Naomi Zouwer is a Canberra based, cross-disciplinary artist. She works across drawing, painting and textiles mediums making works that engage with ideas of cultural heritage, identity and the social role of personal objects.
In 2019, Zouwer was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy from the School of Art at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. Prior to this she received her Graduate Diploma in Education and a Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) from the University of Newcastle.
Zouwer has been selected for drawing, painting and textile awards and prizes. These include: 2020 Waverley Art Prize; 2020 Goulburn Art Award; 2018 Lethbridge 10 000 Small Scale Art Award; 2016 Kate Derum Award for Small Tapestries; 2015 Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award; 2015 M16 Artspace Drawing Prize; and the 2014 ANU School of Art Drawing Prize.
Zouwer has exhibited widely in Australia including (but not limited to) the following galleries: Michael Reid Northern Beaches Gallery, Sydney (mini release in 2021); M16 Artspace (solo in 2020) and Beaver Galleries, Canberra (group in 2020). In 2020, Zouwer was selected as one of 5 Australian artists to complete an Artist in Residence in 2021 at Megalo Print Studio.
Visual Arts CV (pdf)
Education
2019 Doctor of Philosophy: School of Art and Design, College of Art and Social Sciences, Australian National University
1997 Graduate Diploma of Education: University of Newcastle
1996 Bachelor of Arts Visual Art: University of Newcastle
Awards and prizes
2020 Bluethumb Art Prize, Finalist
2020 The Waverly Art Prize, Finalist
2020 The Goulburn Art Award, Finalist
2018 The Lethbridge Small Scale Award, Finalist
2017 The Kate Derum Tapestry Award, The Australian Tapestry Workshop, Melbourne, Finalist
2016 Little Things Art Prize, Saint Cloche Gallery, Sydney, Finalist
2016 ANU School of Art and Design Drawing Prize, Finalist
2016 Petite, Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria, Finalist
2015 ANU School of Art and Design Drawing Prize, Finalist
2015 Contemporary Textile Award, Wangaratta Art gallery, Victoria, Finalist (images)
2014 Petite, Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria, Finalist
2014 M16 Drawing Prize, Canberra, Finalist.
2014 Canberra Grammar Sculpture Festival, Finalist
2014 ANU School of Art and Design Drawing Prize, Highly Commended
2006 Brindabella Art Prize, Tuggeranong Art Centre, Canberra, Finalist
1999 The Newcastle Regional Show Art Prize
1996 The Acquisitive, Watt Space Gallery, Newcastle
Collections
Grafton Regional Gallery, The Department of Education, several Australian and International private collections
Residencies
2020 Awarded the Megalo Residency (postponed due to (COVID)
Solo Exhibitions
2021 Michael Reid Northern Beaches Gallery
2020 Strange Days Indeed, M16 Gallery, Canberra
2019 Objects of Empathy, Curated by David Broker, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra
2019 In search of lost time, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney
2018 Making Home, PhD Graduation, The ANU SOA&D Gallery, Canberra
2017 The History of You, National Museum of Australia Main Hall, Canberra
1996 A Bex, a cup of tea and a good lie down, Graduate Exhibition, Watt Space Gallery, Newcastle
Group Exhibitions
2020 Small Works, Beaver Galleries, Canberra
2019 CAPO Exhibition, East Space, Canberra
2019 Visionaries, Craft ACT Members exhibition, Craft ACT, Canberra
2019 Geo: Art of the collection, Project gallery, ANU, Canberra
2019 Shelflife, May Space, Sydney (images)
2018 CAPO Exhibition, East Space, Canberra
2018 Third Course, ANU Foyer Gallery, Canberra
2018 1×1 ANU SOA&D Staff Exhibition, ANU SOA&D Gallery, Canberra
2018 Dreaming of Remembering, curated by Grace Blakely-Carroll, ANCA Gallery, Canberra
2017 The Cut Out, Belconnen Arts Centre, Canberra (images)
2017 The Plate Show, M16 Gallery, Canberra
2016 Evidence, School of Art and Design Foyer Gallery, Canberra
2015 Bookplate, curated by Helen Maxwell, Electric Shadows, Canberra
2015 Illusion to Actual: painting explored through the realm of the object, School of Art and Design Foyer Gallery ANU, Canberra
2015 Flourish, Illustrators Australia, Melbourne
2015 CIT Walking Together Art Exhibition, CIT Design Space, Canberra. Serendipity, Belconnen Arts Centre, Canberra
2011 Art for Mental Health Research, Blue Door Gallery, Melbourne
2010 Draw Fourth, CIT Staff Exhibition, Canberra Institute of Technology, Canberra
2009 The Third Draw, CIT Staff Exhibition, Canberra Institute of Technology, Canberra
2007 Exploration 7, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2007 Postcard Show, Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW. 2007 Conversations in 3D (Tenant’s show), ANCA Gallery, Canberra
2004 Material Girls, Cuppacumbalong Gallery, Tharwa
2002 Ephemera, Cuppacumbalong Gallery, Tharwa
2000 Backgrounds or Bust, Side on Gallery, Annandale
1999 Colour my World Members Exhibition, Canberra Contemporary Art Space. Huntress, Starfish Gallery, Sydney
1999 The Last Frontier, Lindsay Street Gallery, Newcastle
1998 From the Front Steps, Lindsay Street Gallery, Newcastle
1998 The Private Sphere, John Paynter Gallery, Newcastle
1997 The University of Newcastle Graduate Show, Newcastle