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Our team
artisan is operated by a small group of people who are passionate about craft and design. Collectively, we share experience as makers, arts administrators and members of our creative community. We are driven to share the work taking place within Australia, and support our talented artists, craftspeople and designers. If you would like to get in touch, please send us an email using the contact details below.
Claire Sourgnes
Chief Executive Officer
ceo@artisan.org.au
Claire Sourgnes is artisan's CEO and is passionate about articulating the value and importance of visual arts for all. After working in private and public galleries for many years in Australia and Germany she was appointed the inaugural Coordinator of the Moreton Bay Regional Council Art Gallery Network. She joined artisan in October 2016. Claire is the President of Public Galleries Queensland and co-Chair of the Australian Craft and Design Centres Network.
Cassandra Lehman
Deputy Director and Curator
cassandra@artisan.org.au
Cassandra Lehman With over two decades of industry experience, Cassandra has worked as a curator, gallery director, arts policy writer, and theatre production manager. She has travelled extensively, gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience in working with Australian, Torres Strait Island and Aboriginal artists, and South East Asian arts communities.
Passionately committed to broadening audiences for the contemporary arts, Cassandra's primary focus continues to challenge perceptions, while extending intercultural understanding through the arts
Leah Emery
Access and Engagement Coordinator
leah@artisan.org.au
Leah Emery comes to artisan from over ten years working at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art and prior to that was a self-taught video game developer. She thoroughly enjoys hosting, conducting and attending workshops and is passionate in particular about programming in the regional Queensland network. She has been an internationally exhibiting practitioner for over 15 years and some career highlights include receiving 2 awards at the 2020 Brisbane Portrait Prize, being a finalist in the Blake Prize, being featured in Huffington Post and SBS2’s The Feed.
Caitlin Sheedy
Retail Manager
store@artisan.org.au
Caitlin Sheedy has been a part of artisan’s team for more than fifteen years. She has a deep understanding of and passion for the work sold and exhibited at artisan. She has a strong relationship and connections with the artisan community. Caitlin graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, First Class Honours, from Griffith University, Queensland College of Art. Her work is represented in collections such as James Hardy Collection, State Library of Queensland, Griffith University Collection and the Royal Brisbane Hospital Art Collection.
Suzanne Dark
Accounting & Finance Officer
admin@artisan.org.au
Suzanne Dark has been providing bookkeeping and accounting services for over 25 years. Her diverse career has taken her from Mackay to Brisbane, London and even Vanuatu. She has gained extensive experience working with creative firms along the way, including artisan for the past eight years.