Biography
A multi-disciplinary artist based in Central Victoria, my work has grown out of a buddhist/ ecologist perspective.
Having graduated from Macquarie University with a major in Ecology and Molecular Genetics in 1976, I have worked at the National Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens (Sydney) and the University of Western Sydney before becoming a full-time art maker from the early 1980’s. Whilst much of my work since then is textile based, I call upon my drawing and photographic practice.
Many years of keen observation of my local bioregion have all contributed to an aesthetic that dwells upon underlying patterns and relationships inherent in this part of the world. The patterns of water drops on leaves, the way lichen spreads on sandstone or the manner in which trees co-inhabit the landscape is every bit as revelatory as great texts, painting or musical composition.
Art Prizes, Awards & Selected exhibitions
2024 National Contemporary Art Prize - Finalist - Canberra
Australian Textile Art Award - Finalist - Embroiderers Guild Victoria
2023 Golden Textures - Contemporary Art Quilt. Central Goldfields Art Gallery -
Viewers choice award
2020 Regional Arts Victoria - Regional Arts Relief Grant
2017/8 Art Quilt Australia - Yarra Valley Regional Gallery
2014 Hornsby Art Prize. Sydney
2004 Hobart Art Prize - selected exhibition - Hobart Art Gallery
2001 Hobart Art Prize - Fashion. Co-created with Paula Martin
1998 Tamworth National Fibre Exhibition - Tamworth City Art Gallery
1996 Stanthorpe Art Prize - Stanthorpe Regional Gallery, Queensland.
1995 Australia Council - Visual Arts & Crafts Board. Project Grant
1993 The Alice Art Prize - Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs
Discerning Textiles - Investigations of Process & Structure - Goulburn Regional Gallery
Inaugural Scholarship - Quilters’ Guild of N.S.W.
1992 Tamworth National Fibre Exhibition - Tamworth City Art Gallery
1991 Threads of Journeys - Australian Quilt Textiles - Dpt. of Foreign Affairs & Trade
1990 Fibre & Text - selected travelling exhibition, Ararat Regional Gallery
Blue Mountains Art Prize
1988 Tamworth National Fibre Exhibition - Tamworth City Art Gallery
1985,6,8 Australian Textile Art Prize - Awards of Merit
1986 Australia Council - Crafts Board - Project Development Grant
Solo Exhibitions (selected)
2022 The Arboreal Planet suite - Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine
2020 Centre - exhibition of collages - Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine
ArtsOpen - Castlemaine Victoria
2018 Stitched to everything...musings of an errant ecologist - Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine
ArtsOpen - Castlemaine Victoria
2016 …stitched to everything in the universe… , drawings. Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine
2009 The lie of the land - Hat Hill Gallery - Blue Mountains, N.S.W.
2004 X3 - solo exhibition - sculpture and painting. Gallery Lane Gallery. Leura
1993 Quilted Works - Fairmont Resort - Blue Mountains, N.S.W.
1989 Full Circle - quilted & sculptured Textiles - Narek Gallery, A.C.T.
Group Exhibitions (selected)
2024 Brunswick St Gallery Small Works Art Prize- mixed media, sculpture
2023 Connections - Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine
Lot 19 Sculpture Prize, Castlemaine
2021 Journeys - Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine
2018 Art Quilt Australia 2017 Exhibition of Art quilts. Launceston. Tasmania.
2014 Waste to Art - Blue Mountains Cultural Centre Gallery. Blue Mountains
2012 Regeneration - Contemporary Quilt Textiles. Manly Art Gallery & Museum 2011 Winter Show - Papyrus Gallery - Leura. Textiles and Drawing
2010 Skin - Red Ant Gallery - Sydney. Photographs
2009 Split infinitive - Kerry Lowe Gallery - Newtown. Mixed media and drawings Art Quilt Australia 09 - Crafts Council ACT
2008 Paper, Rock Scissors - Ben Roberts Gallery - Lawson. Mixed media
Tree/Creek - Ben Roberts Gallery - Lawson. Mixed media
2004 ICON - Images of the sacred - Blue Mountains. Drawing
2003 Blue Mountains Photographers - Katoomba
Creative Mountains Artists - Dorrigo Arts Council. Painting
1995 Textile exhibition - Gallery 43. Leura. N.S.W.1994
The New Quilt 1994 - Getting It Together. Manly, N.S.W
Colours of Australia - Quilters’ Guild N.S.W.
1993 Highly Irregular - Quilts not according to rule - Manly Regional Art Gallery 1992 Australian Perspectives - works from six Australian Quilt Artists - Sydney
Homage to the Idol - Contemporary Quilts - Manly Regional Art Gallery
1991 Threads of Life - Textile Art from Western Sydney - Lewers Regional Gallery
The New Quilt - contemporary Australian Quilts - Manly Regional Art Gallery
Commissions & Collections
1994 Textile Sculpture - Lloyds Bank. N.Z.
- National Pac. Sydney
- Concord General Hospital - Casualty Reception 1993 Two Textile/Quilted sculptures - Smith’s Crisps Head Office. Sydney Textile Sculpture - Heritage & Contemporary Art. Sydney 1991 Three Quilted Works - Fairmont Resort. Leura
1988 Four Festival Banners - Blue Mountains City Council
Publications
2024 Textile - Fibre Forum. Issue no.153
2023 Textile - Fibre Forum. Issue no.151
2021 Step into Paradise - Jenny Kee, Linda Jackson
2012 Textiles - The Art of Mankind by Mary Schoeser. Thames and Hudson
2011 Textile - Fibre Forum. Issue no.101
2009 Textile - Fibre Forum.
1992 The Quilters Kaleidoscope - Dianne Finnegan - Simon & Schuster. Craft Art (Vol 25) - ‘Australian Perspectives’
1990 Piece by Piece - The Complete Book of Australian
Quiltmaking - Dianne Finnegan - Simon & Schuster. 1989 Australian Quilts - The People & their Art - Simon & Schuster.
1988 Quilt Australia - A national survey of contemporary Australian quiltmaking - Bay Books.
Education & Experience
2014 3D printing workshop series - with Three Farm - Blue Mountains City Gallery 1996 Sculptural textiles with Jane Sauer (USA)
1995 Australian Network for Art & Technology. Summer School in Computer Design & Animation
1994 Master Creative Arts. - Wollongong University
1994 Mystical Symbols/Ritual Objects with Walter Nottingham (U.S.A.)
1988 Textile Constructions with Joan Michels-Pacque (U.S.A.)
1976 B.Sc. (Macquarie University). Majoring in Molecular Genetics & Ecology
Freelance Work
1999-present: Set up ‘PerformingDesign’ - a partnership with Paula Martin specialising in corporate and theatrical design, Public art, scenic art, theatre design, sculpting & prop making, costume & mask designing & making. Clients have included: Powerhouse Museum, Sydney; Jenny Kee; National Parks & Wildlife Service; Sydney Theatre Co; Westfields, Sydney; Olympic Opening Ceremony; Hermes of Paris; Royal agricultural Society, Sydney; Blue Mountains City Council.