, as gallerist, arts administrator and regional contributing editor for a number of magazines, including Hong Kong based Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. She is an Art Tour leader for the AGNSW Members, and lectures regularly on the state of the arts. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW.
Instagram: fairleygina
