Artist Karla Dickens turned her life around in Australia’s ‘best jail’

Artist Karla Dickens turned her life around in Australia’s ‘best jail’

Article: Linda Morris
Image: James Alcock

Financial necessity first drove artist Karla Dickens to take up collage and sculpture for which she is now best known.

A trained painter from the National Art School, Dickens could not afford the oils and canvases to keep painting so began using found and recycled items to give vent to her frustrations around gender politics and racial injustice.

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Join us for the closing party for The Neighbour at the Gate – 'Afterglow', headlined by Miss Kannina, and featuring performances by HYLANDER, Rocky Stallone, BRINA, Kuya Hennessy and DJ Court Jester. This free, 18+ concert will be a night to remember! 

Thursday 16 October 2025 
4.30pm – 10pm 
Cell Block Theatre 

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Karatsu ceramicist Yukiko Tsuchiya (@tsuchiyayukiko) and curator Kathryn Hunyor (@artspeople_au) delivered two very special workshops in the teaching studios of the Ceramics Department at the National Art School (NAS), in an exciting collaboration between The Japan Foundation (@jpfsydney), Sydney, the NAS Ceramics Department and the National Art School.

Peek inside the wheel-throwing and hand-coiling masterclasses that took place.
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