Wendy Grace

Living on the edge of the city of Melbourne I escape to the open spaces of the natural landscape regularly, to the waters edge and the bush. The beauty and quietness of the natural surrounds can be so absorbing, overwhelming a humbling experience. The abstract patterns, colour and textures of the landscape are fascinating I love to trace the rhythms of Nature, to feel the seasonal changes, and watch the patterns that evolve in botanical and geological surfaces.

Organic contours inspired by the natural world intermingle with my own inner world in my art practice, where I explore life, the visible and the invisible, the familiar and the unknown. In my work, I create a space for the imagination rather than reality where evocative organic forms contrast with the calmness of the open space on the canvas to create a sense of transience and the viewer is able to drift into their own imagination and transect new worlds of possibility.

2007 Bachelor of Fine Art Honours, First Class, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC
2006 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) RMIT University
2004 Diploma of Visual Arts, RMIT University

AWARDS & PRIZES
2019 John Villiers Art Prize, Finalist Waltzing Matilda Art Centre QLD
2018 FAC art prize, Immersion, Finalist 2017 Spiritual Art Prize, Recipient, The Gallery Collins St Baptist Church, Melbourne 2016 ANL Art Awards, Finalist, The Mission to seafarers, Melbourne
2016 Art in Science, ACMD Art Prize - Finalist, St Vincent's Hospital Gallery, Melbourne 2016 Space, Recipient, Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston
2016 She, Finalist, Walker St Gallery & Arts Centre, Dandenong Vic 2014 Redland Art Awards, Finalist, Redland Art Awards, Redland Art Gallery, QLD
2014 Waverley Art Prize, Finalist, Waverley Woollahra Art School, Bondi, NSW
2014 She, Finalist, Walker St Gallery & Arts Centre, Dandenong, Vic
2014 Ficifolia Art Exhibition, Highly Commended, Drouin Community Chambers, Drouin VIC
2013 Outback Open Art Prize, Finalist Broken Hill Regional Gallery, NSW
2013 She, Finalist the Walker St Gallery and Arts Centre, Dandenong Vic
2012 Redland Art Awards Finalist, Redland Art Gallery, QLD
2012 St George Art Awards Finalist, Hurstville Museum and Gallery, NSW
2010 Outback Open Art Prize Finalist, Broken Hill Regional Gallery, NSW
2010 City of Albany Art Prize Finalist, Albany WA
2008 The Money Myth Finalist, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Melbourne
2007 Biennial Art Competition Finalist, Box Hill Community Art Centre Melbourne

2021 Transitions, artspaces Kunsmatix
2020 Make-believe, artspaces Kunstmatrix, Chasing Sunbeams artspaces Kunstmatrix https://wendygrace.com.au/Virtual-Gallery~1686
Near Whispers, artspaces kunstmatrix.https://wendygrace.com.au/Near-Whispers~1755
2019 Reflections, Kinross Arts Centre, Toorak, Infinite Space FAC Frankston
Recent Works, Sinclair + May, Melbourne 2018 Quiet Rhythms, Sinclair + May, Melbourne. Dream weaver, Art and St.Franics, Melbourne. Paperbark tales, Walker St Gallery, Dandenong
2017 Sense of Place, FAC, Frankston. Sirenuse, Manyung Gallery, Sorrento
2016 Winter’s Song, Manyung Gallery, Mount Eliza Vic
2015 Soft Edges, Manyung Gallery, Sorrento
2014 Fluid Boundaries, Manyung Gallery, Sorrento
2014 Here & Now, Cambridge Gallery, Melbourne
2013 Memory Traces, Manyung Gallery, Sorrento
2012 Phantom Fields, Manyung Gallery, Mount Eliza Vic
2011 Hint of Spring, Manyung Gallery, Mount Eliza Vic
2010 Cycles, Carbon Black Gallery, Melbourne
2009 Water’s Edge, Louey & Lane, Melbourne
2008 Leaving it open, Red Gallery, Melbourne' Heading South, Bayside Council Corporate Centre, Melbourne
2007 Slipstream, first site RMIT Union Gallery Melbourne


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 SMALL, 45dowstairs, Melbourne. Artist in residence exhibition, Heritage Hill Dandenong. 9by5 Walker St Gallery, Dandeong.
2017 land Sea and Sky, Manyung Gallery Mt.Eliza Museum of Lost Public Notices Project and Exhibition, George Paton Gallery, Melbourne
She, Walker St Gallery + Arts Centre, Dandenong, Vic
2016 Australia Wild Art Awards, Sherbrook Gallery, Belgrave, Vic.
Singleton Art Prize, Singleton, NSW
Small Works, Brunswick St Gallery, Melbourne
In Flux, Brunswick St Gallery, Melbourne
Manyung Gallery, Sorrento Vic
2015 Manyung Gallery, Mt Eliza Vic
9 by 5, Walker Street Gallery, Dandenong Vic
Panoply Gallery, Melbourne, Vic
Camberwell Art Show, Melbourne, Vic
Fusion Fine Arts, Subiaco WA
On Paper, Manyung Gallery Mt.Eliza, Vic
Ficifolia Art Exhibition, Drouin, Vic
2014 Manyung Gallery, Mt Eliza
9 by 5, Walker Street Gallery, Dandenong
Summer Sorbet, Fusion Fine Arts, Subiaco WA
Belle Arti, Chapman & Bailey, Melbourne
Splash Art, fundraiser Kew Primary School, Melbourne
Colours of Spring, Manyung Gallery, Mount Eliza
Sustainable Living Festival, West Beach Bathers Pavilion, Melbourne
Ficifolia Art Exhibition, Drouin Community Chambers, Drouin, VIC
2013 Manyung Gallery, Mt Eliza
9 by 5 Walker Street Gallery, Dandenong
69fifteen, 69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne
In Bloom, Gallery eight, Sydney, NSW
Creative Sustainability, Gallery St.Kilda Town Hall, Melbourne
Salon des Refusés, Bay of Fires Art Prize, TAS
Vale St Studio Artist’s Exhibition, Vale St Studios Melbourne
2012 Manyung Gallery, Mt Eliza
Open Studio, Vale St Studios, Melbourne
Manyung Gallery, Sorrento, Vic
Art Melbourne, Exhibition buildings, Melbourne
69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne
Antipodes, Gallery Ranfurlie, Melbourne
2011 Small Works, Carbon Black Gallery Melbourne
Manyung Gallery, Sorrento
New Paint, Subject Matter Art Space, Melbourne
Belle Arti Chapman & Bailey Art Award, Chapman & Bailey, Melbourne
Vale Street Studio Artists, the Gallery St Kilda Town Hall, Melbourne
69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne
Seek, Level 17 Art space, Victoria University, Melbourne
Medium Vinyl, Hardware Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Autumnal Equinox – Photographic Exhibition, 69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne
2010 Manyung Gallery, Mount Eliza
A little bit of summer, Breathing Colours Gallery, Sydney
New Collectables, first site RMIT Union Gallery, Melbourne
Belle Arti, Chapman & Bailey Art Award, Metro Arts, Brisbane
Exquisite Palette, St. Luke, Melbourne
Black & White, Pigment Gallery, Melbourne
40% Wool, 60% Acrylic, Hardware Gallery & World Bar Sydney
Medium Vinyl, Hardware Gallery, Sydney
Launch 3, Carbon Black Gallery, Melbourne
69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne
New Collectables, first site RMIT Union Art Gallery, Melbourne
Sara Roney Gallery, Sydney, NSW