B Design (COFA UNSW), Masters of Teaching (UNE)

Founder of The Liminal Studio, Sam is a secondary school art teacher and continues her studio practice in drawing, portraiture, watercolour and acrylic painting landscapes.

Sam is committed to nurturing young and emerging artists by offering mentorship and opportunities to teach classes at The Liminal Studio outdoor space.

The Liminal Studio aims to fill the gap between formal art education and sustainable creative practice by giving emerging artists a platform to teach, create, and earn in a supported environment. 

Bachelor of Fine Arts - Ceramics (National Art School, Sydney)

Isla Norton is a ceramic artist from Lake Macquarie and a 2024 graduate of the National Art School. Working primarily in stoneware, Isla explores the boundaries of form, detail, and oddity, creating dreamlike pieces that blur the line between sculpture and functional design.

Her current body of work, Melting Monuments, imagines a surreal, small-scale village of alternative homes. Each piece is shaped by music, memory, and moments of wonder. Through sculptural attachments and thrown forms, Isla combines delicate craftsmanship with a sense of play and symbolic storytelling.

Rooted in a deep respect for the free, tactile nature of clay, Isla’s work invites viewers into a world that is both comforting and strange, where textures, glazes, and architectural shapes evoke transformation, curiosity, and calm.

https://www.instagram.com/islanorton_art/