Ozquilt Network Inc

Australia's organisation for art quilters

Art Quilt Australia

Art Quilt Australia , including Expressions: the Wool Quilt Prize, is a biennial juried exhibition open to textile artists resident in Australia and New Zealand, and OZQN members worldwide. OZQN defines a quilt as a stitched layered textile incorporating any material and employing any technique. The National Wool Museum defines a wool quilt in a similar manner but it must be composed predominantly of wool.

Art Quilt Australia 2021 will be on exhibition at the Shoalhaven Regional Gallery at Nowra NSW from Saturday 12 June until Saturday 3 July:

Gallery Hours:  Tuesday – Friday 10am-4pm Saturday 10am-2pm
Address: 12 Berry Street, Nowra, NSW 2541
Contact : (02) 4429 5444 or gallery@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au

The exhibition will then tour to Yarra Ranges Regional Museum at Lilydale, Victoria from 7 August until 31 October 2021.

Booking Links

All activities are subject to changing COVID-19 conditions

  • Friday 11 June: Professional Development Day: Bundanon Tour Booking Form
  • 2pm Saturday 12 June: book for exhibition opening at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery by Sophie O’Brien, Head of Curatorial & Learning, Bundanon
  • 6pm Saturday 12 June: dinner for AQA2021 artists, OZQN members and friends at Ex Servos Club, Corner Junction Street and Princes Highway. RSVP Booking Form

Please direct any inquiries to: AQA2021@ozquiltnetwork.org.au

Professional Development Day at Bundanon 11 June

In conjunction with the opening of Art Quilt Australia 2021, there is an OZQN Professional Development day  at Bundanon on Friday 11 June. Bundanon was the property of Australian artist Arthur Boyd. The day starts with a bus pickup at Nowra at 10.30am (for 11.00am departure) and includes a guided tour of the historic homestead and gardens, Boyd’s studio, and a viewing of tapestries of his artworks that are not usually on public view, and a return to Nowra before 4.00pm. A boxed lunch and refreshments are included. Bookings close on Friday 4 June. OZQN members and their guests have priority. Bundanon Tour Booking Form

  • $60/$55 concession for OZQN members
  • $70/$65 concession for non-members

NB: All participants are expected to take the bus. There is no GPS in the area for self-drivers.

Other Activities

Things to do on Saturday morning prior to the exhibition opening include:

  • Shoalhaven Regional Gallery

AQA 2021 Jury

Art Quilt Australia 2021 seeks to promote excellence and originality in contemporary art quilts in Australia. Works were assessed in terms of originality, composition, content and execution by a jury of acknowledged experts: Lisa Call, Julie Ryder and Bronwyn Coulston.

Lisa Call (Artist)

Lisa Call’s contemporary textile paintings explore pattern, structure and human desire for connection. The influence of her extensive background in computer science can also be spotted in her abstract geometric designs. In 2015, Lisa moved to the Kapiti Coast of New Zealand from Denver, Colorado.

Lisa exhibits her artwork in both solo and group shows across the globe. Previous museum exhibits include the Danforth Museum of Art in Massachusetts, The Mint Museum of Craft + Design in North Carolina and The Atlantic Center in Florida. Her textile paintings are included in numerous public and private collections, including the University Hospitals in Cleveland and the University of Pennsylvania. Her work is represented by galleries in New Zealand and Philadelphia.

Julie Ryder (Artist)

Julie Ryder is a textile designer who has gained international recognition for her work. Originally trained in science, she retrained as a textile designer in 1990, and completed an MA in Visual Arts (Textiles) from the ANU in 2004. She has taught in tertiary institutions, community organizations and workshops for nearly 30 years and specializes in screen-printing, natural dyeing and handstitching.

Julie has been the recipient of many awards, grants, commissions and residencies and her work is included in the collections of the NGA, NGV, NMA, MAAS, AGSA, BRAG, CSIRO, ANBG, Tamworth Regional Gallery, Megalo Archives, RMIT Archives.

Bronwyn Coulston (Curator and educator)

Bronwyn Coulston is passionate about engaging visitors in conversations through art, while also appreciating the artworks as expressions of skill and beauty. She holds a Masters in Museum and Gallery Studies and has worked in the cultural sector for more than 15 years. As Manager – Arts and Culture with Shoalhaven City Council she leads a small but dynamic team to deliver a wide range of exhibitions and activities at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery.

The Art Quilt Australia exhibition at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery will be a great opportunity to show how textile and quilting practises combine both traditional and modern techniques to uncover stories and social issues. As a selector Bronwyn will be looking for well resolved works that draw the viewer in and give some insight to the artist. Outside of work, Bronwyn attempts to wrangle two active girls and find time for cooking, crochet, reading and sport.