Excitedly Welcoming Our New Tutors for 2026! 🌿

We are delighted to introduce several wonderful new tutors joining the NatureArt Lab teaching team this year. Each brings a wealth of expertise, fresh ideas, and a shared passion for creativity and the natural world.

They’ve put together an exciting program of courses and workshops for 2025—offering new skills, new perspectives, and plenty of inspiration for artists of all levels. We can’t wait for you to meet them and explore what’s ahead!

Sharon Peoples

Sharon has worked as an artist in Canberra for over 25 years, exhibiting nationally and internationally as well as taking on commissioned work. She has had twelve solo exhibitions since 2010, the most recent were ‘Garden Promenade’ Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, Oct (2024) and ‘From the Highest Tree’, Avid Gallery, Wellington NZ (2023).

Sharon spends much time wandering and wondering about gardens. From her own domestic garden to the local bushland and further afield to surrounding national parks, she is energised and draws inspiration by walking in these environments. In recent years a gradual shift to include bookbinding and making has occurred.

One highlight of this activity is having her handbound book in the exhibition Scripta manent VII “In principio The Word in Arvo Pärt’s Music”, at the Estonian History Museum, Tallinn, Estonia, Oct 2025. Currently, her bird-related objects are exhibited at the King Island Gallery where she did a residency last year.

Examples of her  beautiful work can be found on her website https://www.sharon-peoples.com/ and @sharonpeoplesstudio

Learn more about Sharon's courses:  https://natureartlab.com.au/search?type=article%2Cpage%2Cproduct&q=sharon*+peoples*

Sharon Muir

Sharon is a sought-after and highly experienced, engaging teacher who enjoys nurturing the creativity of her students. She has taught widely as a freelance art educator, travelling to workshops throughout Australia, including touring outback QLD and NSW for three years as part of the Flying Arts Team. 

Her artworks are inspired by the intricacy and beauty of the natural world and through her art practice and teaching, she seeks to reveal the richness and possibilities of watercolour as a contemporary and dynamic medium.

She has held five solo exhibitions in the Northern Rivers region and her artworks have been selected for numerous nationally recognised exhibitions such as FLOW- National Contemporary Watercolour Prize, York Botanic Art Prize and Jacaranda Drawing Award.

Examples of her amazingly intricate work can be found on her website  www.sharonmuirart.com  and Instagram @sharonmuir.art

Learn more about Sharon's courses here: https://natureartlab.com.au/search?type=article%2Cpage%2Cproduct&q=sharon+muir

Mother and Daughter Duo — Ceilidh Dalton and Amber Ecclestone

Ceilidh and Amber will be co-teaching the class, with one or the other taking the lead.

Ceilidh Dalton

Ceilidh is a Canberra based environmental artist who is passionate about biodiversity conservation and accessible arts. They studied Science and Design Arts at ANU and combines the two as a curator, teacher and toolmaker and believes that art should and can be accessible to everyone in some form. Ceilidh went on to do an artist residency at Mulligans flat which included teaching nature inspired silver jewellery workshops teamed up with Ecologists from the Wetlands and Woodlands trust.
See more of Ceilidh's intricate work at Instagram

Amber Ecclestone

Amber became interested in leatherworking while doing work experience in high school with a traditional saddle maker. The skills she learnt in that week she still uses today and. passes on to her students. Amber has been teaching Leather workshops at the National folk festival Community Arts for the last three years. She also taught Sheath making, Journal covers and Introduction to leather-working classes at Tharwa Valley Forge.

Learn more about Ceilidh and Amber's Courses here: https://natureartlab.com.au/search?type=article%2Cpage%2Cproduct&q=amber**