Dena Lester : Director
Dena Lester established Art Encounters in 1998. A graduate in Fine Arts (Honours) from RMIT, she felt that there was a definite lack of good private art schools that taught formal skill and processes while enabling people to look into their creative expression. Dena believes that anybody who is committed to learning can find their voice as an artist and has successfully seen many of the school’s students accepted into the best Tertiary Art Colleges in Melbourne (including all 2008 Fine Art Folio Students who applied for Art School).
Dena’s role at Art Encounters is to supervise and direct the running of the school, teach and tutor Fine Art Folio students, run corporate programs and the Unleashing the Artist Within Workshop as well as assist in children’s programs when needed.
Dena’s personal artistic practice concentrates on contemporary photography, film, installation and painting. She is represented by Gallery 101 in Melbourne.
To view Dena's CV please click here.
Dena Lester CV
| 1959 | Born - Sydney, Australia |
STUDIES
| 1985 | The Midrasha, Tel Aviv, Israel |
| 1992 | Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
| 1993 | Falmouth School of Fine Art: Exchange studies, England |
| 1994 | Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art (Honours), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. |
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
| 1997-98 | Tutor; Faculty of Art, Design & Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne |
| 1998-08 | Founder & Director: Art Encounters Pty Ltd, Melbourne |
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
| 2008 | Accidents?, Gallery 101, Melbourne |
| 2003 | Dark Clouds/Silver Linings, Gallery 101, Melbourne
A Retrospective Exploration of the Bay, Access Gallery, St Kilda Town Hall |
| 1998 | Recent Photographs & Installations, Gallery 101, Melbourne |
| 1996 | Three Thumb Breadths from the Edge, Gallery 101, Melbourne |
| 1995 | Point of View, Gallery 101, Melbourne |
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
| 2007 | Clearings, Gallery 101, Melbourne |
| 2005 | Unstrung, The Bead in Contemporary Art, Latrobe Regional Gallery, Morwell
Death, Burial & Beyond, Jewish Museum of Australia, Melbourne Island Art Prize, Tasmania |
| 2004 | Melbourne Art Fair, 2004, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Represented by Gallery 101. |
| 2003 | Under the Covers, Jewish Museum of Australia, Melbourne |
| 2002 | Melbourne Art Fair, 2002, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Represented by Gallery 101. |
| 2000 | Melbourne Art Fair, 2000, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Represented by Gallery 101.
Stand 33 at Gallery 101 - Gallery 101, Melbourne |
| 1999 | Review 99 - Director's Choice - Gallery 101, Melbourne
Contemporary Artists from the Department of Fine Art, RMIT - Cultural Centre, Seoul National University, Korea |
| 1998 | The Sixth Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne
Review 98 - Director's Choice, Gallery 101, Melbourne |
| 1997 | Rupert Bunny Foundation Award Exhibition, Linden Gallery, Melbourne |
| 1996 | Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art of Collecting #2, Curated by Elizabeth Gower, Linden Gallery, Melbourne The Fifth Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Melbourne Exhibition Buildings, Represented by Gallery 101. |
| 1995 | Moet & Chandon Touring Exhibition: finalist, juried exhibition; Art Gallery of NSW; Queensland Art Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Western Australia |
| 1994 | Artworkz Six; juried exhibition, Gallery 101, Melbourne
RMIT Postgraduate Exhibition: 333 Collins Street, Melbourne |
| 1993 | Richmond Acquisitive Award, Richmond Town Hall, Melbourne
Target Award: Geelong |
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
101 Collins Street, Melbourne
RMIT University, Melbourne
Artbank
SELECTED BIOGRAPHY
| 2008 | Anne Marsh, Ghostly Accidents, Exhibition Catalogue |
| 2008 | Sama Hugo-Giali, Exhibition Review, Arts Hub Australia, September 15, 2008. |
| 2007 | Art Works, Capture Magazine, July/August, pp. 46-49 |
| 2005 | Louise Tegart, Unstrung, the bead in contemporary art, exhibition essay
Death Burial & Beyond, Exhibition Catalogue |
| 2003/4 | Kyla Mcfarlane, Dena Lester, Landscapes, Eyeline |
| 2003 | Susan McCulloch; Paths Across the Great Divide, The Weekend Australian, September 27-28
Susie Ashkenazi; Photographic Art Finds New Boundaries, Australian Jewish News, September 19 |
| 1996 | Elizabeth Gower; The Art of Collecting#2, Exhibition Catalogue
Tim Sowden; Dena Lester, Point of View, Photofile #47, March |
Portfolio
