About this website – the Australian Coloured Pencils Network
The ACPN is a website founded to support Australian coloured pencil artists and raise the profile of coloured pencil art in Australia.
This website has been created to be used as a resource for artists, as well as a online community for artists to be able to find and connect with one another and somewhere that we can collectively showcase our artwork to the wider Australian art community and the world and a virtual space where we can grow our industry particularly here in Australia.
Hello my name is Belinda Lindhardt, and I have created the ACPN for all of the above reasons, mostly originating from my own journey as a coloured pencil artist and wanting to connect with other coloured pencil artists and to find out more information about creating art with coloured pencils, exhibitions and art supplies we have available here in Australia. Through the network I am passionate to help encourage coloured pencil artists (of all levels) to grow increase the profile of our art.
First of all let me answer a question I am always asked – Is there an Australian Coloured Pencil Society?
Short answer is No. We are however your closest thing.
The ACPN is a group of people united by a common interest – coloured pencils in Australia.
As a group, we have discussed becoming a society multiple times.
The conclusion has been the logistics of running a formal society are a little trickier than that of a group. At present time geography and time commitment needed to run a society is not currently possible. I like to think that what we have formed is the next best thing while we continue to grow.
The AusCP Network is a community group for those interested in coloured pencil art.
Australian coloured pencil artists are in a unique position to our worldwide counterparts. When I first started in cp art I found it difficult to find other coloured pencil artists and let alone see coloured pencil art in real life.
I also found out that pencil supply’s used by overseas cp artists were not always available “down under” and if they available they often under different names. I also found that connecting with other cp artists overseas was sometimes difficult due to differences in timezones so it was just difficult to connect.
After a few years of working in my art, trialing supports, techniques etc. I realised I had lots of information and I wanted to share with other cp artists and coming from a webdesign profession felt this was the best way to start the process of growing the community.
I quickly found out that there were other many other artists looking for information and all we just needed a place to communicate with each other. Our site has evolved into various versions since the time we started in 2008, and today we are growing everyday and have over 100 members, most of these from Australia.
In 2011, we welcomed our sponsors S&S Wholesale – Creativity Unlimited who have been a wonderful in helping us support our existing members and with their fantastic support means we can continue to grow the ACPN in the future.
