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Leslie Matthews

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Leslie Matthews

Training / Education:

  • 2004-06 Master of Visual Arts (Research) School of Art, University of South Australia
  • 1982-85 Bachelor of Design Jewelry and Metalsmithing - School of Design - University of South Australia

Proffesional Experience:

  • 2007/08: Studio Head - Jewelry and Metal Studio, School of Art, University of South Australia
  • 1986-current: Partner – Gray Street Workshop, Jewellery and Objects Co-Operative
  • 2001-06: Sessional Lecturer Jewelry and Metal Studio, School of Art, University of South Australia
  • 2001-06: External Examiner – Faculty of Art and Design, Fine Metal Department, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia

Lectures

  • 2007: Lecture given at The British School at Rome, overview of my practice and concepts
  • 2005: Artist Talks, residency undertaken at the Otago Polytechnic, School of Art, Dunedin, New Zealand
  • 2002: Artist talk to accompany The Gentle Wash of Memory exhibition, Helen Maxwell Gallery, Canberra
  • 2001: Artist talk to accompany Circling the Square -Gray Street Workshop 15 Years on exhibition at Craft Victoria Gallery,
  • Melbourne, Victoria
    2000: Presented a slide talk at the Californian College of Arts and Crafts, San Francisco, USA
  • Artist talk to accompany Circling the Square -Gray Street Workshop 15 Years on, exhibition at Object Galleries, Sydney, NSW

Proffesional Development

  • 2008: JMGA Jewelers Conference, attendance and Workshops Committee Co-ordinator
  • 2007: Resident/Scholar (3 months) at The British School at Rome – Researching, developing work, exhibiting, attending lectures and talks
  • 2005: Traveled to Europe and UK Research Grant Visual Art/Craft Board
  • Attended conference, Transformation: The Language of Craft, National Gallery, Canberra
  • Artist/Scholar in Residence, Otago Polytechnic, School of Art, Dunedin, New Zealand
  • 2001:Uchidashi Master Class Workshop (Japanese Repousse) with Professor Ichiro Iino, Tokyo National University, held at COFA University of NSW
  • 2000: Artist in Residence 2000, Wilderness School, South Australia
  • 1999: Japan/South Australia Cultural Exchange Program 1998 scholarship ArtSA.
  • 1996: Visual Art / Crafts Fund Overseas Studio Residency Barcelona, Spain

Exhibitions (Solo & Group Shows):

Solo

  • 2006: Shadows hold their breath, Master of Visual Arts, solo exhibition, Nexus Gallery, SA
  • 2002: The Gentle Wash of Memory - The Helen Maxwell Gallery, Canberra, ACT
  • 1999: An omen in the bone - Object Galleries, Centre for Contemporary Craft, Sydney, NSW
  • 1999: An omen in the bone - JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design, Adelaide, SA
  • 1994: Inner Vane - Craftspace, Sydney NSW
  • 1994: Inner Vane - Craft Victoria Gallery, Melbourne, Vic
  • 1992: Inner Vane - Jam Factory Craft and Design Centre, Adelaide, SA

Selected Group Shows

  • 2009: Palm Beach3 Florida, repr. by Charon Kransen Arts USA
  • 2008: SOFA – Chicago, curator Charon Kransen Arts, New York USA
  • 2008: Surfaces – contemporary jewelry exhibition, Aaron Faber Gallery, New York USA
  • 2008: The Pendant Show – in celebration of the Larks Book publication 500 Pendant & Lockets –
    Velvet da Vinci Gallery, San Francisco USA
  • 2008: Jewellery Objects a National Snapshot JamFactory Craft & Design window, JMGA conference
  • 2007/08: Beyond Metal: Contemporary Australian Jewellery & Holloware, Exhib. toured India, RMIT Gallery
  • 2006/08: Freestyle: New Australian Design for Living curated by Object Gallery: Aust. Centre for Craft & Design, Sydney. Toured throughout Australia and Milan, Italy
  • 2007: Party at the American Academy, exhibition, The British school at Rome gallery
  • 2007: Radiant in Roermond, 30 Year Exhibition, Gallery Ra, touring exhibition, Roermond, Netherlands
  • 2006: Radiant - 30 Year Exhibition, Gallery Ra, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 2006: The Neckpiece Show, Velvet da Vinci, Contemporary Art Jewelry & Metalwork, San Francisco, CA USA
  • 2006: City of Hobart Art Prize 06 Jewellery/Printmaking, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
  • 2006: Catch On Exhibition at Zu Design Jewellery + Objects, SALA Festival, Adelaide, Australia
  • 2005: Signs Taken for Wonders, Gray Street Workshop Celebrates 20 Years, Gallery Ra, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 2005: Collect 2005, Art Fair held at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London with the Lesley Craze Gallery
  • 2005: SALA Arts Festival, Art Gallery of South Australia
  • 2004: Looking Over My Shoulder, 20th Anniversary exhibition, Lesley Craze Gallery, London, UK
  • 2003: CHESS Touring exhibition of Contemporary Game Pieces, Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco, USA
  • 2003: Metal Element of Six Countries- The Circumference of Metal, International Design Centre, Nagoya, Japan
  • 2002: Ritual of Tea - Adelaide Festival of the Arts 2002 - JamFactory Gallery, Contemporary Craft & Design
  • 2002: 2002 City of Hobart Art Prize - Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition - Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
  • 2001: OZ Gold 2001 Award - Exhibition of Contemporary Australian Gold Jewellery - Curated by Curtin University of Technology and the Australian Gold Council.
  • 2001: Rock, Paper, Scissors Exhibition, Da Vinci Gallery, San Francisco, USA
  • 2001: Orbit - South Australian School of Art , 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Art Museum, UniSA
  • Schmuck - Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition, Munich & Bremen, Germany
  • 2000-01: Circling the Square - Gray Street Workshop 15 Years on Touring Nationally & Asia (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Brunei)
  • 2000: Australia 2000 - Lesley Craze Gallery, London, United Kingdom
  • 2001: Gray Street Workshop: 15 Years Art Gallery of South Australia

Awards / Grants:

Awards

  • 2004: Arts Scholarship Master of Visual Arts, Florence Joyner Bequest, University of South Australia
  • 1998: Japan/South Australia Cultural Exchange Program 1999, Scholarship Arts SA
  • 1998: Art and Architecture - Merit Award, Gillet residence, Pear tree fence, gate and kitchen interior designed with Gray Street Workshop.
  • 1991: Commendation from The Royal Institute of Architects (SA Chapter) for the Mercury Cinema, Lion Arts Centre, with architect Steve Grieve and Gray Street Workshop.
  • 1990: Selected to represent Australia in Tonga for the Australian Contemporary Jewellery Pacific Nations Tour, Exhibition. Funded by The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra ACT

Grants

  • 2006: Studio residency The British School at Rome, Visual Art Board, Australia Council for the Arts
    Arts Project Assistance Scheme Arts SA – research and development of a new body of work
  • 2004: New Work Established, Visual Arts/Craft Board of the Australia Council
  • 2001: New Works Grant - Solo Exhibition, Visual Arts/Crafts Fund, Australia Council for the Arts
  • 1998: Japan / South Australia Cultural Exchange Program 1999 scholarship ArtSA.
  • 1997: New Works Grant - Solo Exhibition, Visual Arts/Crafts Fund, Australia Council for the Arts
    Arts Projects Assistance Scheme ArtsSA - purchase equipment.
  • 1993: Received Overseas Studio Residency in Barcelona 1996, Visual Arts/Craft Board - Australia Council
  • 1991: Project Grant - Solo exhibition 1992 - Visual Arts/Craft Board of the Australia Council

 

Collections (Private & Museum):

  • National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT 
  • Art Gallery of South Australia
  • Art Bank, Canberra, ACT
  • Alice Craft Acquisition, Crafts Council of Northern Territory, Alice Springs Division 
  • Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin

Publications:

  • 2008: NISHA – Israeli Design Magazine, article on Australian designers/craft practitioners, August issue pp48-54 
  • 2008: 500 Pendants & Lockets – Contemporary Interpretations of Classic Adornments - Lark Books, NY, p73
  • 2008: fine ARTS 2007-2008, The British school at Rome, catalogue of residencies, Rome, Italy
  • 2007: Object magazine, article, Dec 2007, no.54, p55
  • 2006: 500 Necklaces, Contemporary Interpretations of a Timeless Form, pp26, 226 Lark Books, NY
  • 2005: Signs Taken for Wonders, Gray street Workshop Celebrates 20 Years essay Margo Osborne 
  • 2005: Shades of Gray The Advertiser, Arts Monday, article Louise Nunn
  • 2005: Parallel Universe: the Gray Street Workshop@ 20 Artlink Magazine, article Margo Osborne
  • 2005: A Shared Pleasure The Adelaide Review, article Margo Osborne
  • 2004: Object - objects + design + ideas magazine, The Gentle Wash of Memory, by Wendy Walker, No.44
  • 2004 Indesign magazine Limbs of Steel, Tree of Hope,
  • 2003: Artstate – Art SA magazine, Tree of Hope, issue 27 spring 2003
  • 2002: Their Strength is in Simplicity The Canberra Times, Oct 18, Meredith Hinchliffe
  • 2001: South Australian Art Museum UniSA - Orbit exhibition brochure
  • 2001: British Crafts magazine Exhibitions Reviews by Ralph Turner, Jan/Feb No. 54
  • 2001: Object Magazine Brightly Shining Australian Metalwork in London, review by Deirdre O'Day
  • 2001: Schmuck 2001 Catalogue & brochure - Avant-garde im neuen Jahrtausend

Artist Statement:

When developing new works I find that my working methods are often intuitive, as well as systematic. The imagery used in the creation of my work relates to anatomical structure and skeletal forms. The themes connected to the work are ones such as cultural dislocation and familial history, as well as an interconnecting overlay of personal narrative/story telling through memory. Many decisions made when creating new work come through in the process of construction and fabrication of the forms. I feel that as a maker, my interest lies not only with the conceptual development of the work but also with the materials I use, and the physical making of the forms.

Biography:

I have been a practising contemporary jeweller and object maker for 22 years. Throughout my career I have participated in local, national and international exhibitions, having solo and group shows. I have a Bachelor of Design (Jewellery and Metalsmithing) and a Master of Visual Arts (Research), both degrees gained through the University of South Australia.

Since 2007 I have been Studio Head of Jewellery and Metal in the South Australian School of Art, at the University of South Australia, and I am also a partner of Gray Street Workshop (since 1986), a Jewellery and Objects Collective which was established in 1985.

In October to December 2007 I undertook a studio residency at The British School at Rome, a scholarship received through the Australia Council for the Arts. I was an Artist/Scholar in Residence, at the Otago Polytechnic, School of Art, Dunedin, New Zealand in 2005 and awarded a New Works Established Grant, Visual Arts Board, Australia Council for the Arts in 2004.

Recent exhibitions include; Surfaces - contemporary jewellery exhibition, Aaron Faber Gallery, New York, 2008; Freestyle: New Australian Design for Living, touring Australia, London, Milan, New York, 2006/09; Beyond Metal: Contemporary Australian Jewellery and Holloware, touring India and Australia, RMIT Gallery 2007/08; Radiant, 30 year exhibition, Gallery Ra, Amsterdam, and Roermond, Netherlands, 2006/07; Signs Taken for Wonders, Gray Street Workshop Celebrates 20 Years, Gallery Ra, Amsterdam, Netherlands in 2005.