Board Member - Natalie Shields

Visual Arts Teacher | Meadows Primary School in Broadmeadows

Natalie is passionate about Visual Art education in the Primary Years and is a tireless advocate for genuine creative exchange in a multicultural learning environment.

She creates space for new learning opportunities for her students, from community based art exhibitions, to engaging major cultural institutions in programs for her students. In the classroom she enjoys developing relationships with children to inspire their imagination, support critical and creative thinking, and refine artistic skills in a supported environment.

After completing a Graduate Diploma of Education at Monash University (2013), becoming a teacher was a natural progression for Natalie. Building on her undergraduate studies in the Visual Arts, Japanese language and Media, Natalie went on to teach Visual Arts as a critical relief teacher in range of independent, government and special needs schools, from P-12 across Melbourne.

For over 20 years, Natalie has been a practicing artist, and has exhibited broadly. She has worked in artist collectives, established an independent fashion and design label with national distribution, and worked in fashion retail as a trainer/manager. As an art educator, Natalie has partnered with the Melbourne Museum, Historic Houses Trust, National Gallery of Victoria, Craft Victoria and G-Star RAW on several design and education initiatives. As well as her teaching, she continues to make art for her ongoing professional development, working mostly in photography and textiles.

Natalie brings a genuine enthusiasm and passion to engage, collaborate and connect with Visual Arts educators, artists, and the wider community on creative projects to foster a lifelong appreciation of the Visual Arts as valued part of contemporary culture.