MEET US
Oatlands Art Retreat is the brainchild of two Hobart artists and neighbours, Doug Bridge and Sarah White, who wanted to create an opportunity for
artists to come together and work side-by-side, to enjoy creative
community and stimulating conversation.
The new coordinator Elizabete Ozola is grateful to be continuing this vision - building a retreat environment that nurtures
curiosity, creative growth, and meaningful exchange.​
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My aim for this retreat is that you will leave with your cup full of new ideas, thought provoking concepts - and lasting bonds with likeminded people.
ELIZABETE OZOLA
I’m Elizabete Ozola, I grew up in a small fishing village on the coast of Latvia, where I was raised in a home that carries five generations of stories, and where the Baltic sea shaped everyday life.​
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A place close to my heart is my family’s house museum, the oldest residential building in my hometown, built in 1811. Inside are fishing implements, work tools and everyday objects engraved with ancient Latvian symbols of protection and ownership, quietly reminding me that culture lives in the details - in our hands, our homes, and the memories we share from those that came before.
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Now happily based in Hobart, Tasmania, I have over a decade of experience as a Montessori educator, arts education leader and program designer, with a deep passion for nature and holistic wellbeing. Throughout my career, I have worked closely with local and international artists, designing and delivering arts education programs for contemporary art spaces, leading gallery tours, and creating meaningful ways for people to engage with art at all stages of life. My work has spanned therapeutic programs, intergenerational learning, and creative community development across Europe and regional Australia.
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A country girl at heart, I have a deep love and respect for regional communities; their groundedness, their stories, and the strong sense of land and hard work that people carry with them.
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Oatlands Art Retreat offers a space to slow down, reflect, and be in good company with fellow creatives. I’m honoured to help carry this beautiful project forward, and can't wait to welcome you here!
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