My career as an artist has led me to many opportunities both within Australia and overseas. With many creative skills — including contemporary basketry, sculpture and textiles — the work I create responds strongly to many areas of interest including extensive research into landscape and history. Art projects have taken me from WOMADelaide, to the streets of Adelaide and helping disadvantaged people in New York. My creative vision and passion continues to grow — the journey continues.
Education
2009 Bachelor Visual Arts, Honours (1st class) Sculpture, SA School of Art, UNISA.
2006 Certificate IV Training & Assessment, TAFE SA.
2002 Groundswell Regional Arts Conference, Albury NSW.
1999 Graduate. Diploma, Community Cultural Development, Community Based Arts Practice, CAN SA.
1998 Tamworth Textile Master class, attended worship with tutor - Ruth Hadlow.
1993 Bachelor Liberal Studies - Majors: Art & Environmental Management, University of South Australia.
Exhibitions (selected)
40 Years of Arts Education, old scholars and artists in residence, Pembroke School, S.A, October 2014.
Group Exchange, 2nd Tamworth Textile Triennial 2014, touring Australia for 3 years, Tamworth NSW, August 2014-15 .
Water Front, a collaborative installation with Susan Bruce, Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa, South Australia, Jan. 2014.
Spinifex Country, Flinders University City Gallery, Adelaide SA, October 2013 .
Palmer Sculptural Event, Featured artist, SALA Festival, August 2013
Arid Sculptural Exhibition, Port August SA, August 2012
Heysen Sculptural Biennial, a collaboration with artist Sue Kneebone, February 2012.
Art Images, Norwood SA, November 2011.
The Space Between, 1st Floor Foyer, Adelaide Town Hall, SA, June/Sept 2011
6 Years in the Making (solo exhibition) Barossa Regional Gallery, Tanunda SA, July 2010.
Quiet Reader, Adelaide Central Gallery, Norwood SA, February 2010.
Domestication, (solo exhibition) Studio Works Retail Gallery, Jam Factory, Adelaide SA, August 2009.
Tradition and Beyond, Broken Hill Regional Gallery, Broken Hill NSW, March/May2009.
Revealing Meaning in Cloth, Prospect Gallery, Prospect SA, March/May2009.
Resurfacing (solo exhibition), Prospect Gallery, Prospect SA, October 2008.
Hinterland Country Arts SA, Regional Touring Exhibition 2008/09, July 2008.
In the World: head, hand, heart Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial, National Tour 2006/08, September 2006.
The Colour of Saffron SASA Gallery, University of SA, June 2006.
Wishlist Craftsouth,SALA Festival Exhibition, Leigh St, Adelaide, SA, August 2005.
Textile Biennial, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville Qld, April 2005.
The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize, South Aust. Museum, Adelaide, Aug-Sept. 2004.
String Me A Story, Edith Cowan University, Perth WA, April 2004.
Artfest, Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton NSW, Aug. 2003.
Go with the Flow Blue Poles Gallery, Byabarra NSW, Oct. 2003.
Weaving the Murray Art Gallery of S. Aust., toured regional SA 2002/03, Jan. 2002.
Reflections - People and Places Prospect Gallery, Prospect SA, Oct. 1997.
Alice Springs Craft Acquisition, Araluen, Alice Springs NT, June 1996.
Alice Springs Craft Acquisition, Araluen, Alice Springs NT, May 1995.
Fibre Forms - Functional and Free, Yarabee, Adelaide SA, September 1994.
Earth, Sea and Sky Studio 20, Blackwood SA, June 1993.
Palmer Sculptural Biennial 2008, Palmer, SA, February 2008.
12th International Triennial of Tapestry, Lodz, Poland, May 2007.
In Other Words Art Space, Adelaide Festival Centre, S. Aust. Nov. 2006.
Professional experience
Workshops & projects (selected)
Sand Art Project, a community day creating individual and collaborative sand installations,2015. Largs Bay SA, City of Port Adelaide Enfield, with artist Helen Crawford.
Weaving workshops, Port Adelaide, supported by Port Adelaide Enfield Council S.A. 2015.
Naturally Fascinating, 3 days of workshops, Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa, S.A, 2014. Creating wearable forms, baskets and sculptural objects using natural and recycled materials.
Community Arts in Place Project, Adelaide City Council, Adelaide S.A, 2014.
Barkley Artist Camp, workshop presenter, Desart Inc, Tennant Creek, N.T., 2014.
Pod of Optimism Project, artist, Mawson Lakes School, Adelaide SA, 2014.
Kumuwuki/Big Wave, workshop presenter, Regional Arts National Conference, Goolwa SA, 2012.
Word on the Street Adelaide Festival of Ideas. Adelaide SA, 2011. An ephemeral art project combining the written word and visual installation of a community’s thoughts.
Womadelaide Earth Station Festival, artist, Adelaide SA, 2011. Carclew - recycled arts activities for children and youth attending the festival. With Artist Dr Sue Kneebone.
Desert Harmony Festival, community artist Tennant Creek NT., 2010. A one month project for artists from communities in the Barkly region NT to develop skills in fibre basketry and sculpture. Artworks created were installed at the Festival. With artist Tis Milner-Nichols
Art Start Research and Business Development, New York, USA, 2010. An Australia Council ArtStart grant assisted with this one month professional development opportunity.
Textile Fibre Forum, tutor, Geelong Vic. 2009. This workshop allowed participants to explored approaches to basketry and sculptural forms using a range of materials. Inspired by and responding to the local environment.
Artist in Residence Pembroke School, Adelaide SA, 2008. Middle school students learnt about fibre arts in Australia and designed and created sculptural animal fibre forms.
Artist in Residence Wilderness School, 2007. Adelaide Students learnt about traditional and contemporary basketry and developed collaborative class works. Exhibition of personal works and artist talk.
Vietnam Veterans Public Art Commission, City of Salisbury Mentorship, 2006-2007. A team project mentored by Martin Corbin, with artists Jerry McMahon and Chris Ormerod. I had involvement in the consultation, design development, fabrication and installation.
Tjanpi Desert Weavers Project, co-ordinating artist, WOMADelaide 2007, 2006-2007. In collaboration with Marg Edgecombe, Tjanpi artists and selected participants a ‘bush themed’ fibre installation was created under the Tjanpi artist’s direction for the 2007 Festival.
Haystack Mountain School of Craft, workshop tutor, Maine USA, 2006. A two week workshop for students from the USA, Canada and UK Basketry techniques, natural dyes, construction and sculpture were areas explored by students.
Aqua sculpture, community artist 2005, Port Macquarie NSW. A range of sculptural installations were created with artists and community members along the foreshore area of Port Macquarie.
State Library SA, Public Art Commission, assisting artist, 2002-2003. Assisted commissioned artist Kay Lawrence with the fabrication of the hand-made plant fibre string ellipse element of the State Library commission.
lntertwine, Project Manager. Adelaide Festival, 2001/ 2002 March 2002. Artists from Australia and overseas participated in this program of exhibitions, workshops, forum etc.I ntertwine involved the SA Museum, Tandanya, University of SA and other organisations.
Weaving the Murray, Centenary of Federation SA. This collaborative project involved 7 artists. Artwork created responding to research and travel along the River Murray. The artwork Installation was launched at an exhibition at the Art Gallery of SA and toured regional SA and Victoria.
Awards and Prizes
(selected)
2014 Arts SA, Independent makers and Presenters Grant
2009 ArtStart Grant, Australia Council
2009 Chancellors Letter of Commendation, **[University of South Australia?]
2008 Jam Factory Contemporary Craft & Design Award, SALA Festival.
2007 Arts SA Grant – support for travel to Poland
2005 Chancellor’s and Dean’s Merit List for Academic Achievement, **[University of South Australia?]
Publications
(selected)
Textile, issue 1, no. 101, 2011, inside front cover.
Asian Art News, May/June 2010, pp 54 - 59.
Asian Art News, January/February 2009, pp 109 – 110.
Textile, issue 4, no. 92, 2008, pp 30 - 31.
The Advertiser Review, Saturday October 4, 2008 pp 14-15.
Adelaide Matters, July/August 2008 p. 32.
Asian Art News, May/June 2007, pp. 72-77.
Weekend Australian, 'Arts,' August 7-8 2004, pp. 18-19.
Qantas Magazine, August 2004, p. 148.
Artlink, vol. 24, no. 1, March 2004, pp. 45-56.
Textile, issue 3, no. 67, 2002, p. 31.
Artlink, vol. 22, no 2, June 2002, p. 82.
Collections
Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australian Museum, City of Prospect, The University of South Australia Jeffrey Smart Building, Private collections.