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2 016 F I N A L I S T S
After much deliberation we’re pleased to announce the...
2016 STAEDTLER YEN FEMALE ART AWARD FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
Carla Adams Eleanora Arosio
U Shaved?
The Leavers Dance
Sabrina Baker
Tête-à-tête
Kristen Bayliss Penelope Boyd Rachel Burke
Hope
The Sentry
G re a t Wa l l of A p o m o g y
Hannah Crofts
Meatless In Seattle
Shaye Duong
Self Por trait
Laura Eyles
Ear th Cracks
Dana Ferris
Jelly Dessert
Gosia Gasiorowski
Ta i k a & J e a n C l a u d e
Neva Hosking Lorna MacRitchie
Home
Yo u S a t W i t h M e
W h i l e I Wa i te d ( Re d C h e e ke d - Re d C h e c ke d )
Genevieve Maladay
To B e A l o n e i n Yo u r T h o u g h t s
Bridgette McNab
Camille
Andy Mullens Nadia Odlum
In Passing I Paused
Amanda Porritt Caoife Power
Ve i l
Honeycomb Over
F i l l i n g I n : O n e Tw o T h r e e
Sara Roberts
Soma
yenmag.net
Carla Adams U Shaved? This weaving forms part of a larger body of work that developed after setting myself the task of finding an online relationship. The resulting dialogue between my suitors and I acted as the impetus for a series of large devotional weavings. This work is part portrait and part material/ process exploration. About the Artist Carla Adams is an early-career West Australian artist. After graduating from Central TAFE in 2012, her work was selected for the 2013 Hatched national graduate show at PICA. In 2014, Adams went on to receive 1st class honours from Curtin University where she is now a sessional academic. Adams has exhibited at APPLECROSS, Free Range Gallery, Paper Mountain & has most recently shown at MOANA carlaadams.net
Eleanora Arosio The Leavers Dance For this work I used coloured pencils, layers and layers of it. It’s one of those works I never get tired of, as I think its colours, plants and floating women make it a very calming image. About the Artist I’m a freelance illustrator based in Melbourne, but hope to have many bases around the world. I was born in 1992 and started being passionate about drawings from an early age. After I graduated from NABA Academy in Milan, I started dedicating myself to illustrations, focusing my work on ironic everyday aspects from a woman’s point of view. eleonoraarosio.com
Sabrina Baker Tête-à-tête Tête-à-tête stems from the sheer amount of communication we participate in on a daily basis. The artwork represents the total amount of time spent talking to different people, who are represented by different colours over a period of two months. The ropes are a physical interpretation of the invisible network between the artist and those she talks to. About the Artist I am an emerging artist from Canberra, making textile based sculpture. I have exhibited in several group shows with my first solo exhibition Pack and Unpack at ANCA gallery in Canberra in 2015. My work is inspired by how we communicate, probably stemming from my inability to stop babbling. Recently I’ve been recording all my conversations and finding ways to represent this information visually. sabrinabaker.com.au
Kristen Bayliss Hope The inspiration for this piece came from my work with hearing impaired people, as I’ve always found Sign Language mesmerising. I love that language becomes three dimensional and occupies a physical space, transitioning from auditory to both kinesthetic and visual. This piece, other than being an unspoken expression of “good luck”, is also the Sign for “hope”. My own right hand is the subject. About the Artist I started drawing last year and it’s completely redefined me. My background is in Neuroscience and I currenlty work with Cochlear Implants, helping people hear for the first time. It’s an honour and a privilege. Since discovering art and tapping into a dormant part of myself, I’ve unleashed a creativity that brings me such unexpected joy. I’d love to do it all day. kbayliss.com
Penelope Boyd The Sentry This piece is part of a body of work deconstructing figures from vintage knitting and sewing patterns. Out of context, expressions and actions are uncanny and interrogate a modern obsession with mass production. A young man stands alert, guarding nothing; the plastic rifle and muting of normally bright colours suggest a playful and dangerous scene. About the Artist I am an emerging artist working in Canberra, with a focus on figurative and portrait painting. I was the winner of the 2014 Cliftons Art Prize, and have been a finalist in both the Shirley Hannan Portrait Award and Yen Female Art Award, both in 2014. penelopeboyd.com
Rachel Burke G re a t Wa l l of A p o m o g y This piece is part of an ongoing artwork series I have been working on for the last nine months called Apomogy. People anonymously submit their apologies to a website I created, and I attach the submissions to a pom pom. Each pom pom in this wall installation has been hand made by me and contains anonymous confessions of apology from people around the world. About the Artist I am a practicing textile artist and designer from Brisbane, Australia. I specialise in sculpture and wearable art. apomogy.com
Hannah Crofts Meatless in Seattle In Istanbul last year I booked an Airbnb which turned out to be the Turkish equivalent of FaultyTowers. Mustafa (who was Basil Faulty) fell about this broken terrace, somehow continuously locking himself out and repeatedly explaining to me in Turkish not to put toiletpaper in the toilet. As I don’t speak Turkish this was mostly done in ‘Shwoo Shwoo!’ sound effects and a bizarre hand gesture. About the Artist A Melbournian turned Sydneysider, I am a music manager, musician and artist. Touring with my band All Our Exes Live In Texas the majority of my art practice is done on the road, namely in seat 7D of a Virgin Boeing 777. hannahmarjorie.tumblr.com
Shaye Duong Self Por trait Self Portrait ultimately aims to create conversation on the issues of intersectional inclusion and representation, and identity crisis of mixed people of colour, within the current body positivity movement; a movement that challenges Eurocentric beauty ideals. It intends to reflect a celebration and enduring journey of contented acceptance of my physical appearance and culture as a mixed WoC. About the Artist Shaye Duong is currently studying a Bachelor of Visual Arts in Adelaide, SA. Her work aims brings into light the issues of intersectional representation and inclusion within the current body positivity movement, creating a space within contemporary feminism for her own experience with the body and beauty ideals, racism, and mental illness. facebook.com/shayeduongart
Laura Eyles Ear th Cracks Earth Cracks Brooch Copper, Enamel, Glass Roadworks Beads. This work draws from my time I have spent in the Australian desert. Looking to the ground where the soil has cracked from the dry hot sun, lifting up in sections like little islands from its bed. Being copper the brooch will patina over time like a rusting car burnt out in the desert. About the Artist I am a Melbourne-based contemporary jeweller whose work is a reflection of my approach to life. A sense of playfulness, adventure and discovery surrounds each piece I make. I enjoy working in metal and have been making since 1999. I have been published both nationally and internationally and have exhibited as part of some interesting group shows including collaborating as part of David Bowie Is. lauraeyles.com
Dana Ferris Jelly Dessert This is a painting of a jelly dessert, yes it’s a painting. I enjoy doing still life of food because it’s so relaxing and capturing the textures is fun. About the Artist I’m a freelance digital artist in Queensland, I’ve won two grants as well as done illustration work for a published children’s book. I draw inspiration from all sources but mostly other artworks. artbydana.org
Gosia Gasiorowski Ta i k a & J e a n C l a u d e The subject of my work is modern day masks. People have a connection when seeing face and I get to build them a story and imagine what these character would be like. I craved each mask from recycled wood and gave them a new life. Wood is amazing it makes you pay attention and focus. My work allows me to create new wonderful characters and stories. About the Artist I’m a Sydney based Artist & Designer with energy and wild imagination! Ive always drawn or painted but not until the last 2 years did I find a medium that held my attention - wood. It has so much of its own character & requires all of your focus. I love the idea of creating a character that has it’s own story. I get to put my imagination & offbeat humour into them. instagram.com/goshahh
Neva Hosking Home This is a self portrait piece about putting down roots in a new place. Being alone in a new city is exhilarating and isolating at the same time, my plants growing around me create a sense of home and somewhere to hide when the city feels too big. Pencil and paper are familiar tools to me but I decided to try something new by limiting myself to drawing a small square a day. About the Artist Perth native living in big old Sydney, studying a printmaking major at NAS. Got a heavy love for line and faces and the Fernery at the Botanic Gardens. instagram.com/neva1992
Lorna MacRitchie Yo u S a t W i t h M e W h i l e I W a i t e d ( R e d Cheeked-Red Checked) An act of confession, this painting communicates an obsession with intimacy and a yearning for comfort. The monotony of the blanket is paired with a playful childlike innocence and expectation, while juxtaposed with a passionate expression of desire – the soft pink blush of cheeks and the substance beneath the skin. About the Artist I am a multi-disciplinary artist residing in Sydney. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) from UNSW Art and Design and I currently work in painting, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, textiles and installation. During my degree, I also studied in the USA at the University of Connecticut under Master Printer Laurie Sloan. I have exhibited at UNSW Galleries, Kudos Gallery and NORTH Art Space. lornamacritchie.tumblr.com
Genevieve Maladay To B e A l o n e i n Yo u r T h o u g h t s Sometimes I think too fast but act too slow. And sometimes I think too much and don’t do enough. About the Artist I am twenty. I have always created. I like to draw people on trains when they’re not looking. I love all materials but nothing beats a crisp black pen.
Bridgette McNab Camille Camille is a character from Jean-Luc Godards ‘La Chinoise’. Inspired by French new wave cinema , I am particularly interested in the dialogue between colour and narrative and traditions of femininity and the masquerade. About the Artist Working primarily in oils, I graduated from the National Art School in 2011 with an honours degree in painting. Perhaps best known for portraiture, my work has been selected for major art prizes including the Portia Geach Memorial Award, The Doug Moran and Archibald prize.
bridgettemcnab.blogspot.com
Andy Mullens Ve i l Veil uses found photographs purchased from flea markets in Vietnam during my first trip “back.” These photos were left behind from the War. I obstruct the faces of the female subjects with thread. As I stitch I puncture the photo repeatedly, rendering it fragile. This textile installation presents a tension reflective of my conflicted feelings as both an outsider & owner of Vietnamese history. About the Artist I’m an emerging artist from Canberra with a BVA (Hons) from ANU. My art practice is an ongoing investigation of cultural identity. I use my Vietnamese-Australian heritage as a case study in my works, employing mixed media, installation, found objects & photography. I explore a shifting notion of what it means to negotiate dual cultural identity & actively reconcile with my Vietnamese heritage. andymullens.com
Nadia Odlum In Passing I Paused This work is inspired by the many overlays of pattern and form, line and colour, shapes and reflections that can be witnessed when walking through a city’s streets. The front panel is an acrylic offcut, sourced from Reverse Garbage, that I have heat formed and spray painted. The back panel is wood, vinyl and acrylic paint. When the two sets of patterns overlay, they create a moirÊ effect. About the Artist My work explores the processes of perception associated with the navigation of architectural spaces and urban environments. I studied for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) at the National Art School (2012), and a Master of Fine Arts (by research) at UNSW Art & Design (2016). I have exhibited in numerous group and solo shows, and am a current resident at Parramatta Artists Studios. nadiaodlum.com
Amanda Porritt Honeycomb Over This piece was inspired by the work of one of her favourite photographers Jonathan Gregson. It’s been drawn with a mix of prismacolour pencils, Stabillo fine liners and acrylic paint. About the Artist Amanda Porritt is a self taught artist based in Sydney who loves creating minimalist and photorealistic illustrations from pencil.
Caoife Power F i l l i n g I n : O n e Tw o T h r e e My current practice responds to my own perspective as a female artist, visualising the relationship between the physical environment and memory. I am interested in themes of culture, identity and the erosion of our land. I hope to address the need for compassion through the alluring power of colour, dealing with the landscape from a perspective of intimacy. About the Artist I am a visual artist based in Sydney, currently completing a B Fine Arts/ B Arts (English) at UNSW Art and Design. My practice is multidisciplinary, operating predominantly within painting. I have exhibited in AD Space, Cell Block Theatre at NAS, Gaffa, Skyfire Studio, and have an upcoming show at 107 Projects. instagram.com/caoifepower
Sara Roberts Soma In this painting I am looking at how space and time are constantly shifting around us and how this space can become a reflection of our experiences, hopes and even dreams. I navigate the line between abstraction and figuration and take a look at my own experiences of having lived in different countries and feeling like an eternal foreigner. I also examine the notion of an ambiguous reality created.
About the Artist Sara Roberts graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) in Printmedia in 2011 and is a current MFA candidate in Painting at Sydney College of the Arts. She is an Australian visual artist who works primarily in oil paint. Often meditating on specific locations, her work reflects memories of places that she has been, interwoven with more idyllic and imagined elements of the environment. sararobertsartist.com