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.
New co-directors Kaija Balodis and Elizabete Ozola are grateful to be continuing this vision - building a retreat environment that nurtures
curiosity, creative growth, and meaningful exchange.​
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Our 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.
Kaija Balodis
I’m Kaija and I am delighted to be one of the new Oatlands Art Retreat co-directors.
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I’ve worked in corporate events, marketing and communications for my entire career, but I’ve always been a creative at heart, and nothing brings me greater joy than picking up a paint brush!
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I’ve managed creative services for a multi-million dollar curriculum project at The Department for Education of South Australia, and my consultancy ‘Kaija Kreative’ works with clients like the Australian Institute for Indigenous Genomics. Past companies I’ve worked for include BAE Systems, Fuji Xerox and Detica.
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Alongside my professional journey, I’ve always nurtured my creative practice and am now fulfilling a life-long dream of completing my Associate Diploma of Fine Art at the University of Tasmania.
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From Adelaide originally, I am a passionate South Australian, but loving living in Hobart - our adopted second home with a husband, a spoilt Scottish fold and a much loved Labrador named Violet!
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I’m so excited to continue the Oatlands Art Retreat experience, where we celebrate local artists, historic places and the simple joy of slowing down to create together.
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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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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