Statement

The relationship between humans and nature has been one of the most prominent themes of art history and I believe it is a very important subject for artists to explore at this point in time.

Over the years I have used various techniques to explore this basic theme including installation and assemblage, but my practice has mainly involved painting. I appreciate the meditative observational nature of this medium. Painting allows the time and space to develop a type of intimacy with the subject that yields great rewards. Painting also leaves a lot of room for interpretation and it is the meeting of pure observation with the inner life and conditioning of the art maker that I find the most interesting.

Most recently I am painting objects from nature – leaves, seedpods, flowers and other found items.

Bio

Born in Wangaratta, Australia, I Studied philosophy, politics and media studies at Melbourne University and then studied Visual Art for one year at Box Hill Tafe, before getting into The Victorian College of the Arts and completing a Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting). Highlights from this time include being a finalist in the Wallara traveling art prize, winner of the Stella Dilger Award and receiving a special mention in the  Victorian Campus art prize.

I then continued informal art education in Tokyo for 2 years getting well acquainted with traditional and contemporary Japanese aesthetics and approaches.

In 2007 I relocated to Northern NSW where I became involved in the Murwillumbah Community Printmakers and the Murwillumbah Art Trail. I have studied with local artists including Hobie Porter and Rene Bolten. My work was highly commended in the Border art prize in 2013 and has been a finalist in several other prizes. I have had solo shows at CPM, NRCG and M-Arts and I am currently a studio artist at M-arts.

CONTACT: joak234@hotmail.com

CV

Education

2001 Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting) Victorian College of the Arts

Solo Exhibitions

2020    (Upcoming) Floral Appreciation Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley

Centre, Murwillumbah

2018     An exhibition of four local Artists M-Arts – Murwillumbah

2017    Nature Portraits Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina (October)

2009    Human Natures CPM Gallery, Murwillumbah

2006    Unrennovation Red Gallery, Contemporary Art Space,

Nth Fitzroy, Melbourne

Group Exhibitions

2019       Facade, Tweed Regional Gallery, Downtown, Murwillumbah

2019 .     In situ, M-arts, Murwillumbah

2017       The Flower Show M-Arts, Murwillumbah

2016       Botanicus Murwillumbah Art Trail, Murwillumbah

2015       Arts Northern Rivers Pop-up Tweed, Murwillumbah

2015       Murwillumbah Art Trail Prospero Street Pop – up

2009      Soft Landing Murwillumbah Community Printmakers Gallery

2008      The Door Snake Project Platform Artist Group. Degraves St Subway,

Melbourne.

2006         Nicholas: The life of a Building, Blindside Artist Run Space,

Nicolas Buiding, Melbourne

2005         Inaugral exhibition Pigment Gallery, Nicholas Building, Melbourne

2001       Graduate Exhibition, Victorian College of the Arts, Southbank

2001         Wallara Travelling Scholarship, Finalists exhibition.

V.C.A. Gallery, Southbank

2001          Sources and Resources V.C.A. Student Gallery, Southbank

2000          For real, V.C.A Student Gallery, Southbank.

1999          Fringe Festival Architecture Launch, “City Consumptions Pty Ltd

Preformance/Installation.  North Melbourne Town Hall,

North Melbourne.

1999          Site Specific, “80” Installation, Langridge Street Collingwood.

1997         “Matters”, Solo Painting show at ‘Gluttony’.Collingwood.

Awards

2018         Finalist BAM Art Prize

Finalist Gallery 7 Art Prize

2017         Finalist 30 x 30 Art Prize. Art Piece Gallery

2015         Finalist Border Art Prize. Tweed Regional Gallery

2013         Highly Commended, Border Art Prize

2001         Stella Dilger Award. V.C.A.

2001         Finalist Wallara Travelling Scholarship

2000         Special Mention, “Victorian Campus Art Prize”