CURRENT POSITION
Fulltime artist and writer.

 

TERTIARY EDUCATION

1978 – 1982 BA Fine Arts, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
(History of Art, Drawing, Printmaking, Ceramics, Latin and English.)
Graduated with Distinction in Printmaking, and the faculty’s Certificate of Merit.

1983/4 Post-grad. work experience in the Printmaking Department, Chelsea School of Art, London with tuition by artists and teachers Tim Mara, Pamela Clarkson, Colin Connor and others.

I also have varying levels of training and interest in the fields of Psychology and Group Work, Spirituality, Esoteric Astrology, Creative Writing, Music (I have been a member of an A Cappella singing group for the past thirteen years), Scanning Electron Microscopy, polar biology, photography and film-editing.

 

Work is represented in private and corporate collections in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, USA and the United Kingdom.

MOST RECENT SIGNIFICANT WORK EXPERIENCES

2009 La Jolla, San Diego, USA.

Intensive training in the fundamentals of film editing; with Mary Lynn Price, videographer and documentary maker.
www.mlptravelvideo.com

2009 Albany, NY, USA

Funded work trip (courtesy of New York-based veteran polar biologist Dr. Samuel Bowser together with a generous sub-grant from the US National Science Foundation) for the purposes of bringing to completion a three-year chapter of Antarctica-related ArtScience collaboration.

InterfaCE I is in the process of being mounted as part of the Wadsworth Center’s collection and will be shortly be on permanent display in the main foyer of the STATE PLAZA, Albany, NY

2008 Explorers Cove, New Harbor, ANTARCTICA (mid. Oct. – early Dec.)

A second season on the ice at the invitation of Dr. Samuel Bowser, with corresponding support from the National Science Foundation, USA.

The motivation behind this trip was to consolidate various collaborative ArtScience projects begun during the 2005 season and to initiate and document at least five new collaborative ventures –

(1) to link in creatively and interpretatively with the season’s trio of scientists and their ongoing research at Explorers Cove – Dr. Bowser, biologist (www.bowserlab.org ), Dr. Sally Walker, taphonomist and Dr. Molly Miller, geologist,
(2) to direct and gather visuals for a meditative underwater film - About Blue - in collaboration with Dr. Bowser, diver/videographer Shawn Harper and diver, musician and film-maker, Henry Kaiser (www.henrykaiser.net),
(3) to record a series of ‘earth songs’ as we lived and worked within the Antarctic environment,
(4) to play and record a set of porcelain bell instruments made expressly for this season by South African artist, Katherine Glenday (www.katherineglenday.com), and
(5) to work collaboratively with Christina Bryer, porcelain artist (www.beatrixbosch.co.za/Christina/). Christina created a series of sculptural pieces based on the mathematical structures of the ancient unicellular aquatic organisms Dr. Bowser has been studying in Antarctic waters for the past two and a half decades.

2008 Interviewed at McMurdo Station by US videographer Mary Lynn Price for her documentary series titled, WOMEN IN ANTARCTICA

2008 TANG Museum, Saratoga Springs, NY – InterfaCE ArtScience installation first mounted.

2008 F-/Wh FUGUE – Fiordland-inspired poetry text set to music by Gillian Whitehead, NZ composer (a composition for alto & four bass voices, bassoon & piano).
F’/Wh- FUGUE was performed as part of the Caselberg/Breaksea concert/exhibition Nine Artists in Fiordland at the Dunedin Fringe Festival, St. Paul’s Cathedral, DUNEDIN

2008 BREAKSEA RESIDENCY – Caselberg Trust’s inaugural Creative Residency, W. Fiordland.

2007 Albany, NY, USA
NSF-funded trip for ongoing development of Antarctic ArtScience collaboration.

2005 Research season, Explorers Cove, New Harbor, ANTARCTICA (beg. Oct. – mid-Dec.)

Ten weeks living and working in a field camp on the ice under the supervision of New York-based biologist Dr. Sam Bowser and his company of divers and scientists. We were based at Explorers’ Cove, New Harbor, a remote research site situated on the transition between the Dry Valleys and McMurdo Sound. My official role for the season was that of ‘field assistant’ but the invitation to join this research team was also extended so that I would have the opportunity of a ‘full-immersion’ in the Antarctic environment for the purposes of furthering my creative work.

 


EXHIBITION HISTORY

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2009 A QUESTION OF BALANCE The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH
2008 InterfaCE – an ArtScience installation in collaboration with polar biologist, Dr. Samuel Bowser
The Frances TANG Teaching Museum & Art Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NEW YORK

2008 FATHOM The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH

2007 WHERE THERE IS ICE, THERE IS MUSIC The Diversion, MARLBOROUGH

2006 ROUTE MARKING – Antarctica work Peter Rae Gallery, DUNEDIN

2006 not EMPTY not SILENT not WHITE The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH

2005 INTERIM The Suter Gallery, NELSON

2005 THERE IS A PLACE The Diversion Gallery, MARLBOROUGH

2005 SOMEWHERE BETWEEN INTUITION AND REASON
– new work on paper, canvas and stone The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH

2004 TURN Peter Rae Gallery, DUNEDIN

2004 ALTERED GROUND E. Southland Museum, GORE
- touring exhibition of large works on paper

2003 ALTERED GROUND Ashburton Art Gallery, ASHBURTON

2002 ALTERED GROUND The Forrester Gallery, OAMARU

2002 IN CONVERSATION The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH

2001 BEARINGS Milford Galleries, DUNEDIN

1999 LEAVE THE ROOM BEHIND Milford Galleries, DUNEDIN

1998 AS IT HAPPENS Milford Galleries, DUNEDIN

1994 AT THE STILL POINT OF THE TURNING WORLD
- responding to the work of T. S. Eliot Chelsea Gallery, CAPE TOWN

1994 A SLOW UNRAVELLING Karen McKerron Gallery, JOHANNESBURG

1993 23 NEW WORKS Chelsea Gallery, CAPE TOWN

1986 30 RECENT WORKS Karen McKerron Gallery, JOHANNESBURG

1985 34 PRINTS & DRAWINGS Karen McKerron Gallery, JOHANNESBURG

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

In late 2008, I was invited to show my work at the 2009 FLORENCE BIENNALE. I chose not to participate due to a combination of practical logistics and prior commitments. The door remains open for future biennales.

2010 ALCHEMY - collaborative show with jeweler, Kate Alterio Quoil Gallery, WELLINGTON

2010 ALCHEMY - collaborative show with jeweler, Kate Alterio The Artists’ Room, DUNEDIN

2009 ALCHEMY – collaborative show with jeweler, Kate Alterio Gallery 33, WANAKA

2009 SEVEN – with Sam Foley, Alannah Brown, Greg Lewis, Michael Tuffery & others
The Artists’ Room, DUNEDIN

2009 FORMATION: Structure in Nature, Art & Design.
InterfaCE IV with Sam Bowser & others.
Mildred I. Washington Art Gallery, Duchess Community College, NY
2009 InterfaCE III with Sam Bowser edited version for presentation in HALLIFAX

2008 THE DUNEDIN POST OFFICE – a heritage exhibition DUNEDIN

2008 NINE ARTISTS IN FIORDLAND
Caselberg Trust/Breaksea Residency collaborative show & performance
With Nigel Brown, Gregory O’Brien, Wayne Seyb, Claire Beynon, Gillian Whitehead, Marilynn Webb, Glenn Colquohoun, Lynn Kelly, Alan Roddick & Mark Orton St. Paul’s Cathedral, DUNEDIN

2008 OTAGO OTAGO with Peter Cleverley, Allanah Brown, Daniel Unverricht & Fleur Yorsten Gallery 33, WANAKA
2008 InterFaCE II ArtScience at NZ International Science Festival - Nicola Gibbons, Sam Bowser & Jennifer Fretwell. OTAGO ART SOCIETY Gallery, Railway Station, DUNEDIN

2007 LYRICAL NOTATIONS Salisbury House Gallery, The Manse, DUNEDIN

2006/7 THE BIG ICE - an Antarctica-inspired exhibition curated & toured nationally by
The Otago Museum, DUNEDIN

2006 CROWDED HOUSE The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH

2006 SOUND STILL - Collaborative exhibition with Katherine Glenday, Christina Bryer, Lyn Smuts and others
Irma Stern Museum, CAPE TOWN

2006 PAPERWORKS Peter Rae Gallery, DUNEDIN

2005 FIVE ARTISTS, FIVE ROOMS The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH

2005 CROWDED HOUSE The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH

 

2005 PAPERCHASE Leading contemporary NZ artists exhibit works on paper Gallery 33, WANAKA

2004 MIRUHIKU - The Southland ASHBURTON ART GALLERY Touring exhibition curated by Jim Geddes

2004 BEYOND Peter Rae Gallery, DUNEDIN
Claire Beynon, Mary Horn, Shelly Johnson, Maria Kemp, Stephen Mulqueen.
Curated by Susan Frykberg in conjunction with Chrysalis Seed Trust

2004 SEVEN
Graham Bennett, Wayne Seyb, Simon Edwards, Claire Beynon, Richard Adams, Cristina Popovici & Don Driver The Arthouse, CHRISTCHURCH

2004 LARGE ART Cleveland Art Centre, DUNEDIN

2003 THE POWER OF PROTEST Temple Gallery, DUNEDIN
Exhibition protesting against Project Aqua

2003 ARTISTS AGAINST AQUA The Forrester Gallery, OAMARU
Protest exhibition

2003 BY FOUR Peter Rae Gallery, DUNEDIN
New work by Simon Kaan, Michael Greaves, David Shennan and Claire Beynon

2003 CRANLEIGH BARTON DRAWING AWARD
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, CHRISTCHURCH

2003 JAMES K. BAXTER exhibition & auction DUNEDIN PUBLIC ART GALLERY

2003 MURIHIKU Hazelhurst Gallery, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

2001 SOUTHERN WAVE - Otago artists Otago University House, AUCKLAND

2001 CRANLEIGH BARTON DRAWING AWARD finalist
Canterbury Museum, CHRISTCHURCH

2000 VISIONS OF OTAGO Milford Galleries DUNEDIN

1999 CRANLEIGH BARTON DRAWING AWARD Merit Award Winner
Robert McDougall Gallery, CHRISTCHURCH

1998 OTAGO PENINSULA EXHIBITION Milford Galleries DUNEDIN

1984 TEN PRINTMAKERS Calvert Gallery, Pimlico, LONDON

1983 INTERNATIONAL PRINT BIENNALE
Taipei Museum. of Fine Arts, Rep. of CHINA

 

ART AWARDS, GRANTS, RESIDENCIES & OTHER CURIOSITIES

2008 NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, USA
Office of Polar Programs commission and studio/travel grant to produce InterfaCE

2007 BREAKSEA GIRL/CASELBURG BOAT RESIDENCY
with Wayne Seyb, Nigel Brown, Glenn Colquoun, Marilynn Webb, Mart & Gerrard Friedlander, Gerard O’Brien, Gillian Whitehead, Lynn Kelly & Alan Roddick.

2007 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE – Salisbury House Gallery, The Manse, DUNEDIN

2007 A species of Antarctic foraminifera is classified pilulina beynonae

2005/8 Named for an NSF ANTARCTICA SERVICE MEDAL – date for the award ceremony pending

2006 FINALIST in the CoCA ART AWARDS, Christchurch

2005 FINALIST in the WALLACE ART AWARDS, New Zealand

2005 Peoples’ Choice Award, WALLACE ART AWARD

2001 MERIT AWARD - CRANLEIGH BARTON DRAWING AWARD, NZ

2003 FINALIST in the CRANLEIGH BARTON DRAWING AWARD, NZ

2002 MERIT AWARD - MAINLAND AWARDS, Dunedin

2002 CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND Creative Communities grant.

1999 FINALIST in the biennial CRANLEIGH BARTON DRAWING AWARD, NZ

1998 MERIT AWARD, Works on Paper – CLEVELAND ART AWARDS, DUNEDIN

ART-RELATED PRESENTATIONS, ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS

2009 AT THE STILL POINT OF THE TURNING WORLD - guest speaker for Conference of Humanities, CHRISTCHURCH

2009 POINT OF BALANCE – guest speaker, Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society.

2009 PECHA KUCHA presentation (20 images, 20 secs a slide) Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

2008 ANTARCTICA ART & SCIENCE in Conversation
Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY

2008 THE SCIENCE & ART of ANTARCTIC ARTSCIENCE – with Sam Bowser. Gateway Antarctica, Canterbury University, CHRISTCHURCH.

2008 ART & SCIENCE in conversation – Science lecture series with Sam Bowser - CRARY LAB, McMurdo Station, ANTARCTICA

2008 InterfaCE - Art/science teaching seminars with Sam Bowser, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NEW YORK

2007 ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH – An ArtScience Collaboration – with Sam Bowser.
Sigma Xi, Albany Chapter, College of St. Rose, Albany NY.

2007 FULL CIRCLE – Guest speaker for ‘Idealism in Action’ at the Conference of Humanities, CHRISTCHURCH.

2006 TIME ON ICE – sharing my experience of a summer’s art and science processes in the Antarctic landscape. (New Zealand Society of Authors, Southland/Otago Branch, DUNEDIN)

2006 WALKING ON THIN ICE – guest speaker for The Caselburg Trust.

2004 TURN – a commentary by Paul Sorrell
Catalogue essay for the exhibition TURN - Dunedin

2001/2 DRAWINGS IN OPEN SPACE - The Fictive World of CLAIRE BEYNON
by Elizabeth Kerr. ART NEW ZEALAND (Issue no. 101.)

2002 ALTERED GROUND - an essay by Paul Sorrell, produced for the catalogue of the touring exhibition of the same name, with the support of Creative New Zealand, Creative Communities Scheme, Waitaki district.

 

Listed in:

ARTISTS IN SCHOOLS – a database of contemporary New Zealand artists - an educational resource for schools

SCAPA POETRY ARCHIVE – a database: contemporary New Zealand poets reading their own work. (recorded in 2003)

THE NEW ZEALAND WHO’S WHO – an encyclopedia of Visual Arts and Architecture.

A DICTIONARY OF SOUTH AFRICAN ARTISTS First edition - 1994

12 CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS – 2003 calendar of New Zealand Artists, produced by Liz Caughey and published by Saint Publishers.

 

WRITING HISTORY

Writing is an integral part of my creative expression.

Poems and short stories have been published in journals, newspapers, web-based anthologies and collections in New Zealand and abroad: namely Other Voices International Project, Glottis, The Christchurch Press, Otago Daily Times, Tandem Press’s 100 New Zealand Short Short Stories IV, The Sunday Star Times, The Whole Wide World, Tapping the Tank, A Savage Gathering, Something to Expiate and the infinity we swim in (New Zealand Poetry Society’s Anthology 2000, 2001,2002 and 2003), Double-jointed (a collaborative book of ‘dual’ poems by ten South Island poets), Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul, USA and The Song of the Belly-button Man.

2000 Shortlisted for the Lilian Ida Smith Award.

2003 Included in the SCAPA POETRY ARCHIVE – a database: contemporary New Zealand poets reading their own work.

A first collection titled OPEN BOOK was published by Steele-Roberts. A combination of poems, hand-drawn ink wash images and light-calligraphy photographs, the collection has been produced in a format akin to an ‘artist’s book,’ inviting readers to explore the relationships between paper, images and words. An accompanying set of limited edition lithographs has also been produced.

WRITING AWARDS

2007 Drowning the Waterfall was commended in the NZ Poetry Society’s International Poetry Competition.
2006 Thin Ice and Flag Lullaby won first prize in the poetry section of the Antarctica-specific writing competition ICETONGUE.
2003 Jade was highly commended in the New Zealand Poetry Society’s International Poetry Competition.
2002 The Mystery Sonatas won first prize in the New Zealand Poetry Society’s International Poetry Competition.
2000 Introducing Deirdre was highly commended in the 2000 Takahe Short Story Competition.
2000 Trapeze Artist was short-listed in the 2000 South Island Writers Association Short Story competition.
1999 Point of Entry was runner-up in the 1999 Sunday Star Times Short Story Competition.

COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS include:

2009 Collaboration with jeweler, Kate Alterio (ALCHEMY – Wanaka, Dunedin, Wellington)

2008 F-/Wh- FUGUE - poetry text written for composer Gillian Whitehead and used for a composition by the same name, for alto & four bass voices, bassoon and piano.

2005 - 2009 InterfaCE with polar scientist Sam Bowser – an art/science/Antarctica exchange.

2006 SOUND STILL, Cape Town – a collaborative visual arts and music exhibition.

2004 LIVE NEWS – cover for Maxine Alterio’s collection of short stories. (Steele Roberts)

2003 Artists Against Aqua - group exhibition of images and poetry produced in support of the Waitaki River while negotiations for Meridian Energy’s proposed hydro-electric scheme were under way. (Forrester Gallery, Oamaru & Temple Gallery, Dunedin.)

2002-4 DOUBLE-JOINTED – Dunedin Connections. (A collection of experimental poetry involving ten poets, brought together by Jenny Powell-Chalmers. Published by Inkweed.)

2002 Jerusalem, Jerusalem – group exhibition of images drawn from the life and work of James K. Baxter. (Dunedin Public Art Gallery)

2001 The Song of the Belly Button Man (An exhibition and book of poetry and images: project initiated by Artsenta, Dunedin.)

2000 Cover and artwork for GLOTTIS 5

2000 Cover and inside artwork for POLES APART, an autobiographical book of prose and poetry by Dunedin author Graham Bishop. (Published by Steele Roberts Ltd., Wellington, 2000.

1999 Cover and images for A TALENT FOR FLIGHT – a collection of poetry by Otaki poet Glenda Fawkes. (Publishes in March 1999 by Steele Roberts Ltd, Wellington.)