From the open paddocks of the Liverpool Plains to the pages of Country Style Magazine, Carina’s journey is a vivid blend of creativity, grit, and grace. After growing up on a cattle farm, she went on to study design, business, and languages at university – an eclectic foundation that would shape her dynamic career.
Following success in corporate advertising, Carina returned to her roots in the Central West, earning a feature in Country Style in 2021 and exhibiting her work in Orange. Today, she balances life on the farm with raising a family, running her business, and creating art that speaks to her rural upbringing and refined eye.
Her time at St Andrew’s College was equally formative – from intercollegiate sport to meeting her future husband, it remains a touchstone in both her professional and personal life. With sharp business acumen and creative flair, Carina continues to bring heart and authenticity to everything she does.
Tell us a bit about yourself; where are you originally from and where did you grow up?
I grew up on a cattle farm in the Liverpool Plains, about five hours north of Sydney. I’ve always lived and breathed art; however, I was encouraged to study design, business, and languages at university to broaden my horizons. After a career in advertising – climbing corporate ladders and grinding through life in the city – life led me back to art and a cattle farm in the Central West.
What made you choose to reside at St Andrew’s College?
There were nine kids at my primary school and 350 at high school – so College was an incredible opportunity for me to meet more people and live in the ‘big smoke’. I had a couple of friends who were already at Drew’s and some applying the same year as me, so I also applied, headed off on a gap year and didn’t really think about College again until I met some ex-Drew’s students on a Contiki tour. They told me ALL the stories from their time there, and I realised just how fortunate I was to be accepted and then how ridiculously excited I was to start.
At College, what were you involved in? Do you have a favourite memory you’d like to share?
I had so many incredible adventures at College, many of them sports related. Meeting my future husband at 5 am on the main steps on the way to hockey training (he was the coach) is definitely one of my favourite memories.
You were part of the Rosebowl Swimming and Tennis teams while at College. What did you enjoy most about competing in intercollegiate competitions?
Hockey training sessions aside, I loved how supported the teams were by the whole College and how sport allowed me to make friends with students in the other colleges. We won a Rosebowl in my Fresher year; it was the first College win in a while (possibly years), and the Victory Dinner was next level.
How do you feel your time at St Andrew’s influenced your post-College life?
The connections and friends I’ve made have been the most valuable part of my time at Drew’s. Straight out of university, I lived in a share house with four other Drew’s students. While Sydney seemed so big, it was rare that we didn’t bump into someone from the intercollegiate community while out and about. This still rings true today! Drew’s alumni have played significant roles in my life – they were bridesmaids and groomsmen at our wedding, became my children’s godparents, and now also my business partner.
What made you want to enter the design and art industry?
Art runs in the family, and I can’t imagine life without it. I was encouraged to support myself from the get-go, and I wasn’t keen on being a stereotypical penniless artist. I chased a big career in corporate advertising, leading a team as a Creative Director in an ad agency, working 12-hour days, and on the weekends, I would paint and do graphic design work to unwind. It wasn’t until we moved to Tamworth and I went on maternity leave that I started to take these weekend art sessions more seriously. I think deep down all I’ve ever wanted to do was paint, but I didn’t back myself to do it straight out of school.
In the lead-up to starting your own company, you had many roles, including Marketing Coordinator and Digital Producer at Momento Pro and Creative Director at Orange Line. How did these roles shape your time in the industry and help you to go out on your own?
I think it’s always the first jobs that teach you the most, and my time at Momento Pro certainly allowed me to learn and grow. It was a small business, very forward thinking, and my bosses were very generous with their time and sharing their learnings. They taught me so much about small business, and I took this knowledge and applied it to start my own things. My climb to be a Creative Director was hard yakka – the hours were long and the responsibility for a team and managing clients’ budgets was also daunting at times. However, it taught me resilience and just how far I can push myself.
I started working on Long Lunch Linen in 2018 when I was two weeks postpartum with my first child. I was so used to working long hours that I’m not afraid to say I became bored senseless with a baby who was either feeding or sleeping most of the time. I absolutely adore my kids, but felt there was so much ‘wasted’ time parenting a newborn. So, I found a gap in the market, used my graphic design skills to build a website and branding, used the business knowledge I’d learnt at Momento Pro and because I knew I could do long hours on little sleep, and I pushed through. Was I mad? Certainly. Was it worth it? Definitely. Long Lunch Linen launched six months later and has grown steadily ever since, taking on a business partner in 2021 (a friend from Drew’s) and making the cover of Country Style Magazine for Christmas the same year.
Now that Long Lunch Linen is up and running and paying my bills, my art practice plays a much bigger role in my day-to-day. I take on branding and graphic design clients every now and then, but my time is focused on art commission work and painting towards shows.
Starting your own company is not easy. What would you say is the biggest challenge in starting and running your business?
Starting a company was and still is a rollercoaster of both thrilling and terrifying moments. But I knew that if I got the numbers right, then the business side of things would take care of itself. Balancing family and work is another matter, and I still struggle to strike the right balance between my own ambitions, my husband’s demanding job and being the type of parent I want to be. Every day is different, but that is what I also love about it.
As an artist, you have recently exhibited your works in a collaborative exhibition with Sophie Corks called ‘All Year Round’ at Byng Street Boutique Hotel in Orange, NSW. Congratulations! Can you tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind the exhibition and your process?
We bought a farm near Orange three years ago, and I met Soph not long after we moved there. We hit it off and we’ve been ‘Work From Home Wives’ ever since. ‘All Year Round’ was our second exhibition together, and it centred on the distinctive change of seasons in the Central West. I focused on creating vividly coloured landscapes, and Soph’s work complemented mine with joyfully bright houses and streetscapes. We worked in tandem, sending colour palettes and compositions to each other for critique to create a cohesive collection to exhibit together.
Is there a ‘typical day’ for you? If so, what does it look like?
My kids are early risers, so we’re often up and at ‘em as the sun is rising. I love to start the day with a walk through the paddocks with the dog, take in the landscape and daydream before getting the kids off to school. My husband, Nick, works away a bit, so on the days I’m not doing drop off, I’ll start at 8 am and finish at 2:30 for school pick-up. I don’t have a strict time split between the two businesses, so I do whatever is urgent, trying to keep it balanced overall. My youngest is at preschool this year, so I still work part-time. On my child-free days, I do the hard jobs straight up and usually end up painting at some point in the day before I stop to collect the kids. Once they’re in bed, I finish off any admin, pack school lunches, sometimes do a workout and then prep for the next day. My house is full of lists, and I always write a to-do list for the next day on the fridge so I see it first thing.
What would be your biggest accomplishment after leaving St Andrew’s – within your career or otherwise?
Without sounding too ‘woo woo’, I think the thing that brings me the most satisfaction is that I’m happy. It sounds simple, I know, but I pushed hard in the early years of my career to learn fast and be independent. I’m now at a time where I’m my own boss, we own a little slice of land, have two healthy, happy and sassy kids, plus a husband who still makes me laugh 18 years on. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, and every day there’s a challenge to face, but on the whole, each day there’s also something to smile about.
What advice would you give to current students wanting to explore a career in the art and design industry?
Be brave. Learn as much as you can, from as many different experiences as you can find, and teach yourself how to connect with your audience in your own way. A thick hide is an asset, and resilience and flexibility is key, especially when you’re trading in art which is purely subjective… and don’t give up maths because you can’t outrun the numbers.
What do you do outside of work? Do you have a favourite hobby? How do you unwind and switch off?
I’m living a boomer fantasy and my city friends say that. In my spare time, I ‘homestead’. In reality, I’m just pottering around the garden, sipping tea or wine and making sure the plants aren’t dying. Our farm also grows truffles, so I’m in the process of training our dog Butter to hunt for them. She’s a great dog, but I’m an average trainer, so our progress is slow, but we found some last season. Who knows what bounty the next will bring!
Looking ahead – what’s next? What are you hoping to achieve this year?
My goal for the year is striking a better balance. Not necessarily doing less or more, but doing what we already do better. Finding more truffles would also be great.
You can follow Carina’s art or business below:
www.carinachambers.com.au
@carinachamberscreative
@carinachamberscreative
www.longlunchlinen.com.au
@longlunchlinen