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The Spilt Milk Story. 

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Hi, I’m Leah—an art and design educator with a background in interior design, architecture, and tertiary education. After many years in the design industry and teaching at university level, I discovered my true (but unexpected!) passion: sharing creativity with young children.

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Now, I run joyful, hands-on art workshops for kindy-aged kids, where imagination, exploration, and expression come first. I believe in the power of creative play, quality materials, and making mistakes that lead to magic. It’s a privilege to inspire young minds - and I’m so excited to support your child’s creative journey.

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After a fulfilling career in residential and commercial interior design and architecture, I found a new and inspiring direction in art and design education—particularly with young learners. My professional journey began in the design industry, where I honed my skills in artistic and visual communication, model making, and digital fabrication of ideas. These foundations not only shaped my creative thinking but also deepened my appreciation for the power of design to communicate, solve problems, and inspire.


I worked as a tertiary educator for seven years, sharing this knowledge with emerging designers and architects. During this time, I also founded Soup Design, a service dedicated to providing tuition and mentorship for secondary and tertiary students. Soup Design became a space where creativity, critical thinking, and technical skill could flourish, helping students develop confidence in their own design philosophies.


My transition into teaching kindergarten-aged children was driven by a deep love of art, design, and technology, and a belief in the joy and potential that lives in early creative expression. Working with young children - watching their imaginations spark and their problem-solving instincts come alive through hands-on projects and play-based design activities - has been an extraordinary experience. I believe in nurturing curiosity and creativity from the earliest years, using physical (analogue) tools and techniques to make the process of learning visible, tangible, and joyful.


My journey into early childhood art education began almost by accident. I initially visited my daughter’s kindergarten to run a one-off workshop on colour and light—just a fun experience to share with her class. But something unexpected happened: the children loved it, and they wanted me to come back. What began as a plan for a 12-week commitment quickly grew into a 40-week journey of creativity, connection, and joy. After an extended maternity leave, I had been unsure about returning to the high-pressure world of professional design. But as I watched the children engage so deeply with the materials, the colours, the projects and each other, I realised I had found something even more meaningful. Running these classes has been the most rewarding experience of my life. Their enthusiasm, imagination, and pride in their creations is endlessly inspiring—and their parents should be so proud of the clever, curious, and courageous little humans they’re raising.


This new chapter in education has been the most rewarding yet, reminding me daily of the boundless creativity we all possess—and how important it is to foster that from the very beginning.
 

© 2025 Soup Design Studio

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