Eva the Artist

Curriculum Vitae 

Eva Wanganeen (Artist)

325 Cape Tribulation rd.Cow Bay,Qld,4873

Ph/Fax - 07 40989197

Place of birth - Wallaroo,S.A.

Artists country - Kokatha,Wirringu & Arrente

 

Relevant Education

 

2008 Re configurations workshop. Surface design – Giovanni Conti, Melb.

2008 Springboard – Australian design unit, workshops

2007 Product development & costings workshops, C.E., Brisbane

2007 ‘Product to Market’ workshop, Creative Economy, Cairns

2007 Seminar & workshops at the “Women in Export” event, Pt. Douglas

2007 Commercialising your art workshop, Memento, Tanks in Cairns.

2006 Indigenous business forum and workshops. DSD Brisbane.

2005 Mentoring for Growth Workshop Qld Dept. of State Development

2002 Advanced silk painting workshops,Natasha Foulcat,Mittagong NSW

1999 Advanced silk painting workshop,Raw Silk,S.A.

1998 Silk painting workshops,Sante Teressa Community,N.T.

1998 Art & craft Business course,Pt Adelaide Community College,S.A.

1997 Silk painting workshop, Marie France,Adelaide,S.A.

1997 Silk painting workshop,Salisbury Tafe,S.A.

1997 Silk Screening Course,Salisbury Tafe,S.A.

1996 Sewing course,Salisbury Tafe,S.A.

1996 Drawing course, Para West Adult Campus,S.A.

1996 Aboriginal Art course,Para West Adult Campus,S.A.

1992 Course to teach Aboriginal culture & produce resources for students 

 

Relevant Employment

 

2007 Business partner in “Authentic Indigenous Creations”

2006 Owner, manager ” Eva Wanganeen”

2003 Owner,manager Bakara Gallery,Tarlee,S.A.

2001 Owner/manager Aboriginal arts business-Weebee Designs

2000 Director- design company-Wukula DesignsP/L ( "Mamu"game)

1999 Teaching silkscreening to Arts for Us Community group

1997 Active member of Riverton art & craft group.

1996 Arts teacher for the Aboriginal unemployment youth program,NMAC

 

Voluntary Work

 

2002 Painting Christmas street decorations for Tarlee community,S.A.

2002 Taeching Aboriginal art to primary students, Saddleworth,SA

2002 Teaching Aboriginal culture to primary students,Tarlee.

2000 Painting community banner for local festival,Kapunda.

1998 Executive Committee member with the Aboriginal Arts Incubator,Salisbury,S.A.

1997 Commitee member for Marra Dreaming Aboriginal Arts Co op,Salisbury,S.A.

1993 Teaching Aboriginal culture to early primary students

 

Solo Exhibitions

 

2008 Spirit of Art & Silk - UMI Gallery, Cairns

2002 Opening - Bakara Gallery,Tarlee,S.A. 

2001 Old meets new - Riverton Railway Station Gallery

 

Mixed Exhibition

 

2008 Naidoc exhibition, Tanks Gallery, Cairns

2006 Moving tides, Shifting sands, Tanks Gallery, Cairns

2006 Warna-Warni, Petronas gallery KL Malaysia

2005 International womens week. Mossman Qld

2004 Bejalai, Australian High Commission Kuala Lumpur

2004 International womens week  Mossman Qld.

2003 WEFT - Hilton Hotel,Kuching,Malaysia

2002 Bellalie Arts Society Jamestown Gallery,S.A.

2002 Three Valleys - Queltaler,Watervale,S.A.

2002 Adelaide fringe - Synagogue Place,Adelaide,S.A.

2002 Opening - National Wine Center Art Space

2002 Kapunda Celtic Festival Kapunda,S.A.

2002 Sugar & Spice - Kapunda Gallery,S.A.

2001 Meeting of two Rivers Gawler Arts,S.A.

2001:An Arts Odyssey - Leigh St,Adelaide,S.A.

2001 Insight - Kapunda Gallery,S.A.

2001 Invitation Touring Exhibition S.A. Country Arts

2001 Hidden Secrets - Kapunda Gallery,S.A.

2000 Sydney Olympics - Aboriginal Pavillion

2000 Between Remote Regions Touring-S.A. Country Arts

1999 Local Artists - Kapunda Gallery,S.A.

1999 3 D Art - Kapunda Gallery,S.A.

1999 Spirit of Place - Queltaler,Watervale,S.A.

1999 Heysen Prize - Handorf Academy,S.A.

1999 Illinia 2 - Kapunda Gallery,S.A.

1999 A fairview - Newlands Gallery,S.A.

1999 Water is Life - Albert Lane Gallery, Gawler,S.A.

1999 The Fourth Wave - Port Community Arts Centre,S.A.

1998 The Art of the Flower Burra Regional Gallery,S.A.

1998 Clare Valley Spring Exhibition Queltaller,Watervale,S.A.

1998 Illinia - Kapunda Gallery,S.A.

1998 Tafe Group - Salisbury Tafe,S.A.

 

Awards, Grants & Residencies

 

2007 Invitation into NIAT triennial display, NGA, Canberra

2007 Memento Awards  Winner – Best Indigenous Gift.

2007 Queensland Arts Council grant to attend Debut Fashion Expo Sydney

2007 Selected to be participant in Debut Fashion Expo, Sydney

2005 Arts Qld Project grant. To commercialize & trial market a range of silk scarves

2003 Asialink  Grant - for 3 month artist in residence Kuching,Sarawak,Malaysia

2002 Country Arts S.A. - Grant to attend Mittagong silk painting workshop,NSW

1999 Grant to setup arts business   ATSIC

1999 Peoples Choice prize - Albert Lane gallery,Gawler,S.A.

1999 3 d Art Prize - Kapunda Gallery,S.A.

1998 Country Arts S.A. - Grant to attend silk painting workshops,Sante Teressa,N.T.

 

Commisions

 

2006 Design artwork for fabric production for “Baby Rock”

2000 Design for Centenary of Federation, Adelaide Festival Trust,S.A.

Various private Commissions

 

Collections

 

1999 Kuya (fish) - S.A. Country Arts Trust

Various private Collections

 

Special Events

 

2007 Featured artist in the Indigenous Law bulletin

2007 Co founded “Authentic Indigenous Creations” wholesale business.

2007 Invited participant  “Debut” Hot new labels,  Fashion Expo,  Sydney

2007 Invited to exhibit products by Craft Qld at Tokyo Gift Fair.

2007 Launched silk “Suncatcher/ Shimmering Light” product range.

2007 Launched “EVA WANGANEEN” wearable arts range of silk scarves.

2003 Invited guest speaker at the World Eco Fibre & Textile Forum, Kuching,Sarawak,Malaysia

2002 Opened own gallery – BAKARA GALLERY.

2000 Invited guest NIAA Authenticity launch  Sydney.

2000 Invited to display paintings and products in the Indigenous Pavilion at Sydney 2000 Olympics.

1999 Set up silk painting business – “WEEBEE DESIGNS”

 

My Journey

 

My name is Eva Wanganeen, I am an Indigenous Australian and a descendent of the Arrente and Kokatha people on my grandmother Eva Kites' side. My grandmothers father, Billy Kite was one of twins and born near Macoomba station near Oodnadata in the far north of South Australia. Traditionally because of the harshness of the region, scarce resources and cultural practices only one twin could be carried and fed, so the other had to be left behind, which in this case was my grandmothers father, Billy. He was found by a stockman and raised at Macoomba station and became a stockman himself. Billys’ parents and the other twin traveled north, the other twin was believed to have been sighted many years later at Sante Teresa in central Australia, then a mission.My mother Lena Warriors' father gives me a connection to the Wiringu people near Ceduna.

My fathers’ peoples' traditional country is from the River Murray region. His great grandfather James Wanganeen was the first recorded Wanganeen, a traditional man from the river Murray region in S.A. and he was removed and eventually relocated at Poonindie Mission at Pt. Lincoln, later the Wanganeen family was moved to Point Pearce mission. In those days it was common practice to remove the Indigenous people from their traditional land to missions to allow white settlers to take over that land. My father Edwin Wanganeen was born at the Point Pearce mission and married my mother Lena Warrior. I was born at the nearby Wallaroo hospital in 1952 and have three sisters and five brothers.

I spent a lot of time in hospital up till I was a teenager but I was allowed to go home between operations and I have many happy memories at Point Pearce because of my family there. 

I met my husband Colin, who is originally from England, when I was seventeen. We were married in 1971 and our daughter Kiah (Aboriginal name meaning beautiful) was born in 1973. It was not until our daughter left home that I began my journey of discovery as an artist. My husband and I now live in the beautiful Daintree Rainforest and Kiah in nearby Cairns.

I feel my life has been blessed since I was born with spina bifida and the doctors told my parents I would never walk nor have children. My wonderful grandfather (Eva Kites second husband), Gilbert, would not believe the doctors and encouraged me to take steps by standing me against a wall and twirling a tobacco tin in front of me so I would move towards it. Eventually I walked. (see the photograph over the page of me standing against the wall and my grandfather in front of me). And of course Colin and I had a beautiful daughter.

 

 

Eva Wanganeen

Aboriginal Australian Artist

Artist Statement 

Being an Aboriginal artist specialising in painting on silk has led me on a journey exploring the culture of the Arrente, Wirringu and Kokatha people from whom I am descended. I continue to be inspired by what I learn and endeavor to pass on this knowledge through my art. 

Dozens of icons and symbols are used traditionally and inspired by this rich 40,000 year old culture I interpret and weave these into my images of living creatures, which traditionally my people have such a strong spiritual connection to. 

To translate my heritage to art I choose silk painting as a medium.

I love the feeling of silk painting and using strong line drawings and the vibrant colours available in this medium.