A Yarraville artist will be winging her way to New York after winning a $10,000 grant.
Painter and drawer Erika Gofton, winner of the Toyota Community Spirit Gallery’s 2012 artist travel award, will be undertaking a month-long residency at Point B Worklodge in Williamsburg, New York’s hip artist heartland.
“It’s a loft studio facility in New York for international artists. You live and work on site throughout the residency,” says Gofton, who will also take part in mentoring sessions with renowned figurative painter Alyssa Monks and join in the New York Studio School’s ‘drawing marathon’.
“The marathon is intense; it’s about challenging how you approach drawing, coming from a physical and intellectual practice.
“It will push me outside what I’m used to, which is what I’m looking for.”
Gofton teaches drawing at the Victorian College of the Arts, and is involved with programs at Newport’s Substation.
“I’m predominantly a painter but drawing is a strong part of my practice. I also run the Art Room in the Cotton Mills in Footscray, so it’s about me developing my own work but also bringing something back to people as well.”
Toyota public affairs manager Katarina Persic said Gofton was a worthy winner.
She will wrap up her trip visiting galleries in New York and London, collecting inspiration for new works for an exhibition later this year. She will hit the ground running when she returns, holding a drawing intensive at the Substation.
