Penny Evans is a contemporary Indigenous Australian artist who was born in 1966 in Sydney.
She lives and works in Lismore, in the Northern Rivers, NSW. 
Her ancestors traditional Gamilaraay (Northern Gomeroi) homelands are to the north west of Bundjalung country in and around Garah, Mungindi, Boomi and Boggabilla.

She primarily creates ceramic pieces, but also produces mixed media artworks and films.

Her work relates and refers to her identity through a decolonising process, learning about her Aboriginal heritage and processes of colonisation/decolonisation.

The recurring designs she applies on her ceramics and her typical use of the sgraffito technique – reminiscent of the Gamilaraay / Gomeroi traditions of carving into trees, emu eggs or objects from the everyday life, as well as ground carving for ceremonial purposes, communications and storytelling – conjure up her cultural heritage and enable her to perpetuate the traditional artistic practices linked to her ancestors.

She has received several prestigious awards for her work, including the 2016 National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award “Peoples Choice” category. Her works are part of important public museum collections such as the National Gallery of Australia (Canberra), the Art Gallery of South Australia (Adelaide), and the Australian Museum (Sydney).

 

>> CLICK HERE TO SEE A SELECTION OF ARTWORKS

 

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2020 – Language of the Wounded, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW

2019 – Dhigaraa galgaa baa – place of many birds, JamFactory, SA

2018 – Death to a Stereotype, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW

2017 – YiiY: A Method to Decolonize, Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW

2014 – The AB-sorption Method, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW

2010 – Releasing Walka, CoFAspace Gallery Paddington Sydney, NSW

2009 – Souvenir, Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW

2008 – Site, Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW

 

Selected Exhibitions:

2022 – CEREMONY, 4th Indigenous Art Triennial, National Gallery, Canberra

2021 – Clay Dynasty, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

2021 – Eucalyptusdom, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

2018 – Measured Response, National Art School Darlinghurst Sydney, NSW

2018 – Badu Gili, NAIDOC 2018, Projection of work on Sails, Sydney Opera House, NSW

2018 – Death to a Stereotype, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW

2018 – Sensual Nature, Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle, Western Australia

2017 – Balun Gilamahla – River Journey, Weaving Project, NORPA, Lismore City Hall, NSW

2017 – YiiY: A Method to Decolonize, solo show at Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW

2017 – We’re Closer Than You Think, Old Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore NSW

2017 – Walan Yinaagirbang/Strong Women, First Draft, Sydney

2016 – Black Arts Market, Carriageworks, Sydney

2016 – Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award Exhibition, Gold Coast City Gallery, QLD

2016 – International Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramics, International Academy of Ceramics, Barcelona, Spain

2016 – Sensations: Accessing Collections, Grafton Regional Gallery

2016 – Bootheram Bundjalung, City Hall, Lismore NSW

2015 – CVIAA Exhibition, Grafton Regional Gallery

2015 – Tarnanthi Festival, Art Gallery of South Australia

2015 – Brand X, Campbell Street, Surry Hills, Sydney

2014 – The AB-Sorption Method, solo show, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW

2014 – Corroboree, Black Art Market, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney

2014 – Tamworth Textile Triennial, Tamworth Regional Gallery, UTS Gallery Sydney

2014 – NSW Parliament Aboriginal Art Award, Parliament House Sydney

2013 – NSW Parliament Aboriginal Art Award, Parliament House Sydney

2012 – Jugul: Indigenous Artists Book Project Exhibition, Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina NSW

2010 – A Spiritual Journey: Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW

2010 – The Hanky Project;Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW

2010 – Lest we Forget, Quotidian & Quixotic Gallery, Alstonville NSW

2009  – Souvenir– Solo show at the Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW

2009 – NSW Parliament Prize for Aboriginal Artists, Parliament House Sydney

2009 – NPWS Aboriginal Art Award, Northern Rivers Community Gallery

2009 – Lismore Regional Gallery opening of The Olley Shop, Wyrallah Ware Ceramics

2009 – Retrospect Galleries Byron Bay NSW – Launch of ‘A Special Kind of Vision’ Publication

2009 – Art of the Bundjalung Nation Exhibition, City Hall Lismore

2008 – NSW Parliament Prize for Indigenous Artists, Parliament House Sydney

2008 – NPW Aboriginal Art Award ExhibitionTweed River Regional Gallery

2008 – The Year of the Apology Exhibition; Northern Rivers Community Art Gallery Ballina NSW

2008 – Barratt Galleries Alstonville NSW

2007 – Grafton Regional Gallery NPW Aboriginal Art Award

2002 – Boomalli Aboriginal Arts Cooperative Ltd “CommUnity” A Post Naidoc Exhibition Sydney

2001 – Sydney Opera House – The Studio Foyer “Freedom Ride 2001″ Exhibition

2001 – Walkabout Indigenous Art Gallery Sydney

2001 – Gondwana Indigenous Art Gallery, Alice Springs

2000 – Munich International Craft Fair Germany

1999 – Australian Craft Show Sydney

1999 – Munich International Craft Fair Germany

1998 – Australian Craft Show Sydney

1997-2001 – Gavala Aboriginal and Cultural Centre Sydney “Gamilaroi Ceramics Collection”

1997 – Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Sydney “Home Brand” Contemporary Australian Ceramics

1994-2002 – Chowk Newtown Sydney. Continuous exhibition of ceramic tableware, sculpture, drawing in Gallery attached to workshop

1994 – Craftspace Sydney

1993-1994 – Bare Gallery Newtown Sydney

1990 – Sydney College of Arts Graduate Show “Post-Partum”

 

Awards and Residencies:

2017 – Finalist 34th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award

2017 – Revealed, Fremantle Arts Centre, Western Australia

2016 – Winner National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Peoples Choice

2016 – Finalist Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award

2016 – Finalist 33rd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award

2016 – Recipient Australia Council for the Arts Grant

2015 – Winner, Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award

2013 – Recipient NSW Regional Indigenous Art Fund

2012 – Artist In Residence Bangalow Primary School, NSW (20 week residency)

2012 – Jugul, Indigenous Artists Book Project Northern Rivers Community Gallery

2010 – Artist in Residence CoFA Printmaking DepartmentPaddington Sydney

2010 – Finalist in Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Award

2009 – Encouragement Award Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award Grafton Regional Gallery

2009 – Recipient of the Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize Professional Development Award

2009 – NPWS Aboriginal Art Award– Winner 1st Prize

2009 – Artist in Residence, Northern Rivers Community Gallery

2008 – Finalist Parliament of NSW  Aboriginal Art Award

2001 – “Highly Commended” Freedom Ride 2001 Poster Competition, Studio Foyer, Sydney Opera House

 

Selected Collections:

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide

UTS South East Aboriginal Art Collection, Sydney

Australian Museum, Sydney

Shepparton Art Museum, Victoria

Gold Coast City Gallery Ceramics Collection

Grafton Regional Gallery

Tamworth Regional Gallery

Manly Regional Gallery

 

 

PHOTO CREDITS: Penny Evans © photo Neshko Garch