Artists CV
I work across a wide variety of embroidery techniques from hand and machine embroidery styles, appliqué, printing and dyeing to surface embellishment, basketry and felting in both 2D and 3D forms. The use of colour and design and different methods of processing designs are an integral part of my work practice. My work is largely inspired by the natural environment but I also love doing figurative pieces. Exploring techniques and skills based in traditional practices and using them to realise their potential in contemporary embroidery is a passion.
I have just completed a Master of Fine Arts degree, part time, through Newcastle University, NSW, Australia.
My formal qualifications include; B.A., Deakin University, Victoria, 1998 with a Major in Literary Studies and other Units taken in Children’s Literature, Communications and Cultural Studies.; Dip. Teach with Distinction, University of Technology, Sydney, 1991; Higher Certificate in Fashion Technology, East Sydney Technical College 1988: Fashion Technology Certificate, Newcastle Technical College, NSW 1986 ; and various Art, Textile, and Information Technology Courses.
My initial interest was in Fashion and I worked as a teacher of Fashion for NSW TAFE for 10 years. I currently work part time with NSW Department of Education, mainly in the area of Textiles and Design and teach at the Embroiderers’ Guild of NSW as well as conduct free lance workshops for both adults and children. Other means of earning a living in the arts and crafts have included selling through a craft co-operative, galleries and gift shops, commissions, market stalls, Craft Shows, dressmaking and exhibiting Artworks at various galleries locally, nationally and internationally.
I started exhibiting my work in 1995, the first pieces being a mixed media art quilt and an art doll built on a skeletal armature. My work has gone through many changes and experiments with different media since then. I have exhibited wearable art in London, New Zealand and Australia, including “Powerhouse International Lace for Fashion Awards” in 2000, Sydney; Textile wall pieces in Japan, New Zealand and Australia and won the open section of “Art in the Blue Mountains 2000” with a sculpture based on basketry techniques. I also won first prize in “The Margaret Oppen Memorial Prize in 2000 and in 2002 with framed works based on life drawings interpreted in textiles using various media. I have been involved in over 70 exhibitions since 1995.
Solo exhibitions | |
| 2006 | 30/9/06 – 14/10/06 “Watching Me, Watching You”, solo exhibition for Master of Fine Art Degree, Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney |
Group exhibitions | |
| 2007 | "Gallery Blackheath", Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath, various exhibitions throughout 2007 |
| 2006 | “Textile Traditions, Interpretation, Innovation & Evolution”, an exhibition of work by the Tutors of the Embroiderers’ Guild of NSW Inc. at Fairfield City Museum & Gallery, Smithfield |
| 2005 | “Drawing the Line”, works on paper, postgraduate exhibition, Newcastle University. |
| 2005 | “Emerge 2”, Blue Mountains Artists Network exhibition at Katoomba Artspace “Sculpture Exhibition”, Blue Mountains Artists Network, exhibition at Katoomba Artspace. “Artstreet”, Winter Magic Festival, Blue Mountains City Council The Gallery, Blackheath -invited to exhibit sculptures |
| 2004 | “James Harvey Gallery“, Sydney. New work “Intertextiles” “Time & Love - The Handcrafted Bedroom” Penrith Regional Art Gallery and the Lewers Bequest, Felted nudes Jakeman’s Framing - Window Exhibition “Threads” Contemporary Art & Textiles, Cowra Art Gallery, Selection of works from the “Intertextiles” Bathurst Exhibition |
| 2003 | The Craft Spectacular, Perth, W.A. Art To Wear Wearable Art - Knitting & Stitches show London “Intertextiles” Contemporary textile & fibre works - Bathurst Exhibition. One Step Further” contemporary quilt exhibition, Old Treasury Museum, Melbourne. |
| 2002 | Combined Elements - Joint exhibition at Katoomba Civic Centre The Embroiderers’ Guild of NSW Exhibition at the Lower Town Hall, “Margaret Oppen Memorial Prize”, Embroiderer’s Guild of NSW Inc. Tutor’s & past winners first prize. Art of the Environment - Katoomba Civic Centre Combined Elements- Joint exhibition at Katoomba Civic Centre Blue Mountains Sculptors - Katoomba Civic Centre Art to Wear- Western Australia Traditional Craft Spectacular Vic Quilters, Featured artist at Quilt show, 12 works shown Display of work in Art Shop Gallery, Jakeman’s Framing, Wentworth Falls “The Insects” Fairfield Museum & Gallery, Sydney. by invitation. “Chill Out” Wearable Art Extravaganza, Special mention for “Litoria”, Katoomba Civic Centre Australian Craft Show at Circular Quay, Sydney with the ”Australian Batik & Surface Design Association” “Friends of Braemar” , Braemar Gallery, Springwood “Wood Clay Cloth”, exhibition of framed works & sculptures with a potter, weaver & sculptor. Braemar Gallery, Springwood, Blue Mountains, NSW |
Awards and Prizes | |
| 2002 | Margaret Oppen Memorial Prize 1st prize for Tutors and past winners Embroiderers’ Guild NSW Inc., October 2002 Work: “Contemplation” Machine Embroidered, Felted Nude |
| 2001 | “One Step Further” Contemporary Quilt Show, Swan Hill Regional Gallery, Victoria, Best of Show, Nov-Dec 2001 Work: “Drawn & Quartered 2 - The Blonde & the Brunette”, Shibori dyeing techniques, machine & hand embroidery, beading and appliqué. |
| 2000 | “Powerhouse Museum International Lace for Fashion Awards”, Selected as a finalist, July - Oct 2000 Work: “Arthropoda” Evening gown of Machine Embroidered lace insects and cobwebs. |
| Margaret Oppen Memorial Prize 1st prize Embroiderers’ Guild NSW Inc., October 2000 Work: “Nude Study 5”, Shibori dyeing techniques on silks, machine and hand embroidery, appliqué and beading, Machine stitched and painted mulberry paper border. | |
| Braemar Gallery Banner Acquisition prize, July 2000 Work: “Drawn & Quartered” 2 metre shaped nude banner designed to hang on the Gallery veranda. Appliqué, painting, machine & hand embroidery. | |
| “Art in the Mountains 2000“, Blue Mountains Art Prize, won Open section, June 2000 Work: “Standing Still Dancing” basketry sculpture with coiled palm branches and fruiting stalks, barramundi skin and seaweed. | |
| “Norse wear Art Awards”, New Zealand, Wool and Fibre Section, Merit Award - April 2000 Work: “Land of Contrasts”, Wall Quilt printed, painted, appliquéd, machine and hand embroidery, applied objects and sculptural quilting. | |
Formal Qualifications | |
| 2006 | Master of Fine Art Degree, Newcastle University |
| 1998 | Bachelor of Arts - Humanities, Deakin University, Victoria Major in Literary Studies, other units taken in Children’s Literature, Communications and Cultural Studies. |
| 1991 | Diploma of Teaching with Distinction University of Technology, Sydney |
| 1988 | Higher Certificate in Fashion Technology Credit Grade East Sydney Technical College |
| 1986 | Fashion Technology Certificate Credit Grade Newcastle Technical College |
| Various Art, Textile, Information Technology and Staff Development Courses | |
| Accredited with the NSW Embroiderer’s Guild to teach Surface Stitchery, Appliqué, and Machine Embroidery. | |
Publications | |
| 2003 | Textile Fibre Forum vol 22, Issue1,no.69, 2003, “Mountain Air…bushland… the scent of the gum tree…Richard Allport writes on Kath Wilkinson”. |
| 2002 | Fibreline, Australian Batik & Surface Design Association, Newsletter, issue 109 September 2002, “Voyage of Discovery - Kath Wilkinson” |
| Down Under Quilts no.60, April 2002 - Article on “One Step Further Exhibition” | |
| 2001 | Craft Arts International Issue 53, 2001 - Basketry Article |
| Textile Fibre Forum vol 20 issue 64, 2001- Rosemary Shepherd on “Lace for Fashion”, 2nd International Lace Awards. | |
| Textile Fibre Forum same issue - “Old Traditions New Ways”, Basketry Exhibition reviewed by me. | |
| 2000 | New Zealand Quilter no.32, July 2000 - Article on Norsewear Art Awards |
| Textile Fibre Forum vol 19 Issue 1, no.57, 2000 Article on “Outrageous Brides” exhibition | |
| 1998 | Down Under Quilts issue 43, December 1998, Article on “One Step Further “ exhibition. |
Newspapers | |
| Sydney Morning Herald - Good Weekend 2001 - Story on Powerhouse International Lace Awards. | |
| Sun Herald - Tempo Cover story for the Australian Craft Show 23.11.1997 | |
| Blue Mountains Gazette - various | |
Work History | |
| 2003-2006 | Part time teaching with NSW Department of Education. Freelance workshops and teaching with the Embroiderers’ Guild on the “Embroidery by Design” Course. 2003 & 2004 teaching at the Textile Fibre Forum Conference, Mittagong. Participated in various group exhibitions including “The Intertextiles”, exhibition at Bathurst Regional Gallery in 2003 and James Harvey Gallery in Clovelly in 2004. |
| 2001-2005 | Involved with the “Young Textile and Fibre Group” , YTFG, of the Embroiderers’ Guild of NSW as a committee member and in producing the 12 to 14 page Newsletter 3 times per year as well as setting up exhibitions of children’s work. |
| 1999-2003 | Combined Elements Exhibitions with a group of artists. |
| 1997-2003 | 1997 Teaching at Katoomba Day & Evening College 1997-1999 - Running Workshops in various subjects at “Katoomba Stitchery” for adults and children. (Mask Making, 3D creatures, dressmaking, pattern making, embroidery - hand & machine, design etc.) 1997 - Designed my own business cards and brochures - Pagemaker program. Selling work on consignment at various shops and galleries - ongoing 2001, 2002, 1997 Australian Craft Shows, Sydney at The Hodern & Circular Quay 1998 Winter Magic Festival - Involved in the organising, setting up and running of Assisted with “Chill Out” 2002, Wearable Art Extravaganza at Katoomba. On the organising committee, helped with publicity, set up & fashion parade. “Chill Out at Oz Artspace” , 1998, an exhibition and parade of eccentric accessories. Liaising with the festival committee to run pre-festival workshops in Mask and Cape making. Ran a market stall on the day. |
| 1989-1996 | Employed by TAFE NSW as a Full Time Fashion Teacher. Acted as Head Teacher and, when this position was deleted, Teacher in Charge from 1992 until the Fashion Section at Blue Mountains TAFE closed in January 1997. During this time, as well as teaching, I was responsible for all aspects of managing and running the section including; implementing new curriculum, keeping up to date on TAFE policies and ensuring that they were adhered to, recruiting staff, ordering goods, programming timetables, advertising and publicity, organising and setting up student exhibitions and fashion parades, lesson planning, assessment, administrative duties including checking pay forms, handling the section budget, checking roll books, section management plans, dealing with student enquiries, enrolments and attending senior staff meetings as well as running section meetings. |
Membership of Associations | |
| The Embroiderer’s Guild of NSW Inc. | |
| Textile Fibre Forum - TAFTA | |
| The Australian Textile & Surface Design Association | |
| The Intertextiles - A group of Blue Mountains Artists including Carol Wilkes, Karen Macpherson, Yvonne Chapman and Deborah Leake | |
Contact Kath