Catherine O’Donnell Biography

SELECTED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

2014
Master of Fine Arts (Research) National Art School Sydney

2006
Bachelor Fine Arts (Distinction) UWS – Awarded Deans Medal

2003
Diploma Fine Arts, Nepean College TAFE

2002
Certificate IV, Fine Arts, Nepean College TAFE – Awarded First place

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023
Catherine O’Donnell New Works, Dominik Mersch Gallery, Rushcutters Bay, NSW
Fibro Majestic, Campbelltown Arts Center, Campbelltown, NSW

2021
Another Dawn, Dominik Mersch Gallery

2020
Fibro Facade, Tweed Regional Gallery. Murwillumbah, NSW
Suspended Narratives, MAY SPACE, Sydney

2019
Winners Exhibition, Grace Cossington Smith Gallery, Abbotsleigh, NSW
Fibro Facade, Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, Nowra, NSW
Hardenvale -our home in Absurdia (collaboration with Todd Fuller and Kellie O’Dempsey) National Art School, Sydney

2018
Urban abstraction, MAY SPACE, Sydney
2168; Estate of Tomorrow, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre

2017
Sydney Contemporary, Mayspace Gallery, Carriageworks, Redfern, NSW

2016
Drawn in Fairfield, Brenda May Gallery, Waterloo, NSW
Drawn in Fairfield, Fairfield Museum and Gallery, NSW

2015
Homefront, Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW

2014
A Notion of Home, Drawings by Catherine O’Donnell, National Art School, Sydney

2013
Estates of Tomorrow, Flinders Street Gallery, Sydney

2012
Venetian Visions, Colandra Regional Gallery, Queensland
Venetian Visions, Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton

2011
Catherine O’Donnell, Flinders Street Gallery, Sydney
CBlock, Penrith Regional Gallery & Lewers Bequest, Penrith
Venetian Visions, Albury Regional Gallery, Albury

2010
Recent Drawings, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney
Light and Shadow, Pataka Museum, Poiroa New Zealand (part of the NZ International Art Festival)

2009
Light and Shadow, Blacktown Art Centre, Blacktown
Dripstone, Elizabeth Farm, Historic Houses Trust, Parramatta (with writer Naomi McCarthy)

2006 – Erasing the Darkness, Wall Space Gallery, Sydney

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023
Vibrations in Australian Drawing, Macquarie University Art Gallery, Sydney

2022
Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing, PLC Croydon, NSW
Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre, NSW

2021
KAAF Art Prize, Korean Cultural Centre, Sydney, NSW

2021
Dobell Drawing #22, National Art School, Sydney
Hardenvale: our Home in Absurdia, (collaborative exhibition with Todd Fuller and Kellie O’Dempsey) Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW
HABITAT, curated by Mark Bayly, Canberra Museum + Gallery, ACT
Space YZ, Campbelltown Arts Centre, curated by Daniel Mudie Cunningham, NSW

2020
Storytellers, Museum of Brisbane, QLD
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award, Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton, NSW
Occupied curated by Rilka Okley Blue Mountains Cultural Center, Blue Mountains, NSW
Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Queensland
Kangaroo Valley Art Prize, Kanagroo Valley, NSW
Sydney Contemporary, Sydney, NSW
Gosford Art Prize, Gosford NSW
Waverley Art Prize, NSW
Basil Sellers Art Prize, The Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre, Moruya, NSW
Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Prize, Noosa Regional Gallery, QLD
Swan Hill Print and Drawing Awards,  Swan Hill, VIC
Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize, NSW
Home, curated by Carrie Kibbler, Hazelhurst Gallery, Sutherland NSW
Muswellbrook Art Prize, Muswellbrook Regional Art Centre, Lake Macquarie, NSW

2019
The Director’s Cut, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
NOW Contemporary Art Prize, Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, Nowra, NSW.
M16 Drawing Prize, M16 Artspace, Canberra
KAAF art prize, Korean Cultural Centre, Sydney
Banyule Award for works on paper, Ivanhoe, Victoria
Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Queensland
Sydney Contemporary, Carriageworks, Redfern, NSW
Square exhibition, May Space Gallery, Sydney
Dobell Drawing Prize, National Art School, Sydney ,NSW
Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing, PLC Croydon, NSW

2018
The Ideal Home, Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest, NSW.
A.M.E. Bale Art Prize, Glen Eira City Council Gallery, VIC
Grace Cossington Smith Art Award, Grace Cossington smith Gallery, Abbotsleigh, NSW
Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Award, Noosa Regional Gallery, QLD
National Art – Part One, National Art School, Sydney.
No Barrier to Entry, Gallery 19, Chicago, IL, USA.
Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing, PLC Croydon, NSW
On-site, MAY SPACE, Sydney

2017
Out of line, MAY SPACE, Sydney
Go West, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, NSW.
Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre.
Close to Home: Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial, Western Plains Cultural Centre.
MAY SPACE: FOURTEEN, MAY SPACE, Sydney.
Stations of the Cross, Northmead CAPAHS and Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Canberra
Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Queensland

2016
Drawing Conversation. National Art School, Darlinghurst, Sydney
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award, Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton, NSW
The William Fletcher 30th Anniversery exhibition, Artarmon Galleries, NSW
Paul Guest Prize for drawing, Bendigo Art Gallery, VIC
Just Draw, Bathurst Regional Gallery, Bathurst, NSW
Close to Home, Dobell Drawing Bieannial, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
The ‘F’ Show, NORTH Contemporary Art Space, North Sydney
Wait, weep and be worthy: women, the home front & war, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Windsor
Just Draw, Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle

2015
30 Years | 30 Artists | 30 Works, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.
From Farm to the Battlefield -Remembering H.A.C. UWS Richmond Campus
Untitled Show, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.
A Notion of Home, Catherine O’Donnell, MAMA (Murray Art Museum Albury)
Seasons of Birth and Creativity, Northmead Performing Arts High School, Northmead
BSR Mostra, Rome Italy
Spazi Apert, Rome Italy
Hazelhurst Art on Paper, Gymea, NSW

2014
New Work, Flinders Street Gallery, Sydney
The Edge, Annandale Galleries, Annandale, NSW
Sextet, Delmar Gallery, Ashfield, NSW
A general map of caves, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, NSW
Rick Amor Drawing Prize
Ballarat Regional Gallery, Victoria

2013
Middlehead, 33° 50′ S, 151° 14′ E, Mosman Art Gallery, NSW
Story, Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW
Hazelhurst, Art on Paper exhibition, Gymea

2012
Gold Coast Art Prize, The Arts Centre, Gold Coast, QLD
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award, Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton, NSW
Dianne Tanzer Gallery + Projects, Melbourne
Art and Artwords exhibition, National Art School, Darlinghurst, NSW
Rick Amor Drawing Prize 2012, Ballarat Regional Gallery, Victoria
Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing , Croydon, NSW
Still Life Exhibition, Parramatta Artist studios, Parramatta

2011
The Hutchins Art Prize, Salamanca Art Centre, Hobart, Tasmania
Hazelhurst, Art on Paper exhibition, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Gymea
The City of Hobart Art Prize, Hobart, Tasmania
Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing, Croydon, NSW
Stations of The Cross Exhibition, St Ives Uniting Church, St Ives

2010
Dobell Drawing Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW
Freehand, Recent Australian Drawings, Heidi Museum Of Modern Art, Victoria
Tidal 10, Devonport Regional Gallery, Tasmania
William Fletcher Foundation Art Fellowship, NAS, Sydney, NSW
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award, Grafton, NSW
SCAP 10, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Queensland
No Right Turn, Western Sydney Drawing, Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW
Living Liverpool, Casula Powerhouse, NSW
Works on Paper, BSG Gallery, Victoria

2009
Fishers Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown, NSW
Kedumba Drawing Award, Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, NSW
Art with Paper, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Albury Art Prize, Albury Regional Gallery, Albury, NSW
Art on Paper Exhibition, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Gymea, NSW
SCAP 09, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Queensland

2008
Stan & Maureen Art Prize, Gold Coast Regional Gallery, Queensland
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Blacktown, NSW
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award, Grafton, NSW
SCAP 08, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Queensland
Waverly Art Prize, Waverly Woollahra Arts Centre, Bondi, NSW
The Churchie, National Emerging Art Exhibition, Brisbane, Queensland
Blacktown City Collection Highlights Exhibition, Blacktown, NSW
Sydney Royal Easter Show, Homebush, NSW

2007
Sydney art exhibition 07, Fox studios, Sydney, NSW
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Blacktown, NSW
Willoughby Art Prize, Willoughby, NSW
Hazelhurst Art on Paper Exhibition, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Gymea, NSW
Kedumba Drawing Award, Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, NSW
Sydney Royal Easter Show, Homebush, NSW
Adelaide Perry prize for Drawing, PLC, Croydon, NSW

2006
Kedumba, Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, NSW
Art on the Rocks, The Rocks, Sydney, NSW
Sydney, City of Village, Exhibition and Prize, Sydney, NSW
Creative Circles, Blacktown Art Centre, Blacktown, NSW
Past Presence, NADC, NSWOriginals, Wall Space Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Tyree-Tycan Works on Paper, Berrima, NSW
Work in Progress Contemporary Drawings of Western Sydney’, Blacktown Arts Centre, Blactown, NSW

2005
Quarter-ish, UWS, Graduation Exhibition, Kingswood
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Blacktown, NSW
Blackheath Art Society Spring Exhibition, Blackheath, NSW
Willoughby Art Prize, Willoughby, NSW

2004
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Blacktown, NSW
St. Gregorys’ Art Exhibition, Campbelltown, NSW

2003
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Blacktown, NSW
Blackheath Art Society Watercolour and Drawing , Blackheath, NSW
Holroyd City Art Exhibition, Holroyd, NSWSt Gregorys’ Art Exhibition, Campbelltown, NSW
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Blacktown, NSW

COLLECTIONS

Art Gallery of NSW
Parliament House Art Collection, ACT Canberra
Art Bank, Australia
Grafton Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Swan Hill Regional Gallery, Vic
Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW
Mosman Art Gallery, NSW
National Art School Collection, NSW
Kedumba Collection of Contemporary Drawings, NSW
MAMA, AlburyNSW
Abbotsleigh, Wahroonga NSW
Pataka Museum, Porirua, New Zealand.
Blacktown City Council, Blacktown, NSW
Private Collections both internationally and locally

AWARDS

2022
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award, Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton, NSW -Winner

2021
KAAF Art Prize 2021 – Winner

2020
Gosford Art Prize 2020 – Winner
Swan Hill Print and Drawing Acquisitive Awards – Winner Drawing award
Waverley Art Prize, NSW – Winner, Drawing Prize

2019
KAAF Art Prize -Commended

2018
Grace Cossington Smith Art Award -Winner

2016
The Terrence and Lynette Fern Cité Internationale des Arts Residency Fellowship for 2017

2015
Hazelhurst Art on Paper 2015 – Highly Commended

2014
NAS, British School at Rome Residency

2011
City of Hobart Art Prize, 2011, Tasmania – Highly Commended

2010
William Fletcher Foundation Art Fellowship – Highly Commended
Sunshine Coast Art Prize (SCAP10), Queensland – Highly Commended
BSG works on paper, Brunswick Victoria – Awarded 2nd prize

2009
Albury Art Prize – Awarded First Prize International Art Residency
Sunshine Coast Art Prize (SCAP09), QLD – Highly Commended

2007
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Blacktown – Awarded First Prize
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition,Works on Paper – Highly Commended

2006
Bachelor Fine Arts (Distinction) UWS – Awarded Deans Medal
Sydney, City of Village, Exhibition and Prize, Sydney – Awarded First prize

2005
Blackheath Art Society Spring Exhibition, Blackheath – Highly Commended

2004
Contempo, Exhibition of Contemporary Art – Highly Commended

2003
Blackheath Art Society Watercolour and Drawing Exhibition – Highly commended

2002
Certificate IV, Fine Arts, Nepean College TAFE – Awarded First place
Holroyd City Art Exhibition – Highly Commended
Blacktown City Acquisitive Art Exhibition,Blacktown – Commended

RESIDENCIES

2018
Bundanon Trust, Illaroo, NSW

2017
Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris France

2016/17
Parramatta Artist Studios, NSW

2016
Bundanon Trust, Illaroo, NSW

2015
British School at Rome, Italy

2014
Penrith Regional gallery & the Lewers Bequest, NSW

2013
Bilpin international ground for creative initatives:The Big Ci, Bilpin, NSW
Penrith Regional Gallery & Lewers Bequest, NSW

2011
Artst in Residence Nepean Creative and Performance Art High School, NSW

2010
Scuola International di Grafica (Venice, Italy)
Casula Powerhouse Artist in Residence, NSW

2009
Blacktown Art Centre Artist in Residence, NSW
Historic Houses (Elizabeth Farm Parramatta) Artist in Residence

ARTICLES

2019
Apps, Lesley. ‘Artist inspired by Grafton’ Daily Examiner, Saturday July 13, 2019 pg 9
Sands, Niomi. ‘Gallery’s Artist in Residence arrives’ Daily Examiner Wednesday July 10 2019, pg 41
McCarthy, N, 2019, To Hold Eternity in an Hour – Hardenvale Our Home in Absurdia , exhibition Essay, 28 March to 20 April ,2019, National Art School, Sydney
Marshell, L. 2019, Fibro Facade, exhibition Essay, 16 April – 31 May, 2019, Shoalhaven Regional Gallery , Nowra, NSW

2018
Lewis, B.C. ‘Glenbrook artist Catherine O’Donnell’s work featured in The Ideal Home at Lewers’ Blue Mountains Gazette, November 29, 2018 https://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/story/5783220/glenbrook-artist-pays-homage-to-sirius-building/#slide=1 acessed Dec 12, 2018
Berry, V.“Housing Memories.”Look, March-April, 58-60, 62.

2017
McDonald, John. “Splash Out.” SMH, 16-17 Sep, p10-11.
Frost Andrew. Sydney Contemporary seduces with animated flowers, charcoal houses and a live dingo. The Gardian, Arts and Design, September 8,
Melicor, Jessa. “Catherine O’Donnell.” Art Collector Special Edition, September, p.44.
Grishin, Sasha. “Stations of the Cross sees 16 artists interpret eternal questions.” The Canberra Times, 20 March.
Clement, Tracey. “Fourteen”, Art Guide Australia, March/April, p.47.

2016
Fortesque, Elizabeth. “Catherine drawn to home” Daily Telegraph, September 29, pg 46.
Mc’Donald, John. “Drawing on Experience” Sydney Morning Herald, Sept10-11, Spectrum pp16-17
Stranger, Lucy. Catherine O’Donnell. Artist Profile, Issue 36, 2016, pp 86-91
Ryan, Anne. Close to home, Australian Drawing Biennial 2016. Sydney: Art Gallery of NSW, pp52-57
Frost, Andrew. The Dobell: modestly staged, impressively rendered. The Conversation, August 12, 2016 
Gall,Naomi. “Close to home:Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial 2016” Art Guide Australia, August 9,2016,
Taylor, Andrew. “Western Sydney’s landscape inspires latest crop of artists at Parramatta Artists Studios”, Sydney Morning Herald , 12 February

2015
Home/Front (100 Year Commemoration of the Gallipoli Campaign), exhibition catalogue, 11 April – 31 May 2015, Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW.
Paterson, Ian. “Rome is where art is”, Penrith Press , 30 January 2015, p5.

2013
Fizgerald, Micheal. “Open Gallery – Estates of Tomorrow”, SMH Spectrum, 6 – 7 April 2013, p13.
Middlehead 33°50′ S 151° 14′ E, exhibition catalogue 7 September- 17 November 2013 Mosman Art Gallery, Mosman, NSW

2011
Daborn, Shirley. C-Block: Drawings by Catherine O’Donnell , exhibition catalogue, 6 August – 16 October 2011, Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW.
Venetian Visions, exhibition catalogue, 5 March – 24 April, Albury Art Gallery, NSW.
Durrent, Jacqui. “The Albury Art Prize” Art Monthly Issue 236 Dec 2011-Jan 2012, p 62-64
Michaels, Linda (ed). ‘Freehand, Recent Australian Drawings’, exhibition catalogue 26 November 2010 – 6 March 2011 Heidi Museum of Modern Art, Victoria

2010
“International Arts Festival”, February 11, 2010. Munting, Brianna. Living Liverpool , exhibition catalogue, 6 February – 11 April, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, NSW.
Blain, Natasha. “In the Studio: Catherine O’Donnell”, Artbank Now, October 2010, p14-15.
Daborn, Shirley. “The Indefinable Art of Drawing”, No Right Turn , April 2010, Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW.

2009
Light and Shadow: Drawings by Catherine O’Donnell, exhibition catalogue, 14 April – 13 June 2009, Blacktown Art Centre, NSW.

2006
Kouyoumdjian, Sophia. Work in Progress Contemporary Drawing from Western Sydney, exhibition catalogue, 24 February – 25 March 2006, Blacktown Arts Centre, NSW.
Fizgerald, Micheal. “Open Gallery – Estates of Tomorrow”, SMH (Spectrum)