ARTIST BIO

Sue-Ann Roll (nee Henry)

^{Born 10/08/1957}

Growing up I always had a pencil in my hand.

In 1979 I completed a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) at Caulfield Institute of Technology (now Monash University) where I majored in painting. The next year, in 1980, I finished a Graduate Diploma in Education at Melbourne State College (now the University of Melbourne). During this time I tutored adult art classes in the evenings.

From 1981 I taught art and graphic communications for many years at Strathcona Girls       (including Tay Creggan), Parade College and later at Mullauna Secondary College where I left my position as Head of the Art/Graphic Department to have a family.

While raising my children I did some freelance work for Phillip Institute of Technology (now amalgamated wirh RMIT) where my illustrations for pamphlets & booklets were published.

Also during this time I asked to donate several paintings to the Rotary Club of Heidelberg North. These were used as major fund raising prizes for equipment for the Austin Hospital.

Then life got in the way: family, friends and community. However, before I knew it, the kids were grown and working so it was my time to start again !

In 2014 I went to Florence and had the most fabulous time doing life drawing and painting at the Accademia D'Arte Firneze. It was here that my love for drawing definitely reignited!

From there I joined the Hawthorn Artist Society and have been an enthusiastic member drawing weekly for the last 5 years.

In 2018 I went to Florence again where I had an unforgettable experience at the Russian Academy of Art. Here I was privileged enough to be under the private tutelage of renowned Professor Sergey Chubirko who taught me the Renaissance academic style of figure drawing dealing with the anatomy. The classes were simply awe-inspiring.

Later in the year London was on the agenda where I went to art schools including the Candid Studios & The Prince's Foundation Royal Drawing School. Both academic in style where I  continued to learn different approaches. Most enjoyable.