President: Sharryn Ryan

Vice President: Mark Higginson

Secretary: Michelle Drage

Treasurer: Gill Green

Committee Member: Phillip Shipton, Judith Dunbar, Tony Ward

COMMITTEE MEMBERS BIOGRAPHIES

Sharryn Ryan

Sharryn Ryan is a lawyer and writer who lives with her partner and son at Wentworth Falls.  She has extensive experience in managerial roles across various state government agencies as a trainer and a lawyer, and is a LEADR trained conciliator and mediator.  She currently works as a Member of a state government Tribunal, presiding over consumer law disputes.  She has been involved in various community organisations both as a member and on management committees, and, with her partner, is a first soprano with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir.

Sharryn first became interested in bentART five years ago when her son’s art teacher, Tracey Allen, curated the first Bent Art exhibition.  Since then she has watched it grow in terms of size and professionalism.  As a keen supporter of the arts and creativity generally, as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex issues, Sharryn is pleased to be involved in the next phase of bentART’s development.   Going forward, Sharryn is keen to see the governance issues of bentART addressed.

Mark Higginson

Mark is a recent addition to life in the Mountains, having just moved up from Sydney one year ago. He still works down in the city as a Director for a internet media research company and is still coming to terms with the commute. After attending bentART last year, Mark was keen to help out in any way he could and bring his extensive experience in marketing and online media to help with the continued success of BentArt. He also writes in his spare time.

Michelle Drage

Michelle has been a resident of the Lower Blue Mountains for ten years, having moved to Warrimoo from the Hunter Valley in 2001. Michelle studied visual arts at the University of Newcastle in the mid 90’s, majoring in photography and printmaking and her work was featured in a variety of group exhibitions in Newcastle during this time.

For the past 14 years, Michelle’s primary focus has been on her career in education. She is currently employed as a member of the executive team at a Western Sydney school.

During the past twelve months, Michelle has begun focusing again on her art making, combining her passion for photography with her enjoyment of drawing and painting.
Michelle first exhibited in Bent Art in 2011 and previous to this has been a regular attendant to the bentART exhibition. As secretary, Michelle looks forward to working together with other committee members and the community to ensure the continued success of bentART.

Gill Green

Gill has been a regular attendant to bentART since the first BA in 2005. She has a keen interst in the arts, however is more of a collector than creator.
Gill has lived in the Blue Mountains for nearly 7 years . As a person who grew up in Sydney, has always had a great love and interest in the Blue Mountains.
She is involved in a number of community organizations and regularly works as a volunteer in a range of activites.
Gill is keen to support bentART and as treasurer will work hard to ensure the smooth administrative running of this community organization.

Phillip Shipton

Phillip has a background in information technology systems and training with a focus on the e-health sector. A resident of the Blue Mountains for over 5 years he has attended each bentART since its inception with a view to one day exhibiting his own works that explore his emotions from an artistic perspective. He enjoys contributing to community focused events that enhance, expand, establish the visibility and credibility of gay and lesbian culture.

Judith Dunbar

Judith is an educator working in Sydney.

Always fascinated by painting, she attended the last three BentArt exhibitions and increasingly became captivated by the energy and vitality of the event. Helping to hang last years exhibition was a highlight that confirmed her desire to be a more active member of BentArt, wanting to ensure the tradition continues.

A developing artist, Judith’s interest in portraiture is supported by being a student a day a month with an artist in her Blackheath studio. Judith brings her excitement for the exhibition into her role as committee member.