Image: Rebecca Palmer, Cherished Memories, Jamestown Mural Festival, image courtesy the artist.
Guildhouse is delighted to announce South Australian artists Meg Mader and Rebecca Palmer as the recipients of the first round of Catapult Mentorships for 2025.
Catapult is an artist-led, career transforming professional development program for South Australian visual artists, craft practitioners and designers at any stage of their career. The program provides a flexible and paid opportunity for artists to purposefully engage in mentorship with their chosen mentor, supported by Guildhouse. This round has been made possible with funding from Country Arts SA and the generosity of Guildhouse’s Creative Champions donor circle.
Meg Mader will be mentored by acclaimed painter Dan Withey, while Rebecca Palmer will be mentored by multidisciplinary artist Laura Wills.
Artist Meg Mader has said, “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to work with Dan Withey. Being selected for Catapult is an exciting step for me as an artist, allowing me to push my practice further and strengthen my artistic voice.”
Rebecca Palmer has said, “I am so excited to be accepted for a Catapult mentorship. This opportunity provides me a framework of support and direction and allows me to learn from Laura who I deeply admire as an artist. Thank you Guildhouse for this opportunity and encouragement to grow as an artist.”
About Guildhouse and Catapult
Guildhouse is the peak body for visual art, craft and design in South Australia with a national reputation for supporting artists and leading sector development. Guildhouse represents an engaged, vibrant and diverse community of over 1200 artists, arts workers, arts organisations, industry guilds and community members.
The Catapult Mentorship Program provides artists with essential funding and support to develop their artistic practice through mentorship. South Australian mentees engage with mentors locally, nationally and internationally to develop skills, realise goals and allow time to learn more about their creative practices.
The next Round of Catapult will open for applications on 3 November 2025.
Guildhouse CEO Beth Neate said, “Catapult’s unique artist-led mentorship model creates mutual learning for both the Mentee and Mentor. We know that great mentorships build confidence, grow networks and nurture professional excellence. Catapult is about artists supporting other artists to achieve their ambitions through collaboration, trust, and shared expertise. We are thrilled to support Meg and Rebecca in this next phase of their careers, and we thank our partner Country Arts SA and our incredible donors for enabling these opportunities.
About Country Arts:
Country Arts SA is a major South Australian organisation dedicated to enriching the lives of people in regional communities through arts and culture. They achieve this by presenting performing and visual arts, offering professional development and grants for regional artists, managing arts venues, and providing arts education programs for schools and young people. Their vision is to foster thriving regional communities and empower artists and cultural workers to tell their unique stories.
“Country Arts SA is proud to once again partner with Guildhouse on the Catapult program, which plays a vital role in supporting the growth and confidence of regional artists. This year’s recipients, Meg Mader and Rebecca Palmer, are both developing distinctive practices, and we’re excited to see how their mentorships shape their creative journeys.” Lauren Mustillo, Visual Arts Manager.
Catapult is generously funded through the Guildhouse Creative Champions donor program and Country Arts SA.
Image: Meg Mader, Fetch Me Equality, 2025, Gouache on Wooden Panel, 305mm x 229mm, photograph Meg Mader.
Meg Mader is a regional South Australian illustrative artist whose vibrant works combine acrylic inks, gouache, and pen to create playful, often whimsical scenes rich with pattern and storytelling. Her imagery frequently draws from found or gifted objects, weaving them into imaginative settings where scale, proportion, and narrative intertwine. Humour and wordplay are central to her creative voice, with titles that invite a second look. In 2025, Meg presented Patterned Disproportion, a solo exhibition at The Mill, Adelaide, exploring disproportionate still-life scenes and pattern-based narratives, with selected works enhanced by augmented reality. Her practice has been recognised through awards including the Clare Valley Portrait Prize and the Balco Art Prize, and she was selected for the Country Arts SA Nebula Program in 2023. Beyond her personal projects, Meg has facilitated art events and workshops across South Australia and Tasmania since 2017. She is an active member of her local arts community, contributing to committees and running a weekly art group. Meg’s current focus is on deepening the role of pattern in her storytelling, expanding her material practice, and developing a more fluid, instinctive approach to image-making.
Rebecca Palmer is a South Australian mural artist based on the Eyre Peninsula, Barngarla Country, recognised for creating largescale works that merge bold visual impact with thoughtful conceptual depth. Her practice is grounded in themes of place, environment, and community, drawing on local stories, history, and natural landscapes to produce artworks that resonate with audiences and reflect a sense of belonging. Since 2023, Rebecca has delivered a diverse portfolio of public art projects, including school murals, RSL heritage commemorations, and private commissions. She approaches each project through site-specific research, active listening, and collaborative dialogue, ensuring that the voices, culture, and identity of the community/client are embedded in the final work. Her visual style is defined by strong themes, vibrant colour, and a layered approach to meaning making. She is passionate about exploring how narrative can be expressed through visual form, creating artworks that invite both emotional connection and thoughtful engagement. Rebecca’s ongoing practice reflects her commitment to producing high-quality, place-responsive art that celebrates local identity and strengthens cultural connection. She continues to evolve her artistic language, embracing opportunities to experiment, collaborate, and create murals and works on canvas that leave a lasting impact in the spaces they inhabit.
