Victoria Howlett -Australia

Construction Oil on wooden panels 100CM X 100CM (approx)

Born 1945, London, England

Occupation:

Artist

Education:

2002 Master of Fine Arts (Painting) Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

1995 Bachelor of Fine Art – Painting: Victorian College of the Arts, University of

Melbourne

1969 Trained Technical Teachers Certificate, Toorak Teachers College (now

Deakin University, Melbourne

1965 Diploma of Art – Ceramics: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Media:

Ceramics, oil, gouache, acrylics, works on paper, wood, found objects, plants

Experiences related to art:

Commissions:

2000 Williamstown North Primary School: Mural - Wood

1999 Sunshine Secondary College: Mural - Ceramic

1998 Bacchus Marsh: Mural - Ceramic

Teaching:

1966- 2004 (selected)

Australian Academy of Design, RMIT, Victorian College of the Arts,

School of Creative Arts, University of Melbourne Arts Victoria,

Caulfield Institute of Technology (now Monash University)

Phillip Institute of Technology (now RMIT)

Prahran College of Advanced Education (now Victorian College of the Arts)

Arts Victoria, AEDIS Artist in Residence, Craft Victoria &VCA Mentor programs

Visiting Lecturer, U.C.L.A; USA; St Johns University, Newfoundland, Canada

Eltham Comprehensive School, London, Various videos, papers & publications

Honours and awards:

Selected:

Winner Shell Contemporary Art Award, Mayfair Award winner,

Potters’ Cottage Award winner, Diamond Valley Award winner,

Crafts Board Grant; State Exhibition Award – Art

Commonwealth Scholarship, John Storey Memorial Prize RMIT

Solo exhibitions:

Selected from 30

Stephen McLaughlan Gallery, Christine Abrahams, Craft Victoria, Craft Centre, South Yarra, George Paton Gallery, Melbourne; Nerek Gallery, Canberra, Potters Gallery, Old Bakery and Aladdin Galleries, Sydney; National Ceramics Conference, Adelaide and Melbourne

Ralph Martin Gallery, Townville

Group exhibitions:

Selected from over 200

High Court: Canberra, Australia

Australian Contemporary Art Fair (ACAF)

Colin & Cecily Rigg Craft Award 1994

National Gallery of Victoria, Faenza, Italy

Wollongong University, National Ceramics Award, Canberra

Fletcher Challenge Award, New Zealand

Important Collections:

Selected:

National Gallery of Victoria, National Gallery, Canberra,

Art Gallery of South Australia, Art Gallery of Western Australia,

Powerhouse, Sydney, Manly Art Gallery, Sydney

Parliament House, Canberra, Art Bank, Australian Embassy, Iran,

State Craft Collection, Various Regional State Galleries, Government departments,

Educational Institutions, Councils and private collections.

Artists’ Statement:

“Increasingly often now”, but not always, my work references the grid as in these current pieces which explore the tradition of geometric abstraction.

Whilst my oeuvre ranges from painterly calligraphic mark making to three dimensional sculptural installations and hard edge abstraction, colour relationships and a wide variety of materials (wood, clay, moss, paper, stone, paint) remain a constant throughout the work.

The specific nature of the materials used and the intrinsic quality of individual surfaces if of paramount consideration.

My work has always explored a variety of formal issues, including the fundamental language of visual design, but the true raison d’etre is facture. This activity is close to my heart. Without it, I would be but a mere shadow of myself.