Qualifications
2019 - current | Master of Research Candidate, (Commonwealth Supported Place), RMIT University |
2004– 2010 | Bachelor of Fine Art (Ceramics), RMIT University |
1997 | Postgraduate Diploma of Fine Art (Art Curatorship and Museum Management), University of Melbourne |
1983-1987 | Bachelor of Education (Arts and Crafts), Melbourne College of Advanced Education (MCAE) |
Awards & Grants
| 2019 | Higher Degree by Research Travel Grant (HDRTG), RMIT University |
| 2011 | Australia Council ArtStart Grant |
| 2011 | Scholarship Recipient, RMIT Honours Endowment Travelling Scholarship |
| 2011 | RMIT University Ceramics Honours Award for Excellence |
| 2010 | RMIT Ceramics Honours Student Award |
| 2009 | Ge & Ge Sponsors Award, Ceramics Victoria 40th Anniversary Exhibition |
| 2007 | Mary and Lou Senini Student Art Award, McClelland Art Gallery |
| 2007 | Clayworks Ceramics Award for Excellence, RMIT |
| 2007 | George Alexander Foundation Grant, RMIT |
| 2006 | Siemens RMIT Fine Arts Scholarships |
Exhibitions
2020 | Wyndham Art Prize, Shorlisted, Wynham Art Gallery |
2019 | Conversation with a Landscape, Vitrine Gallery, Craft Victoria |
2012 | Ain't No Mountain High Enough-Milestones for Two Centuries of Women Climbers, Mailbox 141 Flinders Lane, Melbourne |
Selected Group Exhibitions
2020 | Tarkine in Motion 2020: Frontlines, Bob Brown Foundation Exhibition,Long Gallery, Hobart |
The Talking Ornament, Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne Design Week 2020 | |
2019 | Presenters Exhibition, Princes Wharf One, Hobart |
2018 | Material Memories, Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Launceston |
Finalist, Kyltie Pate Award, Mansfield | |
2017 | Finalist, Craft Award, Craft, Melbourne |
Finalist, Klytie Pate Award | |
2016 | Wonky, Curated by Sophia Cai & Caitlin Shearer, Tinning Street Presents, Brunswick. |
2015 | Storm in a Teacup, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, curated by Wendy Garden |
Victorian Craft Award, Craft Victoria | |
Manningham Victorian Ceramic Art Award, MC3 Art Gallery, judges by Robert Reason, Curator of European & Australian Decorative Arts, Art Gallery f South Australia | |
2014 | the course of objects: the fine line of inquiry at the Manly Art Gallery and Museum, an Australian Ceramics Association Biennial Exhibition |
2012 | 28th Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award |
Tooth and Nail: Cross Cultural Influences in Contemporary Ceramics, a RMIT, NETS (Victoria) and Chinese Museum (Melbourne) International and National Touring Exhibition | |
2011 | Narrative Knot, Manly Art Gallery and Museum |
RMIT Student Representative, Affordable Art Fair, Exhibition Buildings | |
2010 | Ceramics RMIT Student Exhibition, Carbon Black |
Resonate, First Site Gallery | |
2009 | Bottled, Pan Gallery |
Siemens RMIT Fine Art Scholarship Exhibition, RMIT Gallery | |
Unearth, RMIT Graduate Exhibition, Skepsi on Swanston | |
Stirring, Skepsi on Swanston | |
Perspective, selected members exhibition, Craft Victoria | |
Ceramics Victoria 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Manningham Art Gallery | |
Pat Emery Award & Exhibition, Yarra Sculpture Gallery | |
2007 | Mary and Lou Senini Student Art Award for Ceramics, McClelland Gallery |
Pat Emery Award & Members Exhibition, Paynter Gallery, Bendigo Pottery | |
Ceramics Faculty Exhibition, RMIT School of Art Gallery | |
2006 | Siemens RMIT Fine Arts Exhibition, RMIT Gallery |
Residency
| 2017 | Northcote Pottery Residency |
| 2013 | Travel to Berlin, Dresden, Munich, RMIT Honours Endowment Travelling Scholarship |
| 2008 | Jingdezhen Pottery Workshop and Experimental Sculpture Factory, China |
Conferences
| 2017 | Holding Place Making Space, The Australian Ceramics Triennale, Hobart |
| 2013 | Clay Push, Ceramics Conference Gulgong, NSW |
| 2012 | Subversive Clay, 2012 Australian Ceramics Triennale, Adelaide |
| 2009 | Australian Ceramics Triennale, Sydney |
| 2006 | Verge 11th National Ceramics Conference, Brisbane |
Workshops
2019 | Mirrnong Minnie Bush Animals Inspired by the Tjanpi Desert Weavers with Aunty Bronwyn Razem Razem, RMIT University |
Weave Down South Workshop with Maparu Weavers, CERES Environment Park | |
2013 | 3D Collage with conservator Penny Byrne, Slow Clay Centre |
2011 | Anton Reijnders, Masterclass, RMIT University |
Media
2016 | Cai, S 2016, ‘Embrace a Little Wonkiness’, Wonky Exhibition Catalogue |
2013 | O'Dwyer, R 2013, Delivering the Long Look, Journal of Australian Ceramics, Issue 522, (July 2013), pp.71-74. |
2012 | Ballard, B., The Narrative Knot, Ceramics Art and Perception, Issue 88, p. 28-33 |
2011 | Wedd, G 2011, ‘The Narrative Knot Stories in Ceramics’, Journal of Australian Ceramics, Volume 50 Issue 3, (Nov 2011) pp. |
Professional Activity
2008-ongoing | Critical writing & publishing on contemporary ceramics & craft |
2019 | Master of Ceremonies, Holding Space Making Place Conference, Australian Ceramics Triennale, Hobart |
2018 - 2019 | Lecturer in Ceramics RMIT |
2017 | Lecturer in Objective-Based Design Ceramics, RMIT |
2014 - ongoing | Victoria Wide Writer for the Journal of Australian Ceramics |
Blog on contemporary ceramics lookingwithsofteyes.blogspot.com | |
2012 - ongoing | Studio at Elm Place Studios, North Melbourne |
2011 | Guest Editor, Journal of Australian Ceramics, Issue 550/1 |
2009 | Lecture 15 Days In Jingdezhen, Australian Ceramic Triennale, Sydney |
2003 | Project Manager, Craft Victoria |
Including creation of inaugural Scarf Festival 2003 | |
2002 | Curator of Fold, group exhibition at Craft Victoria |
2000 - 2001 | Program Manager, Craft Victoria |
1999 | Touring Services Project Manager, Museums Australia (Victoria) |
1997 - 2000 | West Space Committee Committee Member (Footscray to CBD) |
1996– 1998 | Assistant Registrar, National Gallery of Victoria |
1988– 1994 | Art and craft teacher, Kurunjang Secondary College, Victoria |
Industry Membership
Bluestone Collection, inaugural member & Honorary Treasurer | |
Craft Victoria | |
Australian Ceramics Association | |
Victorian Institute of Teaching |
