I am a  Ballarat artist, making mixed media sculptures, pastel drawings and poetic ramblings. My sculptures are predominantly made from clay, found objects and textured materials which are based on organic natural forms.

I have been a practising artist for approximately twelve years, and during this time have exhibited widely throughout Australia and internationally, have had peer review images published in books and am held in several public and private collections.

I also teach classes and workshops in my studio in Dunnstown, 10km from Ballarat, details of which can be found at www.claymotion.com.au . I have been teaching for ten years in a range of venues, including community centres, schools and University.

Professional art services include: Ceramic Sculpture, Mixed Media Artworks, Classes & workshops, Creative Teambuilding, Art consultancy, Private, public and corporate commissions and Curating.

Artist Statement

Working from my studio on the outskirts of Ballarat at the base of a slumbering volcano, I am very aware of my environment, its constant changing, and its vulnerability. I am also very aware of the current global environmental crisis.

Within this context my art practice attempts to address these issues by making sculptural artworks that attempt to remind, though subliminally, the viewer of their innate connection to the Earth, and our reliance upon it for survival. I do this by using organic materials and textures and recycled materials to reflect the natural world. The combination of these materials, shapes and textures conjure abstract images of the landscape in an attempt to trigger innate, yet perhaps dormant, understandings within the viewer about their embedment in the natural environment. I use clay as the main material to suggest these concepts as it is itself of the “Earth”, and therefore a poignant reminder of humanities connection to the organic world. It is only through humanity becoming re-aware of their symbiotic relationship with the Earth that they can ever hope to stop consuming it and begin living with it.

I hope to capture these concepts within my drawing, ceramic tableware and jewellery range also by using textures, shapes and colours that reflect the natural world.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Education
2009 University of Ballarat : PhD. Evoking the Sacred: The Artist as Shaman.
(Environmental Sculptural Ceramics)
2004 University of Ballarat : Bachelor of Visual Arts (Fine Arts) Honours, First class.

International Juried Exhibitions

2012 Cutting Edge Masters of Contemporary Art,Florence,Italy.
2011 Invited International Potters Exhibition, Gangjin Ceramics Festival, South Korea.
2010 Artist in Residence Exhibition, Le Cabanon, Vallauris, France.
2008 8th International Ceramics Competition, Mino, Japan.
2007 Clay: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, Xiem Gallery, Pasadena, USA.

Solo Exhibitions
2010 Ephemeral Clay: An Ecological Exploration of Lake Beaufort, Ararat Regional Art Gallery, Ararat, Vic.
2010 Evoking the Sacred: The Artist as Shaman, Trocadero Artspace, Footscray, Vic.
2010 A Visual Discovery: Six Weeks in France, Red Gallery, Nth Fitzroy, Vic.
2005 Beyond Utility, The Window, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat.
2003 The Window, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat.

Two or Three Person Exhibitions

2011 Earth & Sky, Gallery on Sturt, Ballarat

2007 Nature’s Moments, Art Moments Gallery. Bondi, NSW.
2005 Whispers, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery.
2004 Symbiosis, Mowbray College, Melton.

Juried Exhibitions

2012 Launch Pad, Unicorn Gallery, Ballarat, Vic.

2012 ArtWear, Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic

2012 Small Works Show, Red Brick Gallery, Ballarat.

2012 Launchpad – Inaugural Unicorn Gallery Exhibition, Ballarat, Vic

2012 Click@redbrick, group photography show, Ballarat, Vic.

2011 Red Brick Group Show, Ballarat, Vic.
2011 Lorne Sculpture Show,Lorne,Victoria.

2011 International Artists Exhibition,GangjinCeledonMuseum,Gangjin,South Korea.

2011 Red Brick Small Works Show, Ballarat, Vic.

2010 Ergon Energy Ceramic Award, Rockhampton Art Gallery, Qld.
2010 Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition, Toorak, Vic.
2010 Williamstown Festival Contemporary Art Prize, The Substation, Newport, Vic.
2009 Masterworks in the Vineyard, Swipers Gully, Kangaroo Ground.
2009 Hybrid, Toyota Indoor Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Toyota Spirit Gallery, Melbourne.
2009 Moreland Sculpture Prize, Bridges Reserve, Moreland, Vic.
2009 ArtEcycle, Incinerator Arts Complex, Moonee Ponds, Vic.
2009 Murray Darling Palimpsest #7, Mildura.
2008 Ergon Energy Ceramic Award, Rockhampton Art Gallery, Qld.
2008 Moreland Sculpture Prize, Bridges Reserve, Moreland, Vic.
2008 ArtEcycle, Incinerator Arts Complex, Moonee Ponds, Vic.
2008 Stanthorpe Art Prize, Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Stanthorpe, Qld.
2007 Masterworks in the Vineyard, Swipers Gully, Kangaroo Ground.
2007 Annual Exhibition, Association of Sculptors Victoria, The Barn Gallery, Montsalvat, Eltham.
2007 The Garden Path, Toyota Spirit Gallery, Melbourne.
2007 Land and Water, Herring Island Summer Arts Festival, Herring Island, Melbourne.
2007 Ann Geroe Acquisitive Ceramics Award, Castlemaine State Festival, Old Castlemaine Gaol.
2007 Moreland Sculpture Survey, Bridges Reserve, Coburg.
2006 Tactonics- Expressive Ceramics, Diretribe Gallery, Carlton.
2006 Ceramics Victoria on Show, Gallery 159, Brisbane, Qld.
2006 Electric, VCG Exhibition, Kiln Gallery, Northcote Pottery
2005 Poised, VCG Exhibition, Kiln Gallery, Northcote Pottery.
2005 Arts Academy Ceramics, in conjunction with the 7th National Festival in Ceramics, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat.
2005 Victorian Campus Art Prize and Competition. Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Box Hill.
2004 Composed, Victorian Ceramics Group, Angela Robarts-Bird Gallery, Albert Park, Gasworks Arts Park.

Group Exhibitions

2011 Inaugural Suburbiart Group Exhibition
2005 Cowra Festival Art Awards, Cowra.
2005 Anthology, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat.
2005 About Ballarat, Radmac Gallery, Ballarat.
2004 Upholstery Gallery, Ballarat.
2004 Conundrum, 4 Cats Gallery, Abbotsford.
2003 Port Hacking Potters Group Exhibition & Competition.
2003 Landscape Into Art, Gordon Edgerton Galleries.
2003 Currabubula Red Cross 40th Art Exhibition.
2003 Upstarts, Victorian Ceramic Group, Federation Gallery, Old Post Office, Bendigo.

Fellowships & Residencies
2010 A.I.R Vallauris, Artist in Residence, Vallauris, France. Feb-April 2010.
2010 Golden Age, Beaufort. Artist in Residence. January, 2010.
2009 AGL Shaw Summer Research Fellowship. State Library of Victoria, Melbourne.

Awards, Grants & Scholarships

2012 Highly Commended: Red Brick Small Works Show
2011 Regional Arts Victoria quick response grant

2011 Winner: Red Brick Small Works Show.
2007 University of Ballarat Student Travel Award
2006 University of Ballarat Postgraduate Research Scholarship
2006 Pat Emery Emerging Artist Award.
2005 Ballarat Arts Foundation Grant.
2004 Encouragement Award. “Composed”, Victorian Ceramics Group, Angela Robarts-Bird Gallery.
2003 Golden Key International Honour Society: Lifetime membership.
2003 Certificate of Merit, Port Hacking Potters Group Exhibition & Competition
2003 Creative Pottery Award, Second Prize, Currabubula Red Cross 40th Art Exhibition

Professional Practice

2011-12: Art Therapist, Special Needs,BallaratEastSecondaryCollege.

2000-12 Tutor: Adults and children’s ceramic classes in my own studio, kinders and schools

2011 Founding member Suburbiart Artists Group

2011 Tutor: Lorne Sculpture Show, children’s workshops

2011 Tutor, ceramic classes with young refugee people for the New Hope Foundation.
2011 Gangjin Ceramics Festival & Sth Korea Ceramic Tour: invited artist and demonstrator
2010 Curator: Clayspace Inaugural Member’s Exhibition, Gallery on Sturt, Ballarat, Vic.
2010 Director and founding member of the Daylesford Region Ceramics Co-operative.
2009 Front of House (volunteer), Book:Site, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat, International Foto Biennale.
2007 Workshop Demonstrator: Fire Up-Cool Down, Kiln Workshop, Ceramics Victoria.
2007 Tutor: Ballarat Fine Art Gallery. After school workshop program
2007 Tutor, Ceramic Summer School, University of Ballarat.
2006 Tutor in Ceramics/3D, University of Ballarat.
2006 Visiting Artist: BRACE VisionsArt Disability Program. Sculpture workshop
2005 Tutor: Ballarat Fine Art Gallery. Children’s School holiday and after school workshop program
2005 Visiting Artist: BRACE VisionsArt Disability Program. Sculpture workshop.
2003 Guest Artist: Grampians Carer Respite Centre.
2000 Guest Artist: Our Lady of Fatima Primary School, Dunnstown & St Mary’s, Clark’s Hill
1997-99 Tutor: Werribee Community Centre, Adults and children’s ceramic classes.

Publications

2012 Best of 500 Ceramics, “Waterspiral” Published
2011 500 Raku: Image “Hillside” published
2010 Ceramics Today: 4 peer reviewed images.
2009 Patterns that Connect: Leonardo (peer reviewed) Vol. 42 issue 1.
2009 500 Ceramic Sculptures: Image “Water Spiral ” published
2007 Sacred Space in Contemporary Society: (peer reviewed) ISBN: 978-0-9758360-3-3http://www.acuads.com.au/publishing/publications/PortArthurProject/portarthurproject.htm
2006 University of Ballarat Annual Research Conference, Book of Abstracts:
Researchers @ UB: Making Connections (peer reviewed)
2005 University of Ballarat Annual Research Conference, Book of Abstracts:
Quality Research- Making an Impact. (peer reviewed)
2005 Ceramic Evolution Journal of Australian Ceramics. Vol 44. No 2.

Conferences & Symposiums
2007 Tasmanian School of Art, Revelation: Installation art and its capacity to interpret and elaborate
places of historical significance – Paper Presentation : Sacred Space in Contemporary Society.
2006 University of Ballarat Annual Research Conference, Researchers @ UB: Making Connections –
Paper Presentation : Sacred Space in Contemporary Society: the artist as shaman.
2005 University of Ballarat Annual Research Conference, Quality Research- Making an Impact. –
Poster Presentation : Sacred Space in Contemporary Society.

Memberships

Australian Ceramics Association.
Daylesford Region Ceramics Co-operative Ltd: Director and founding member.
Golden Key International Honour Society: Lifetime member.

Collections
Korea Gangjin Celadon Museum.
A.I.R Vallauris, Vallauris, France.
Kakunaka Corporation Kuukan Toshiki, Cho Toki City, Gifu, Japan.
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat, Vic.
Fiona Sinclair, Mr Mark Guirguis and various private collections