VIDA PEARSON - Artist/printmaker
Australian Wildlife Artist of the Year 2014 and 2015
Vida has been a professional artist/printmaker for over 30 years. Early in her career her favoured mediums were screen printing and etching. However in the last 15 years she has concentrated almost exclusively on linocuts. She has a very distinctive style with her brightly coloured strongly designed works – mostly hand coloured. Upon joining the Wildlife Art Society of Australasia many years ago her images naturally took a turn in that direction. This enables her to combine a love of bird-watching, photography and travel with her work. She spends approx. 2 months each year on various field trips within Australia and overseas collecting material for new images. This has involved many trips to outback Australia and inspirational places such as Antarctica, Madagascar, Asia, Iceland and most recently Africa. She finds observing all types of wildlife exhilarating – even those she observes daily on her 5 acre bush block. She hopes that by creating beautiful images of the natural world she may cause people to reflect on how amazing our planet is. Her work can be found in galleries throughout Australia. She has won over 150 prizes in art competitions and exhibits regularly in group and solo shows. She is featured in “Inspiration Wild: An Artistic Celebration of Nature and Environment” published by the Wildlife Art Museum of Australia Foundation. Recently chosen as Australian Wildlife Artist of the Year for both 2014 and 2015 by the Wildlife Art Society of Australasia www.vidapearson.com
PRIZES
Wildlife Artist of the Year, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia.2015 Wildlife Artist of the Year, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia.2014 Selected for “Birds in Art” Woodson Art Museum, USA. 2014 Best Original Print, Golden Plains. 2014 Best Other Medium, Pyrenees Arts Council. 2014 Best Other Medium, Casterton.2014 Best other Medium Ballan. 2014 Clarice Beckett Award. Casterton.2014 Mixed Media Award. Casterton. 2014 Frank Hargrave Prize. Yea. 2014 Best Still Life. Yea.2013 Best Other Medium, San Remo. 2013 Best Other Medium, Golden Plains, 2013 Best Flora and Fauna, Warrnambool, 2013 Best Other Medium, Charlton. 2013 1st prize Printmaking, Birregurra Arts Festival. 2013 Best Artists Original Print, Wangaratta. 2013 Best Other Medium. Kerang. 2012 Best Other Medium, Deniliquin. 2012 Best Original Print, Birregurra Arts Festival. 2012 Bronze Award, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia. 2012 Best In Show, Leongatha. 2012 Best Flora and Fauna, Warrnambool. 2012 Business Award, Marysville. 2012 Best Original Print, Wangaratta. 2012 Best Wildlife, Wimmera. 2012 Best Other Medium, Golden Plains. 2012 People’s Choice Award, Golden Plains. 2012 Best In Show, Mansfield. 2012 1st Prize Painting, Ballan.2011 Best Other Medium. Golden Plains Art Award. 2011 Best Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show. 2011 Best Original Print, Birregurra Arts Festival. 2011 Best Original Print. Wangaratta. 2011 Best Other Medium, Wimmera. 2010 Best Other Medium, San Remo, 2009 Best other Medium, Bright, 2009 Presidents’ Award, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia, 2009 Painting Award, Buninyong Festival, 2008 Gold Medal Award for an Original Print, Wildlife Art @ Discovery, Canberra,2008 Best In Show, Wildlife Art @ Discovery, Canberra, 2008 Bronze Medal, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia. 2008 Best In Show, Bannockburn, 2008 Peoples Choice, Marysville. 2008 Best Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show,2007 Best Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show, 2006 Best Other Medium, Wimmera, 2006 Best Original Print, Ballan, 2005 Best Pastel, Deniliquin, 2005 Best Other Medium, Bright, 2005 Best Other Medium, Buninyong, 2004 Best Other Medium, Deniliquin, 2004 Best Original Print, Ballan, 2004 Best Other Medium, Balranald, 2004
Best Other Medium, Deniliquin, 2003 Best Other Medium, Bright, 2003 Best Other Medium, Wimmera, 2003 Best Work On Paper, Dubbo, 2003 Best Other Medium, Daylesford, 2003 Best Other Medium, Mildura, 2002 Best Other Medium, Charlton, 2002 Best Other Medium, Balranald, 2002 Best Other Medium, Grampians, 2001 Best Other Medium, Deniliquin, 2001 First Prize for an Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show, 2001 Best Other Medium, King Valley, 2001 Best Other Medium, Junee, 2000 Best Native Flora, Cootamundra, 2000 Original Print, First Prize, Royal Melbourne Show, 2000 Other Medium, Second Prize, Forster, N.S.W. 1999 Original Print, Second Prize, Royal Melbourne Show, 1999 Best Other Medium, Wimmera, 1999 Best Other Medium, King Valley, 1999 Best Other Medium, Peninsular Arts Society, 1998 Prize for an Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show, 1998 Best Other Medium, Warrnambool, 1998 Best Work in Show, Haddon Arts Festival, 1998 Best Work on Paper, Ivanhoe Girls Grammar, 1997 Acquisitive Award, Cootamundra, 1997 First Prize for an Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show, 1997 Best Original Print, Mudgee, N.S.W. 1997 Best Work on Paper, Oyster Bay, N.S.W. 1996 Best Australian Flora, Cootamundra, N.S.W. 1996 Best Still Life, Newcastle Society of the Arts, N.S.W. 1996 Best Original Print, Mudgee, 1996 Best Work on Paper, Oyster Bay, N.S.W. 1995 Best Original Print, Bacchus Marsh, 1995 Best Other Medium, Mt. View, 1995 Prize, Ivanhoe Girls Grammar, 1995 Best Flora Painting, Pt. Macquarie, N.S.W. 1995 Best Original Print, R.A.A.F. “Australia Remembers Exhibition” 1995 Acquisitive Prize, Melbourne High School, 1994 Best Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show, 1994 Best Original Print on an Australian Theme, Royal Melbourne Show, 1994 Best Other Medium, Pt. Fairy, 1993 Best Painting, Oyster Bay, N.S.W. 1993 Best Other Medium, Bacchus Marsh, 1993 Best Other Medium, Dobell Festival, Wangi, N.S.W. 1993 Best Other Medium, Woodend, 1992 Best Other Medium, Buninyong, 1992 Best Other Medium, Geelong, 1992 Best Other Medium, Beta Sigma Phi, 1992 First Prize, Zonta , Frankston, 1992 Encouragement Award, Singleton, N.S.W. 1992 Best Other Medium, Gunnedah, N.S.W. 1992 Best Other Medium, Forster, N.S.W. 1992 Best Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show, 1992 Best Other Medium, Pt. Fairy, 1991 Buninyong Shire Award, 1991 Best Other Medium, Cobram, 1991 Best Other Medium, Wangaratta, 1991 First Prize for an Original Print, Royal Melbourne Show, 1991 Best Pair, Bentleigh, 1991 Wendouree Award, Ballarat, 1991 Best Other Medium, Sorrento, 1990 Best Other Medium, Pt. Fairy, 1990 Best Other Medium, Benalla, 1990 Drawing Award, Numurkah, 1990 Special Award, Drysdale, 1990 Best Other Medium, Waverley, 1990 Best Other Medium, Elanora, 1990 Merit Award, Bacchus Marsh, 1990 Best Other Medium, Wimmera, 1990 Wendouree Award, Ballarat, 1990 Best Other Medium, Sorrento, 1989 Best Other Medium, Mornington, 1989 Best Other Medium, Keilor, 1989 Frank Sheehan Award, Buninyong, 1989 Best Other Medium, V.T.U. Credit Union,1989 Best Other Medium, Skipton, 1989 Best Drawing in the Show, Tyers, 1989 Best Other Medium, Melba, 1989 Painting of the Show, Ballarat, 1989 Best Other Medium, Birchip, 1989 Apex Art Award, Beaufort, 1989 Doyle, Cinque Award, Buninyong, 1988 Best Other Medium, Woodend, 1988 Finalist Camberwell Rotary Travel Grant, 1988 Acquisitive Award, Kyabram, 1988 Best Original Print, Chelsea, 1988 Best Miniature, Tallangatta, 1988 Best Painting under $250, Malvern, 1988 Sectrol Systems Award, Ballarat, 1988 Best Original Print, Yallourn, 1988 Best Other Medium, Skipton, 1988 Best Other Medium, Mt. View, 1988 Best Other Medium, Woodend, 1987 Best Work on Paper, Waverley, 1987 Finalist Camberwell Rotary Travel Grant, 1987 Special Prize for Painting on an Australian Theme, Royal Melbourne Show, 1987 Painting of the Show, Skipton, 1987 Acquisitive Prize, Kyabram, 1987 Adeney Family Award for Drawing, Lilydale, 1987 Second Prize for an original Print – Art/Craft Bi-centennial National Exhibition, 1987 Best Original Print on an Australian Theme, Royal Melbourne Show, 1986 Best Original Print, Hamilton, 1986 ACQUISITIONS Mowbray College, Melton Aquinas College, Ballarat Methodists Ladies College, Kew Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School Ballarat and Clarendon College Santa Maria College Lithgow City Council Wyong City Council NAB Collection Buningyong Shire Moorabool Shire Bright Art & Cultural Centre. Art Bank Pat Clark Collection, Iowa Falls, USA Bright Art & Cultural Centre. Goldfields Regional Art Gallery, Maryborough. COMMISSIONS Commissioned by the Bonython- Meadmore Gallery, Adelaide, to complete 200 silk-screen prints for the Sheraton Hotel, Alice Springs, Northern Territory. Commissioned by Makers Mark Gallery, Melbourne, to complete 192 hand-coloured etchings for the Savoy Plaza Hotel, Melbourne. Label design for Waratah Cosmetics. GRANTS Received an Australia Council Grant as part of the Artists-in-schools programme. This involved 10 weeks at Alice Springs High School as Artist-in-Residence – teaching students the different processes of printmaking and workshops for the local community. EXHIBITIONS Norht of the Divide, Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough. 2015 Inspiration Wild – A Narrative.Wildlife Art Museum of Australia Foundation. Sofitel, Melbourne.2014 Birds In Art, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wisconsin.USA.2014 Flyway Print Exchange, Melbourne.2014 Nature – So Beautiful, Media House Gallery, The Age. Melbourne.2014 Finalist Wildlife Art @ Discovery. Canberra. 2014 Purple Noon Gallery, Freemans Reach.2014 Wild4Art, Light Factory Gallery, Eltham. 2013 Framed Gallery, Darwin. 2013 Gold Museum, Ballarat, 2013 Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine. 2013 Wild4Art, Town & Country Gallery, Yarragon. 2012 Cut and Formed On The Plains, Penola. 2012 Cut and Formed On The Plains, Yering Station - Victoria, Roma – Queensland, Purple Noon Gallery – NSW. 2011 Widl4Art, Pantechnicon Gallery, Daylesford. 2011 Wild4Art, The Light Factory Gallery, Eltham. 2011 Wild4Art, Melbourne Art Fair. 2010 Wild4Art, Town and Country Gallery, Yarragon, 2009 Wild Awards, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia. 2008 Print, Paper, Flower and Feather, Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough, 2007 Finalist Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize, 2006 Wild Awards, Wildlife Artists’ Society of Australasia, 2006 Flying Through Time, BOCA Gallery, Melbourne, 2005 Solo Exhibition, Parker Estate Winery, Coonawarra, 2005 Annual Wildlife Exhibition, Wiregrass Gallery at Monsalvat, 2005 Flowers, Feathers and Fantastical Birdscapes, Strickland Gallery, Hobart, 2005 St. Michael’s, Collins Street, Melbourne, 2003 Still Life Group Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery, Victoria, 2003 Solo Exhibition, Beauty & the Beach, Mornington, Victoria, 2003 Blooming Exhibition, Ballarat Regional Fine Art Gallery, 2003 Solo Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery, Victoria, 2002 Paper, Cloth and Clay, Willabaa, Ballarat, Victoria, 2002 Art At Ansonia, Ballarat, Victoria, 2002 Fremantle Print Award, Western Australia, 2002 McLaren Vale Award, South Australia, 2002 Beautiful Birds & Botany, Urrbrae House - Adelaide, 2001 Castlemaine State Festival, Buda Historic Homestead – Victoria, 2001 Adventures and Memories, Lake Russell Gallery, Coffs Harbor, N.S.W. 2001 Marked Impressions, Ararat Regional Gallery, Victoria, 2001 Indulgence – Olinda Art Gallery – Victoria, 2000 Wildlife Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery – Victoria, 1999 The Geese Are Getting Fat – Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 1999 Artists Prints, Designs and Concepts – Gordon Edgerton Gallery, 1998 Russian Cultural Exchange Exhibition – St. Petersburg and Cheboksary, Russia, 1998 Wildlife Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery – Victoria, 1998 Blooming Exhibition –Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 1998 Riddoch Gallery – South Australia, 1997 Millicent Regional Gallery – South Australia, 1997 Wildlife Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery – Victoria, 1997 Medika Gallery – South Australia, 1997 Olinda Gallery – Victoria, 1997 Blooming Exhibition –Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 1997 Northern Exposure – Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 1996 Wildlife Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery – Victoria, 1996 Medika Gallery – South Australia, 1996 Wildlife Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery – Victoria, 1995 Medika Gallery – South Australia, 1995 Elgin Print Gallery, Melbourne, 1994 Lombard Gallery – Adelaide, 1994 Wildlife Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery – Victoria, 1994 Olinda Gallery – Victoria, 1994 Beechworth Gallery – Victoria, 1993 Fine Art Living –Victoria, 1993 Horsham Regional Gallery – Victoria, 1993 Wildlife Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery – Victoria, 1993 Wildlife Exhibition, Eltham Wiregrass Gallery – Victoria, 1992 Mulgrave Gallery – Victoria, 1992 8x8 Horsham Regional Gallery – Victoria, 1992 Framed Gallery – Darwin, 1991 Gray St. Gallery – Victoria, 1991 Seaview Gallery – Victoria, 1991 Seaview Gallery – Victoria, 1990 Australian Aspects – Melbourne, 1990 White Hill Gallery – Victoria, 1990 Olinda Gallery – Victoria, 1989 MacArthur Gallery – Victoria, 1989 White Hill Gallery – Victoria, 1989 Image, Defined and Altered – Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 1988 Mulgrave Gallery – Victoria, 1987 Oldhouse Gallery – Ballarat, 1987 Framed Gallery – Darwin, 1987 Coolart Wetlands Wildlife Reserve – Victoria 1987 Oldhouse Gallery – Ballarat, 1986 Kintore Gallery – Adelaide, 1986 Stawell Arts Council – Victoria, 1986 The Barn – McLaren Vale, 1985 Tesshas Gallery – Adelaide, 1985 Ararat Community Gallery, Victoria1985 Salisbury Gallery, Adelaide 1985 Lombard Gallery, Adelaide 1985 Elkira Gallery – Alice Springs, 1985 Ten Student Artists – Adelaide Festival of the Arts, 1984 Two Graduate Printmakers – Royal South Australian Society of the Arts, 1984 |