Megan creates conversation with art

For 39-year-old Megan Robinson, art is in her blood. Raised by creatives in the home of one of the country’s most famous galleries in the scenic Tasmanian city of Hobart, Megan grew up surrounded by inspiration.

“My mother was a music teacher, and my father painted and made a lot of beautiful wooden furniture, so they always encouraged me to pursue my creativity,” Megan said.

“My grandmother was also an artist, painting delicate watercolours of the native flora. She would share her skills with me, mainly knitting, and was a great teacher.

“So since childhood I have dreamed of a career as an artist, but my lack of confidence in my skills and knowledge about the industry held me back from doing it full time.”

Instead, Megan initially decided to channel her creativity via a more conventional industry, forging a fulfilling career as a chef in Brisbane before moving to the Sunshine Coast with her husband. But after welcoming her daughter into the world, Megan was forced to hang up her chef’s whites to support for her family, taking on the role of stay-at-home mother to daughter Lily as well as fulltime carer for her husband Conwae, who has a disability.

“I’d planned to return to the industry; however, between motherhood, my care responsibilities and the physical restraints that I developed as a result of long covid, the industry was no longer a fit for me,” she said.

Keen to rediscover her creativity and do something for herself, Megan decided to enrol in the Diploma of Visual Arts (CUA51120) at TAFE Queensland’s Nambour campus, where she developed and refined her skills in painting, drawing, ceramics and sculpture.

“At the time I enrolled I thought I was already on the right path, but that TAFE would help me make connections in the region’s industry. But I greatly underestimated the impact my studies would have on my practise,” she said.

“Surprisingly, what I really enjoyed most about the course was theory. You get this great crash course in art history that I never expected to enjoy like I did, followed by a unit focusing on conceptualisation, which is where the creative juices really started flowing and where I really grew as an artist.

“I also formed great relationships with my teachers and found them to be very helpful and knowledgeable, as well as very supportive. You could tell they wanted to see everyone succeed and they often went above and beyond to make that possible.”

Megan said her caring responsibilities created numerous obstacles throughout her studies, with financial pressures, time constraints and physical injury impacting her approach. But like any true creative, Megan chose to draw inspiration from her challenges.

“My work is very personal and is a way for me to get to know and understand myself better,” she said.

“It’s about my experiences regarding the female condition and what it means to be a woman, mother and wife today, drawing on my past experiences as well as woman’s story historically.

“I am also very environmentally conscious, so I use mainly free, reclaimed, recycled materials. There’s enough stuff in the world and I don’t want to create at the expense of the environment, so I avoid buying new art supplies as best I can, instead using what others discard.”

With this in mind, the multidisciplinary artist currently works mostly with reclaimed copper wire, creating sculpture and shadow installations that explore the complexities of identity, gender, and social constructs.

One such piece is ‘Not reflected in my super’—a copper wire self-portrait that reflects on the invisible mental and emotional labour that disproportionally falls on a woman’s shoulders— which captured attention after being made a finalist in the 2025 Sunshine Coast Local Contemporary Art Prize. The acknowledgement, which saw her work displayed at the Caloundra Regional Gallery from 11 April to 8 June as part of the exhibition of finalists, was a particularly memorable moment for Megan, as she got to exhibit alongside her seven-year-old daughter, Lily.

“My daughter was also a finalist and received a highly commended for the under 8s category in the Local Student Art Prize, so I’m a very proud mother getting to show alongside her,” she said.

Since graduating with her Diploma of Visual Arts (CUA51120) in late 2024, Megan’s career has grown from strength-to-strength. In addition to her piece in the Caloundra Regional Gallery, she was a finalist in the Swell Art Prize in Broadbeach, held her first solo show CONFINEMENT at Lantana Space in May, and has participated in multiple group shows, with several other exciting projects in the works.

“It’s the first time I’ve really taken myself seriously as an artist and I’m receiving a lot of positive feedback and recognition,” she said.

“It feels quite vulnerable putting myself out there to the world, but also empowering. Hearing how so many women from all demographics relate to my work—hearing their words and stories—is really what propels me forward. My story is really our story, and it’s time for us to be heard.”

But while she’s enjoying her success, Megan is determined to continue growing her skills.

“I really want to develop a larger installation project later in the year while also continuing my professional development. I’m enrolled to continue my studies with the bridge program between TAFE Queensland and the University of Canberra, which gives me a year’s credit towards my Bachelor of Creative Industries – Visual Arts (ARB405),” she said.

Home to a thriving creative community, the Sunshine Coast’s total employment in the sector contributed 8.3 per cent to Queensland’s total arts and recreation workforce in 2022/23. And with Jobs Queensland data projecting a 7.6 per cent increase locally in employment opportunities for visual arts and crafts professionals over the next five years, more artists like Megan have a greater chance of being able to transform their passion into a successful career.