A ‘brave move’ from admin to art

Artist Josephine Dash describes life as a celebration and art as a soulful contribution to the party.

She doesn’t limit her gift to one medium – immersing herself in painting, sculpting, photography, textiles, installation and fibre arts, among other endeavours. Her work involves the abstract expression of meditative and dreamlike states of consciousness and her love for the Dharawal coastline.

Josephine moved from inner-city Sydney to the Wollongong region 13 years ago while pregnant with the eldest of her three children, working in office administration by day and creating art by night.

Five years ago, she decided to turn her passion into a full-time occupation.

“I was making art by night and on the weekends in my spare time [and] my family were like ‘you really love this’, and I remembered my dream as a kid, wanting to be an artist,” Josephine said.

“I took a very brave move and decided to put myself through university as a mature age student, to learn how to write about my art and explore contemporary art and globalisation.

“I am now working on my art every day.”

As a child, Josephine was inspired by the artistry within her family, watching her mother sit and draw while she played games in the park. It was thanks to her grandmother, who taught Josephine to sew, that she grew to love textile art.

Josephine first explored her own creativity through floristry and cake decorating before spending most of her working life in the managerial and administration fields, but she doesn’t regret the hiatus from working in the arts.

“I have never viewed skills or experience as lost or a waste and everything prior to this moment in time has helped me to become the person I am today,” Josephine said.

“Even though I may not be in an administrative role right now, the administration experience has helped me understand the ins and outs of running a business as an artist.”

Since 2018, Josephine has had her artworks on show at more than 20 exhibitions, including at Wollongong Art Gallery, Scarborough Art Show, the UOW Gallery, and at many establishments and events within the Illawarra.

Among her recent clients is Redcape Hotel Group, who commissioned five original artworks for their venues.

“I was fortunate enough to be head-hunted by a designer from Studio ISGRO who was contracting for a hotel chain at the time,” Josephine said.

“This commission involved five large artworks in various sizes and styles, which reflected impressions of the Illawarra and greater South Coast.”

Helping Josephine along the way is a community of more than 1000 like-minds in the Creatives on the Coast Facebook group, founded by publicist Sue Fagan during the first wave of Covid in 2020.

The group aims to connect and inspire artists from across the Illawarra and South Coast.

“It is a way to empower others to explore art in their own personal lives, through mentorship and peer support within an extended community group,” Josephine said.

“It has helped me to stay connected and to continue my visual arts journey, with the possibility to work collaboratively on future contemporary environmental issues.”

Through her formal art studies and continued development of her skills, Josephine hopes to become a more intuitive artist and wants to inspire other creatives to “share their own artistic voice.”

“What I have gained so far from this journey is an understanding of how art can educate, heal and connect communities,” she said.

“Life is short, create something with every breath you draw – after all, life is a gift and a celebration.”

To see more of Josephine’s work, follow her on Facebook and Instagram @josephine_dash_art