Catapult Mentorships

Painter Eleanor Alice will work with esteemed international artist William MacKinnon with a focus on creative process and technique. 

Heather Kamarra Shearer, a respected Arrernte (regional) artist will be mentored by Dr. Sera Waters, renowned academic and textile artist, to learn new and advanced techniques in Embroidery.

Multidisciplinary artist Jonathan Kim will work with Sydney based Jogakbo artist Taerim Claire Jeon to expand his Jogakbo paintings into material works.

Painter Kate Kurucz will work with multidisciplinary Netherlands based artist Tess Martin, learning the techniques of painted animation as well as receiving professional development support.

Emerging contemporary artist Michael Carney will work with multidisciplinary artist Mark Valenzuela to learn new building and firing techniques to create larger scale work and installations while exploring experimental approaches to exhibiting.

Glass sculptor Naomi Hunter will work with metal artist Michelle Kelly to extend her practice through specialised metal fabrication techniques.

Emerging contemporary artist Oakey will work with established jewellery and object artist Catherine Truman focussing on practice development and concepts, materials and techniques.

Regional multimedia artist Orlando Mee will be working with digital artist Tim Gruchy, to take his software-based practice into the physical realm of the gallery by developing hardware-based interactive installations.

Multidisciplinary artist Anna Gore will work with accomplished artist Aldo Iacobelli to develop her technical skills and gain a deeper appreciation of her field of practice and it’s history.

Textile artist Carly Snoswell will be mentored by multidisciplinary artist Tarryn Gill to explore sustainable methods of upscaling her work, creating archival artworks, and undertaking commercial gallery representation.

Ngunawal woman and regional artist Kristal Matthews will be working with Ngarrindjeri and Narangga artist and experienced muralist Cedric Varcoe to develop her skills in creating large-scale public art.

Cross-disciplinary artist Cynthia Schwertsik will work with London-based artist Joshua Sofaer to extend her practice and build international relationships.

Mid-career artist Dan Withey will undertake a mentorship with acclaimed contemporary artist Richard Lewer to refine his practice and develop strategies for a sustainable career.

Regional artist Kirsten Johnston will be working with Margaret Worth develop her knowledge and skills in abstraction.

Shoemaker and artist Matea Gluscevic will be mentored by accomplished shoemaker and artist Eugenia Neave to develop her practical and sculptural skill set.

Regional artist Monika Morgenstern will be working with mid-career artist and experienced videographer Sasha Grbich on pushing the boundaries of her film and animation skills.

Building on her existing practice of printmaking in the expanded field, Chris De Rosa worked with mentor Trent Walker (Negative Press studio) to develop both technical and conceptual skills while investigating the art of the artist book.

Scottish glass artist Katharine Coleman will work with mentee Kristel Britcher at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York, developing and refining skills in the lesser known technique of copper wheel engraving, cementing Britcher’s own skills as one of the few artists in Australia utilizing the technique within contemporary landscape.

Expanding her environmentalist realist painting arts practice, Brooke Walker visited Melbourne to learn under mentor and established street artist ‘Rone’. Through experience in scaling up, new materials and project management Brooke was trained in best practice to take her works exploring human and animal relationships to new audiences and enrich public spaces.

Read: Brooke Walker on Catapult

Through conversation and time spent on Lot 50-Kanyanyapilla, Dr Maarten Daudeij informed his writing and community practice around the rights and responsibilities of artists working on unceded land, with leading thinkers and activists Dr Gavin Malone and Karl Winda Telfer.

Read: Maarten Daudeij on Catapult

Broadening her practice to encompass more experimental forms and modes of making, jeweler Leonie with mentor Catherine Truman not only extended her practice but examined the ergonomic aspects of her practice for a sustainable career.

With internationally recognized NSW based enameller Barbara Ryman, jeweler Regine Schwarzer revisited her skills in traditional and Japanese enameling techniques, expanding her practice and allowing conceptual and technical growth.

Read: Regina Schwarzer on Catapult

Emerging kiln formed glass artist Rita Kellaway will work with internationally recognized glass artist Lisa Cahill to develop her business strategies, further technical skills and build a strong and supportive national network.

Read: Rita Kellaway on Catapult

Extending the material and technical diversity of this sculptural work, Tom developed his gallery networks and art in public spaces strategies with experienced artist and gallerist Jason Waterhouse.

Read: Tom Borgas on Catapult

Working with an established artist with whom he has a shared set of ideas, James Dodd was mentored by Cameron Robbins, sharing industry and technical knowledge pertinent to the specific ways of making and presenting within their field.

Read: James Dodd on Catapult

Internationally renowned (and based) artist Johannes Sistermanns spent dedicated time with Christopher Williams in his personal studio to develop an understanding of the technical application of transducer technology in sound sculpture. Through critical exchange and sharing listening sessions Williams built on his already strong knowledge and experience within his field of sound art to develop compositional approaches to the design of sound environments and soundscape installation.

Tamara Hardman brought her extensive experience and acclaim from the film industry to Bridget Currie, allowing Currie to capture and add to her sculpture and performance heavy practice through moving image.

Expanding his experience in social arts practice, Kaspar Schmidt Mumm travelled to Canada to work with Darren O’Donell the Artistic Director of experimental art company Mammalian Diving Reflex. Schmidt Mumm developed his street performance, social data gathering and audience controlled narrative by learning from Mammalian’s inner workings.

While addressing the methods and methodologies within her art practice, Jane Skeer worked with Melbourne artist Richard Lewer to push personal boundaries to undertake large scale community projects and navigate the national art industry with clarity and guidance.

Mentee Brianna Speight unpacked connections between performance and photography with Melbourne based experimental performance artist Mish Grigor. Speight and Grigor connected through conceptual and methodological cross-overs such as humour, critical theory and gender, to consolidate and strengthen Speights conceptual path.

Working with acclaimed sound artist Sasha Grbich, Hocking undertook a deeper exploration into the body, materiality and nature interconnections already evident within Hockings work – with a particular focus on sound recording, editing and video documentation in a site – specific environment.

Engaging with writer and maker Sera Waters, Lara Tilbrook will expand and evolve the purpose of her practice with a self-assured definition. With parallels between the artists themesof environmental preservation, cultural values and historical sentiment of adornments and objects Tilbrook will be guided by an understanding hand.

Working with Melbourne based master mould maker, ceramic artist Lesa Farrant learnt the complex skill of 2, 3 and piece mould making. This greatly expanded the breadth of Farrant’s object making and in turn, her narrative.

Regine Schwarzer is a highly trained silver and goldsmith who informed Cindy Durant’s understanding of specific jewellery making processes, shaping the remotely located artists practice towards an expanded sustainable practice.

Emerging artist Anna Dowling is a descendant of the Badimia people of the Yamatji region in Western Australia. She will be working with Sydney-based established artist Deborah Kelly to develop a series of political works that explore the impact of genetics and DNA testing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

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Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri artist Christina Gollan will be working with renowned ceramicist Kirsten Coelho (SA) to hone her skills in a dedicated ceramics studio. She aims to develop her use of colour and expand her practice to include large works and sculpture.

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Wangary-based Ngarrindjeri painter and activist Sandra Saunders worked with mentor film maker, writer and painter Dr Jess Wallace to further develop her painting practice. The artists travelled from the Gove Peninsula to Eyre Peninsula in order to extend Sandra’s technical skills, while also chronicling Sandra’s development and activism in a documentary that will accompany the exhibition pieces.

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Adelaide-based Ngarrindjeri painter and illustrator Damien Shen travelled with mentor Glenn Iseger-Pilkington to Canberra and Sydney to research representations of indigenous identity and power in national collections. Through critical discourse with curators, artists and his mentor, Damien developed a new body of work relating directly to his Aboriginal and Chinese heritage and his young children.

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