Catapult Mentorships

The Catapult mentorship program provides creative professionals with essential funding and support to develop their artistic practice through a meaningful mentorship.

The projects of Catapult recipients show ambition, drive and dedication. Mentees engage with mentors, locally, nationally and internationally to develop skills, realise projects and allow time to learn more about their practice.

The Guildhouse Catapult program actively encourages participation from regional practitioners.  Country Arts SA is a proud supporter of this initiative to increase the participation of regional South Australian artists and arts workers in career development.

With the generous support of The Ian Potter Foundation and Guildhouse Creative Champions, we have provided over thirty-five mentorships to Guildhouse members. In partnership with The Art Gallery of South Australia we have awarded five First Nations artists mentorships through the Catapult + Tarnanthi program. In 2022, the mentorship model was extended to include the Catapult + Tarntanya mentorship program, delivered in partnershp with City of Adelaide seeing two First Nations artists awarded mentorships.

Catapult is bolstered by an important research study in partnership with the University of South Australia to examine the impact of mentorships on artistic careers over time.

‘This opportunity has had a significant impact on my career. During the particularly uncertain and tumultuous period of COVID-19, this mentorship has been an excellent anchor for my professional practice, and served as a great way to navigate my constantly changing career plans.’

Georgia Button

Catapult 2020

‘This mentorship both grew my understanding of who it is that I am, as performer / person, while also giving me some knowledge of a specific approach to performance that I didn’t know a great deal about.’

Monte Masi

Catapult 2020

Catapult is bolstered by an important research study in partnership with the University of South Australia to examine the impact of mentorships on artistic careers over time.

Images: Previous Catapult mentors and mentees. Photographs Sia Duff.

The Mentorships

Catapult 
The Catapult mentorship program offers multiple mentorships valued at $5,000 for South Australian artists, craftspeople and designers.

Catapult 2023

Recipients 

Dave Court and Soda Jerk

Multi-interdisciplinary artist Dave Court will be undertaking a mentorship with internationally renowned duo Soda Jerk to develop, clarify and deepen conceptual aspects of his work. 

Edwina Cooper and Penelope Cain

Sculpture and installation-based artist Edwina Cooper will work with Sydneybased interdisciplinary artist Penelope Cain with an aim to learn about incorporating environmental sciences and research as core motivators in artistic practice.

Fiona Castle-Schmidt and Julia Robinson

Emerging artist Fiona Castle-Schmidt will work with sculpture and installation-based artist Julia Robinson to develop her emerging upholstery wall sculpture practice.  

Jingwei Bu and Lindy Lee

Multidisciplinary artist Jingwei Bu will work with acclaimed contemporary artist Lindy Lee focusing on career development pathways, project development support, advice on collaborating and working with institutions, and sharing experiences of working as POC artists.

Kat Korossy and Kate Kurucz

Kat Korossy will be undertaking a mentorship with artist Kate Kurucz with an aim to elevate her artistic practice by integrating abstract, realism and surrealism techniques, expanding creative horizons. 

Lyn Anstey and Sophie Hann

Landscape and portrait artist Lyn Anstey will be undertaking a mentorship with Sophie Hann with a focus on improving technical skills and strengthening concepts aiding the continuation of her body of work. 

Shirley Jianzhen Wu and Mark Eliott
Emerging contemporary artist Shirley Jianzhen Wu will work with contemporary glass artist Mark Eliott with the purpose of refining her hollow flamework glassblowing skill in larger scale and gain deeper understanding of glass installation.   

Catapult 2022

Recipients 

Eleanor Alice with William Mackinnon

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

Heather Kamarra Shearer with Sera Waters

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.

Jonathan Kim with Taerim Claire Jeon

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

Kate Kurucz with Tess Martin

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.

Michael Carney with Mark Valenzuela

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.

Naomi Hunter with Michelle Kelly

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

Oakey with Catherine Truman

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

Orlando Mee with Tim Gruchy

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.

Catapult 2021

Recipients
Anna Gore with Aldo Iacobelli

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.

Carly Snoswell with Tarryn Gill

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.

Kristal Matthews with Cedric Varcoe

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.

Cynthia Schwertsik with Joshua Sofaer

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

Dan Withey with Richard Lewer

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.

Kirsten Johnston with Margaret Worth

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

Matea Gluscevic with Eugenia Neave

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

Monika Morgenstern with Sasha Grbich

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.

Catapult 2020

Recipients
Elyas Alavi with Khaled Sabsabi

Emerging artist Elyas Alavi will work with established installation artist Khaled Sabsabi to develop his technical and conceptual skills and broaden his visual language.

Georgia Button with Nicholas Folland

Emerging multidisciplinary artist Georgia Button will be working with Adelaide-based artist and educator Nicholas Folland to develop a road map for the next 5 years of her artistic career, pinpointing opportunities that will enable her to fulfil immediate, mid-term and long-term goals as a professional visual artist.

Gus Clutterbuck with Mark Valenzuela

Mid-career ceramicist Gus Clutterbuck is undertaking a mentorship with Mark Valenzuela to evolve his conceptual development and design of large scale ceramic installation works and figurative imagery.

James Howe with Gray Hawk

Furniture designer and maker James Howe will be working with prominent Adelaide master maker Gray Hawk to develop his skills in woodworking and furniture production.

Karen Carr with Rosii Pedler

Self-taught community artist Karen Carr aims to diversify her practice by working with Rosii Pedler to develop her ceramics skills and eventually combine hand built ceramics into her stone sculptures.

Matthew Moore with Mary-Jean Richardson

Emerging artist Matthew Moore will be developing his oil painting and portraiture skills with established artist and visual arts lecturer Mary-Jean Richardson.

Monte Masi with Hew Parham

Monte Masi will be working with Adelaide-based actor, clown and teacher Hew Parham to learn new skills relating to live performance in a contemporary art context, with a focus on contemporary clowning practice and associated techniques.

Sarra Tzijan with Christian Hall

Emerging Indian-Australian contemporary metal artist Sarra Tzijan will work with mentor jeweller and metalsmith Christian Hall to develop her technical and conceptual skills and establish her production practice.

Read: Sarra Tzijan on Catapult

Sam Gold with Jane Robertson and David Pedler

Ceramicist Sam Gold will undertake a two pronged mentorship to investigate body and surface treatment of clay with established ceramicist Jane Robertson and harvesting local clays with established ceramicist David Pedler.

Read: Sam Gold on Catapult

Fruzsi Kenez with Gerry Wedd

Acclaimed ceramicist Gerry Wedd will mentor illustrator and ceramicist Fruzsi Kenez in producing large ceramic vessels with nuanced illustration techniques such as cobalt painting and sgraffito in his Port Elliot studio.

Tony Wilson with Thomas Readett

Kaunra/Ngarrindjeri/Narrunga artist Tony Wilson will be undertaking a mentorship with established artist and Education Officer for Tarnanthi Thomas Readett. Tony will be working to develop and refine his portraiture skills in addition to expanding his professional networks.

Zoë Brooks with Liam Benson

Interdisciplinary artist Zoë Brooks will work with multidisciplinary artist Liam Benson to gain deeper understanding of best practice working with community in a contemporary arts practice.

White drawing on black background creating detailed concentric circles.

Catapult 2019

Recipients
Chris De Rosa with Trent Walter

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.

Kristel Britcher with Katharine Coleman

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.

Brooke Walker with Tyrone 'Rone' Wright

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

Dr Maarten Daudeij with Dr Gavin Malone and Karl Winda Telfer

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

Leonie Westbrook with Catherine Truman

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.

Regine Schwarzer with Barbara Ryman

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

Rita Kellaway with Lisa Cahill

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

Tom Borgas with Jason Waterhouse

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

James Dodd with Cameron Robbins

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

White drawing on black background creating detailed concentric circles.

Catapult 2018

Recipients
Christopher Williams with Johannes Sistermanns

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.

Bridget Currie with Tamara Hardman

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.

Kaspar Schmidt Mumm with Darren O'Donnell

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.

Jane Skeer with Richard Lewer

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.

Brianna Speight with Mish Grigor

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.

Gail Hocking with Sasha Grbich

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.

Lara Tilbrook with Sera Waters

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.

Lesa Farrant with Irianna Kanellopoulou

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.

Cindy Durant with Regine Schwarzer

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.

Catapult + Tarnanthi 
This mentorship program provides funded opportunities for artists to work with mentors, culminating in the presentation of new work as part of the Tarnanthi festival. Tarnanthi presents the contemporary art of the oldest living culture on an unprecedented scale, in a national event held annually by AGSA.

White drawing on black background creating detailed concentric circles.

Catapult + Tarnanthi 2023

Elizabeth Close with Karla Dickens

Contemporary visual artist Elizabeth Close is a Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara woman from the APY Lands in Central Australia She will be working with multidisciplinary Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens to create new work pushing boundaries and challenging perspectives. 

Find out more

White drawing on black background creating detailed concentric circles.

Catapult + Tarnanthi 2020

Recipients
Anna Dowling with Deborah Kelly

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.

Find out more

Christina Gollan with Kirsten Coelho

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.

Find out more

White drawing on black background creating detailed concentric circles.

Catapult + Tarnanthi 2019

Recipients
Sandra Saunders with Jess Wallace

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.

Find out more

Damien Shen with Glenn Iseger-Pilkington

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.

Find out more

Catapult + Tarntanya 
This mentorship program, delivered in partnership with City of Adelaide, provides funded opportunities for two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to work with mentors to develop their technical capabilities in public art, as well as their project management, stakeholder, and communication skills.

White drawing on black background creating detailed concentric circles.

Catapult + Tarntanya 2022

Shane Cook with Reko Rennie

Shane Cook, a proud Wulli Wulli and Guwa descendant from Queensland, has connected with established interdisciplinary artist Reko Rennie as his mentor.

Sonya Rankine with Helen Fuller

Sonya Rankine, a Ngarrinndjeri, Ngadjuri, Narungga & Wirangu artist and established weaver connected with Helen Fuller whose established ceramics practice of over 30 years, continues to show nationally and internationally.

Catapult News

CATAPULT + Tarnanthi 2020: Christina Gollan

CATAPULT + Tarnanthi 2020: Christina Gollan

Image: Tarnanthi 2021, Christina Gollan ceramic installation, Art Gallery of South Australia, Catapult mentorship program. Photograph Saul SteedThe Catapult + Tarnanthi 2020 mentorship sees Kaurna, Boandik and Ngarrindjeri artist Christina Gollan undertake mentorship...

Catapult 2021 Recipients

Catapult 2021 Recipients

Catapult 2021 sees 8 exceptional South Australian artists undertaking $5,000 mentorships to expand and investigate their practice with nationwide mentors. Catapult provides South Australian artists, craftspeople and designers with the essential funding and support...

Spotlight: Sarra Tzijan on Catapult

Spotlight: Sarra Tzijan on Catapult

Sarra Tzijan is an emerging Indian-Australian contemporary metal artist. She has been working with mentor jeweller and metalsmith Christian Hall to develop her technical and conceptual skills and establish her production practice. We interviewed Sarra about what it’s...

Tarnanthi is presented by the Art Gallery of South Australia with Principal Partner BHP and support from the Government of South Australia.

Images (L-R): 2019 Catapult mentee Leonie Westbrook (right) with mentor Catherine Truman. Photograph Rosina Possingham; Mentor Christan Hall with mentee Sarra Tzijan, photograph Sia Duff; Shirley Jianzhen Wu, Infusion (detail), 2022, Flameworked borosilicate glass, Eucalyptus cneorifolia essential oil, sola wood (Aeschynomene aspera), teak, cotton thread, reed and silicone. Photo by Michael Haines; Eleanor Zecchin, New yard, old memories, 2016. Image courtesy the artist; Matea Gluscevic. Image courtesy the artist; Elyas Alavi, Naan Bread (detail), video installation still, 2017. Photograph Grant Hancock; Chris DeRosa, Seaflora Etchings, 2018. Image courtesy the artist; Bridget Currie, work in progress, 2018. Image courtesy the artist; Tarnanthi 2021, Christina Gollan ceramic installation, Art Gallery of South Australia, Catapult mentorship program. Photograph Saul Steed; Sandra Saunders, install at the Art Gallery of South Australia for Tarnanthi 2019. Photograph Saul Steed.